JUDY GAMAN - GOODBYE 2020 - HELLO 2021

Author Judy Gaman is here to share her essay Goodbye 2020 Hello 2021.

But first, lets check out her new book which came out this year.

Judy Gaman was so busy making a name for herself that she barely took the time to meet a stranger, enjoy life, or simply stop to breathe. Immersed in her job as the director of business development for a high-profile medical practice―a job that required her to write health and wellness books and host a nationally syndicated radio show―she spent every day going full speed ahead with no looking back. That is, until the day she met Lucille Fleming.

While writing a book on longevity, Judy interviewed Lucille, an elegant and spirited woman who had just recently turned 100. Lucille had the fashion and style of old Hollywood, but it was all hidden behind the doors of her assisted living center. What began as a quick meeting became a lasting friendship that transformed into an inseparable bond. Lucille brought incredible wisdom and great stories to the table, while Judy provided an avenue for excitement and new opportunities. Together, the two began living life to the fullest, and meeting the most interesting people along the way (including Suzanne Somers). But then Lucille’s life came to an end through unexpected and unfortunate circumstances―and the very first lesson she ever taught Judy proved to be the most important one of all.

Bitter-Sweet Goodbye to 2020 ... Hello to 2021

So many of us looked forward to 2020 with hopes and dreams that it would be the year that all things came into focus. A year where our careers skyrocketed, our relationships blossomed, and our inner self found new meaning. Even though 2020 felt like a bad relationship that we couldn’t get out of fast enough, I dare say that that the scars it left have changed us. In many ways it’s changed us for the better.

While some have lost their jobs, they have been forced to reinvent themselves and take inventory of what they want in a career and in a future. For those who were fortunate to keep their jobs, they may have proven they have what it takes to work without micromanagement. And for the leadership teams, they learned to set their own fears aside and rally the troops in a new way. We were all stretched and tested, earning us an honorary degree in flexibility. 

When it comes to relationships, nothing tests a marriage, friendship, or parent/child relationship more than being in close quarters for an extended length of time. Even the strongest relationships felt the strains of uncertainty, boredom, and claustrophobia. We saw each other at our best and at our worst. With all the fakeness that exists in the world, nothing says reality more than overgrown hair and three day old sweatpants. Do you remember your parents saying, “Someday we’ll all just remember these days fondly?” I believe that even among all the negative things that happened in 2020, it’s the quiet moments around the dinner table, the walks and bike rides, and even those notorious family Zoom meetings that gave new meaning to Charles Dicken’s line, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

This past year, anyone with a pulse found themselves in self-reflection, searching for meaning and purpose in all that was happening in the world, and exactly how they fit into the narrative. They say that you can tell a lot about a person by their Amazon order history, a theory that held true for me with books like Midlife Manifesto and Life Reimagined. I even ordered a few things to put on my new vision board, which I entitled Judy – Fabulous at 50! – a great compliment to my birthday count-down calendar. Both the vision board and the calendar served as a reminder that I must make each day count. Regardless of what’s going on around us, we’re not getting any younger.

As we look forward to 2021, it’s best to do so with a few truths in mind:

• There are no guarantees in life and often the only thing within our control is our own attitude. If we can master our reaction, we can change the trajectory of our day, if not our entire future. 
• Within each of us is the ability to adapt. No matter how stuck in our ways we may be, or how tired we may get, there is still an innate sense of survival. A little super hero lies within each of us.
• Perhaps the most important thing is that the little things  really are the big things. Family, friends, and faith will be there when all else fails, so never, ever, take them for granted. 

Judy Gaman is the CEO of Executive Medicine of Texas, and an award-winning author. Her latest book, Love, Life, and Lucille, a memoir about how a centenarian changed her life forever, was a Finalist at the International Book Awards and reached Best-Seller status on Amazon in four categories.

ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS!