And so, it has begun …

By Abby Crawford

The new year, the new start, the new way of living. It already feels more positive … and I think we all had every right to be healthily sceptical that when that clock ticked on over past the end of the year that COVID and all its devastation would magically disappear. Of course, it wouldn’t, and of course it hasn’t.

But what that clock ticking over and ending the “unprecedented times” of 2020 actually did do, was give us all a chance to re-set. It provided us a point of time to say optimistically “well thank god that’s done” and muster up some positivity that it would all be different. And, it actually does feel that it is different. Maybe it’s simply that we are more comfortable seeing restrictions implemented in a more controlled way at the first sign of hotspots. Maybe it’s because in re-connecting with friends and family, it all feels so much better. But it is certainly feeling more comfortable, and a lot better. In fact, it’s feeling a lot more positive.

I’m seeing a new way forward, and it’s better than simply feeling there’s a return to “pre 2020”. I’m seeing us take the learnings of what is important to us – which we learned when it was all taken away through restrictions – and prioritising them in our lives again. I’m seeing businesses learn that they can have their teams work in much more flexible ways. I’m seeing people realise how important time with family and friends is to their mind, heart and soul. I’m seeing connections and collaboration within community – buy local, support local – brings us together in ways we had easily forgotten before. I’m seeing, dare I say it, the return of values.

We are looking at our community, at our Australia, and we are carving out the path forward. There is a huge movement towards Australian made that is reminiscent of the war efforts. There is a protective focus on our healthcare, the protection of our people through last year but the emergence of our strength and resilience to build this year. We are taking pride in our homes (statistics show the restyling of our home offices, and reviewing how we live as families is seeing enormous growth for our lifestyle retailers), we are seeking farmers markets and trying our hand at growing our own vegies, we are prioritising how we are living and what the future will look like.

I am looking forward to this year with a sense of calm excitement. This is the opportunity for us to really work to live, rather than live to work. And by that, I don’t mean we don’t work as hard or we dismiss our work commitments – but that we work in ways that both sustains our businesses and supports the lives we want to live. That we work harder in our “work period” but also give value to our time with family and protect that connection. That we work with our teams and our leaders to define how we want the future to work.

Australia has done an incredible job in keeping us all safe from the devastation many countries around the world are seeing. We are protected, and if we look at this to see the positives of what living in our community, in our country, can bring then we will thrive through the challenges that this year will still surely bring.

While #grateful was possibly the most overused social tag of the last decade, at the start of 2021, I am truly feeling very grateful for the opportunities that lie ahead and the values that we collectively hold. Let’s live well, let’s work hard, let’s look after each other. I’m damn grateful for being here with you all.

With much love,

Abby x •