2020 Vision: Focusing on What Matters and Keeping Inner Peace

Earlier in December 2019, Pantone announced that the Color of the Year 2020 is Classic Blue, saying:

“Imprinted in our psyches as a restful color, Classic Blue brings a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge. A reflective blue tone, Classic Blue fosters resilience. Associated with the return of another day, this universal favorite is comfortably embraced.”

Part of the reason why I like the Color of the Year 2020 is the arbitrary meaning blue has: peace — just exactly what we need after a decade of relentless and dizzying motion. Especially in recent years, things had been unusually rapid and toxic. Have you felt the same?

I reckon the path to peace ain’t easy. In moments of disarray and chaos, staying calm is a key trait that will keep us moving. Many health experts, articles, and people have recommended mindfulness, journaling, and awareness of the present as some powerful activities to finding peace–your inner peace–but it’s easier said than done. Of course, you would not know if these activities will work if you have not experienced life-shaking events yourself.

“Life-shaking” may be too strong an adjective. There are daily moments or people that rock our inner peace. Busyness and deadlines at work; all sorts of prejudice, narcissism, and miscommunication on social media; disconnection to loved ones.

I have written a couple of articles about the difficulties I faced in the past months, and I followed those powerful activities I mentioned above to get back on track. Amid all those moments of confusion and enlightenment, then denial and acceptance, then outrage and recovery, I got reminded of a quality I am quite good at–focus.

When under the state of focusing, my awareness is heightened, my vision laser straight, my creative juices overflowing.

Allow me to quote a passage from the Book of Mathew, which I saw on a social media post of a friend:

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!

– Mathew 6:22–23, King James Version

The catharsis I recently had reinvigorated me and reinforced that message I have told myself since coming to China: focus on what matters. The many episodes I have faced living abroad have led me to detours, longer routes, (re)discoveries, and shortcuts, which meant a longer time to achieve my short- and long-term goals. Without facing these difficulties, however, I won’t develop a discerning eye and a stronger character. Without them, I won’t learn the value of keeping and protecting your inner peace.

Now, my 2020 vision–forgive the pun, but everybody is using it, anyway–is a return to form: to focus on what matters and to keep my inner peace. It’s a clear plan and direction that hopefully will guide me in the current decade–even though I am myopic and my eyesight has gradually deteriorated. But the focus I had in my early 20s is still with me and I need to put that to good use.

Happy New Year 2020 and cheers to a new and exciting decade ahead!

 

Photo: Andy Penafuerte III