January 2021

Making history in 2021

Tell your story with photography from Venture Studios

In our recent article How will you remember 2020? we reflected on the immense significance of last year, and how we have been seeing the history of the future unfolding before our eyes.

But here we are, in 2021, wondering what this year will bring. For starters, we are all hoping that Covid-19 will be brought under control. And that life can resume some semblance of normality.

But what else are you hoping for this year?

You may feel understandably nervous about committing to anything this year in light of the ongoing Covid situation. But on the other hand, having personal goals to aim for can give you a sense of purpose that helps you to keep going during the difficult times.

Set goals for 2021

So as you read this, why not think of one or more goals that you would like to try and aim for in 2021? Things that are totally personal to you, that you would enjoy doing, and that would bring a sense of achievement if you manage to do them.

Some ideas to get you started are:

• Learn something new this year. It may be another language, a musical instrument, cooking, baking, sewing, painting, dancing or flower arranging. Do it just for you.
• Read at least one book every month. It doesn’t matter whether this is a physical book or e-reader, or even an audiobook. It does not have to be a novel, it could be a biography or self-help book. Anything that you will enjoy and that will enrich your mind.
• Commit to get (or keep) fit this year. Whether it’s walking, cycling, Couch25K, dancing, online yoga or pilates or any other kind of sport just do it. Even better, sign up for some kind of fitness event or challenge to help motivate you.
• Get involved in charity this year. You may want to volunteer for a local charity, do a fundraising event, or sponsor a child or animal. But find some way to play your part.
• Pay off excess debt this year. If your credit card bills have crept up during lockdown, find creative ways to make a bit of extra money to start getting them paid off. Whether this means changing jobs, doing some extra work as a sideline, selling goods on eBay or anything else, the sooner you start the sooner you will get there.

There are so many other goals you could set, related to food and drink, home and family, health and well-being. But choose just a small number of realistic goals that you want to aim for in 2021. Something to bring some fun, joy and focus into your life.

Journal your goals

Once you have your goals and are working on them, why not keep a record of what you are doing? We have covered the topic of journaling before – for example in our article Reinvent yourself this Lent – and it is an increasingly popular way of recording the history of your life. It is up to you whether you use a notebook or computer to do this, but make some initial notes on what you are doing and why, and add to your journal whenever you encounter something significant – either positive or otherwise – along the way.

Of course, photography is an essential part of recording progress, particularly for the visual society in which we live. With each simple step towards your goal you are also making history: the history of your life. So take lots of photos to give you plenty of memories to look back on in years to come.

Take a look through our gallery to get some ideas for the kind of fun photos you could include in your journal. Imagine your own photos of whatever you are learning or doing or working towards in 2021. You can use photography to show how things are now, at the beginning of the year, then of how things are progressing as the year advances.

Let Venture Studios tell your story

Of course, once our studios are open again we would love to welcome you into your nearest Venture Studios to enjoy one of our fabulous photography experiences. This will include a professional photo shoot to which you can bring as many different outfits and props as you choose. You will then be able to view the resulting images, and take home a framed image of your choice.

We hope that 2021 is a really good year for you, and one that you can look back on in years to come as being a significant year in your history.

We look forward to meeting you when circumstances allow.