What a year 2020 has been, it has tested our resilience and forced us to change the way we live and work. The longest year in history has finally come to an end, but what's a New Years without having a good old reflection - it's definitely been one to tell the grandkids!

Some lessons we have learnt this year:

1. Practice gratitude Start small, 3 things a day, it can be anything - like that delicious coffee you had in the morning, who doesn't enjoy coffee?! You will be amazed at how much appreciation you will start to have for everything in life.

2. Embrace downtime We might think it's important to always be busy but there's something to be said in downtime. These moments are where wonderful ideas are born, life admin is handled and most importantly you can take a step back and focus your energy where it truly matters.

3. Put yourself in other's shoes Literally think – “how would I react if that was me?”. It's one of the most basic things to do, that a lot of us need to do more!

THIS IS YOUR YEAR

We bet a lot of you cannot wait to kiss 2020 goodbye, with the new year on the horizon it's time to take this opportunity to start taking calculated risks. What better time than to flourish that light bulb moment you had and start kicking goals.

Budgeting, what an intimidating word. Especially when you love a cheeky selfish splurge. If you're wanting to work your way up the ladder, budgeting will be your new best friend. Imagine checking your account monthly, even weekly and seeing how much closer you are to achieving that goal – priceless!

There are multiple tools available these days to make budgeting a lot easier or you could do the good old-fashioned way. Start by writing down your income after tax and make a list of your expenses. It's never too late to set aside an emergency savings fund. After all, you never know when a pandemic will hit! To help you out even more, we've found some amazing apps that make budgeting a walk in the park.

• Pocketbook
• Moneybrillant
• Good Budget

Happy New Year fam, from the MyPayNow team. Remember, whatever curveballs 2021 throws at you, we are here to help every step of the way.