As 2020 comes to a close, I wanted to reflect on the year. It was a big year for many of us, in many different ways. There was good, bad and lots of in between this year. A lot of things happened and I want to share with you a recap of my year, as well as lessons I learned and growth that has been made in my life. I invite you to do the same for your year too. This is the perfect time to do it. If you feel it was a bad year for you, try to find the silver linings. There is always some good.
What happened this year
First off, expect the unexpected. Don’t take ANYTHING for granted. It’s so easy to continue to do. March and April brought an apocalyptic type feeling, everything was empty, no people, almost no hope, crazy riots and things with society kept going downhill. And there was no toilet paper to be found anywhere!
We brought in roommates in February and I’m glad we did because we had a great time most of the year with friends. May was mainly my birthday and not much else, the start of the HOT weather. We had a gathering just us four and they made me feel special with cake and presents and we just hung out. It was perfect. In June, we had Sean’s birthday, which we did nothing for (he didn’t want to) and Stephanie’s birthday, which we celebrated by having a nice dinner all together and just celebrated her. She had a family celebration too and did her own thing with Dillen, her husband.
July and August were a whirlwind, I don’t remember much except more hot weather, lots of boredom, trying to be safe and get out of the stir-crazy house. Finally, September came with our anniversary, word of our puppies’ arrival and then the marker of losing my dad 18 years ago. That was hard and wild, and I didn’t know what to think about it. I got into counseling soon after. I’ve been in for about 2-3 months now. I missed a few appts, but I feel like it’s the best move for 2020 regardless.
October started with roommates moving out (that was hard) and then Halloween, which was simple yet fun with his parents and the kids in the new neighborhood. In November, the numbers for COVID jumped up again and everyone was on alert. The only thing I could think about was picking up our puppy as a distraction from this whole year and then of course Thanksgiving.
And now in December, it feels like we almost never would have arrived, and here we are. It’s been the weirdest first year in our house but hey, I guess that’s unforgettable! We had a few big purchases this year too, which made things not so boring as well. One was our treadmill with a video screen and classes on demand. We had to replace and re-order a new fridge because the old one was leaking from the ice machine not working properly. And finally, our shower remodel. That was even better than expected! I loved showers before as a means of self-care, but now… WOW, I really love spending time relaxing in there!
Lessons of 2020:
•be proactive with people.
•use your head and your heart.
•the simplest things can create joy.
•communication is 110% important.
•your health is VITAL, be cautious but don’t be paranoid.
•if you don’t feel right, say something, speak up.
•sometimes things aren’t super exciting and that’s okay.
•three things no one should discuss: politics, religion and race/sex.
•just LOVE people, love their differences, it’s not that hard. Why do differences matter so much?!
•if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say it at all.
•new friends come at the most unexpected times.
•family ISN’T blood. PERIOD. Not for everyone anyway…
•quit living in the what if, when mentality. Go do it! (When it’s safe of course!)
•always say I love you and goodbye, and hug as often as you can.
Glancing back, moving forward
I grew a lot this year! After getting our own house, I finally feel like I’m an actual adult with real important things, like a Will and important legal things, property taxes, etc. I think for the first time in a while I saw my flaws and I’m trying to work on them, while also trying to better myself, for myself, by myself.
I learned as a pet parent that it takes a LOAD of responsibility and patience. We love this puppy so so much but she’s been a challenge and she’s a GOOD puppy too, but it’s been hard.
The other night I had a moment of bonding with my best friend. I think I just didn’t think I was valued as much as I am. I don’t often think about how people see me or interact with me. But knowing that I’ve done my job as a friend and impacted her and made her feel good this whole year has really brightened our friendship. It was amazing to hear that. It is a deep connection and I never want to lose it with her.
As far as blogging goes, I am really proud. I did so good most of the year! Consistency is sticking through! I followed my vision and made the blog what I wanted. Now I feel like with Pam’s help, I have a drive and a passion like never before!! I want it to be quality. I want to be proud to share it and offer value, of course, that people truly care about. She has helped me with my whole backend and vision in the grand scheme- it’s opened my eyes to how much is involved really.
In our marriage, I think we are closer and learning how to be as one a bit better than we have been. It’s like we were on autopilot, and hey, I don’t wanna be on autopilot! Neither of us deserve that. So, it’s a work in progress but celebrating 11 years isn’t anything to laugh at! We are still very much in love and will continue to support each other in all of our endeavors.
The year has been a big one in many different ways, both on a personal and global level. What big things have happened in your life this year? What are some lessons you’ve learned or growth you feel you have made this year? I would love to hear about your year in the comments!
