What 2020 Taught Me
To say 2020 was a shitshow, would be an understatement. I know it came with its challenges, and we’re all hoping for a better 2021. If it taught me anything, it’s that life is short. I took this year as an opportunity to really focus on what my future was going to look like; career wise, relationships, bucket list dreams and so much more. I will no long waste my life thinking about the “what ifs” or “is it the right time”. Rather than waiting for my life to pass me by, I’m focusing on the things I can change and have control over.
Speaking of the future, I took the time these past few months to create something to look forward to. For planning our postponed trip to Bali, to small work projects I want to complete this year. I found saving something positive to look forward to, instead of fixating on the pandemic, encouraged me to get up in the morning and have an optimistic and productive day. Although I may not have been able to achieve everything, I wanted in 2020, I know the future looks bright and happy, and that’s what I look forward to.
Speaking of happiness, 2020 was all about finding the simple things in life that brought me pleasure. From spending extra time with the hubby, to long and meaningful conversations with friends, to cooking new meals and watching new TV series, to taking up new hobbies and getting outside more, 2020 wasn’t all that bad. With heartache and pain, comes happy moments that you no longer take for granted. Simple things, like my morning coffee with Derek, to bright sunny days and long walks in the park quickly became some of my favourite moments and brought me true happiness.
We live in a crazy, busy and hectic world, but last year taught me it’s okay to slow down. It’s okay to take extra time for myself, without feeling guilty. My own mental health came first, for the first time in years. I learned it’s okay to say no and my first priority should be myself, friends and family. Being stuck inside for weeks on end during the early part of the year, while although came with its challenges, it left me feeling appreciative of my home, health and husband. It allowed the extra time to get creative, discover new hobbies and how to stay entertained while on lockdown.
As the old saying goes, life is a gift. So, while I’m happy for my health, I’m also grateful for the love and support I have from loved ones, but also this community I have built over the past 11 years of blogging. In these difficult times, it’s easy to get hung-up on the unknown and all the horrific things that happened in 2020, but we also have to be grateful for the good. It presented us with the priceless and irreplaceable gift of time. Being forced to stay home, I was able to take advantage of opportunities I wouldn’t have been able to achieve otherwise. I used my extra time to develop new skills, work harder on the blog, but best of all, reach out to friends and family to catch up and see how they were really doing.
What did 2020 teach you?
