2020 reflections
Depending on who you ask, some may say 2021 is the official start of a new decade. I like the idea of 2021 being the start of a new decade because I’m ready for a fresh beginning.
Each year, I’m always reminded that so much can happen and change in a year, and that’s especially true for 2020. Here’s a little timeline at how my life rolled out this year.
Kicked off 2020 eager to start a new job in January
In February/March, the rest world finally caught up with the global pandemic. I had heard about it happening in November.
Michigan’s stay at home order commences in March, so I celebrated my 28th birthday at home with fried chicken and a homemade birthday cake by Kyle.
April and May feel like a blur now, I just remember Zoom workouts, baking bread and playing Jackbox with friends. Oh, and I launched an Etsy shop.
June was the month everything I thought I knew changed.
In July, I tried to be kind to myself as I was feeling like I lost a bit of myself.
August kicked off the wonderful journey of finding our (Kyle and me) first home.
September we (Kyle, two friends, Molly and me) escaped to the mountains in Tennessee for a week. No, we didn’t really see any bears but we chased many waterfalls.
For a moment in October, it felt like life was a bit normal again. I got to work in the office for a week. We also looked at many houses and finally got an offer accepted!
November was an exciting month. Closed on our house two days before Kyle’s birthday. Escaped to Glen Arbor, Michigan that same weekend all before the state went into a partial shutdown again. We also did a lot of cleaning, packing and painting.
Now we’re in December. We are moved into our new house and settling in. I am recovering from finally having my remaining wisdom teeth removed after procrastinating for about four years or so.
I’m feeling hopeful for a fresh start in 2021.
Major goals were accomplished in 2020, even if it felt a little different. I finally found a job that allows for breathing room and margin. I paid off my car. I saved up money and bought a house with my partner. Wisdom teeth are behind me now.
2020 was a big year in so many ways. While there was a lot of good, I was also challenged to let go of things and habits I had held tightly onto for so long. I navigated learning how to be myself again, to really be myself. I also worked on breaking identities I had built working in a fast-paced career and giving myself a whole lot more grace.
As I close this post, it feels a little weird to write here, publicly. I gave up on blogging about three or four years ago and it’s something I’ve missed for a long time. It’s something I’ve often dreamed about doing again, but often let my fears take over the steering wheel.
That’s all changing now in 2021 (wow, that feels bold to say as I proofread this post). I’m not sure how often I’ll show up here in the new year, but I am looking forward to writing more and creating more, and following what I love to do. Even if it feels a bit different than what others are doing.
Perhaps I’ll return in a few days with a list of goals I hope to accomplish in 2021. I’m working through my PowerSheets by Cultivate What Matters and will keep you posted on what vision comes to fruition for 2021. Right now, I’m feeling a lot closer to who I’m meant to be and embracing what feels good.
I’d love to hear your reflections on 2020. Please feel free to share in the comments below!
