Here we are in a new year. Yet it seems the magic of midnight from 31^st December 2020 to January that some felt would make a fresh new freer world didn’t work. I have to admit, I was one of those annoying people who likes to apply reality to a situation that didn’t really trust the excitement for a new year.

I am going to miss 2020.

Now, I am pleased we all made it to 1 January 2021. But I am always pleased for a fresh beginning. I love a new day. For me, it is always a chance to reset, restart and forgive myself.

The truth is, I really enjoyed 2020 (too controversial for you? Sorry, but it is the truth!). I actually loved it.

Reasons to love and miss 2020

Free time

Personally, I grew. There was time to rediscover my hobbies, and even start some new ones! I remembered that I love colour and making, knitted, crocheted and started making cards for loved ones. Then there was the joy of writing by hand. Journalling became a daily practice, weekly wrote to relatives and friends who live far away and rediscovered my love of fonts. I started painting watercolours, and forcing them on my family as gifts.

My love of stories and reading went from the smouldering embers of “only in the summer holidays” to “a day isn’t complete without a book”. I found new gems by listening to random audiobooks and starting a book group with my family. We had weekly or fortnightly chats about a book we all read via WhatsApp.

Then there was the chance to stop. To rest.

Reflection time

Never again will we have this much time to spare (probably…) . People have been furloughed meaning they can still be paid 80% of their salary for not going to work. Yes, parents and carers have had to do some teaching. It’s been hard. Change is weird and difficult and uncomfortable and usually forced upon us. However, we did it. We showed strength and commitment we didn’t know we had. People showed resourcefulness in new ways that they had never even considered before.

Community

There was a shortage of flour, because people started baking and cooking from scratch more. Hobby stores had an increase in sales, because people started to express themselves creatively. There is a push for people to shop small and support small business. People started using their purchasing power for good, buying small and local, caring about origin of produce.

We started looking outside of our own lives. There was the “Clap for Carers” movement – although I believe we should include postal workers, delivery guys, supermarket workers etc etc etc. Volunteering surged and we started checking on neighbours, elderly or vulnerable people and contacting family farther afield than we would normally connect with.

People also started looking at their own life and re-evaluating them. What would they keep from this period? Can we embrace family game night once a week when “normality” resumes? Is there expenditure that I have stopped and I am not missing? Personally, I learnt that it’s OK to be different. I have spent over 30years trying to fit myself into other people’s expectations and failing repeatedly. And I decided that going my own way, being who I am, is a-ok. I really enjoyed spending more time with my husband. What do I want to keep? Working from home. Being at home. I like home!!!!

What I wont miss in 2020

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t all rosy for me in 2020. I had to

leave my job for my mental health, with no income insight.
recover from my extreme CFS flare up.
cancel my Christmas plans as my family’s area went into Tier 4.
cope with not seeing my stepson for months as he has a close family member, living in the same house, on a ventilator so is at extreme risk of catching COVID
had hospital and medical appointments and referrals cancelled.

I know I am not special because 2020 was totally different for all of us. Meeting up with my family is something I long to do. And going for a coffee. Sunday lunch out. I miss visiting my local library and going for a weekend away for a new adventure.

However, I did manage to:

start a tutoring business
restart this blog!
get my TpT store on the road to an actual side hustle and not just a sometime in the future dream!

Basically, 2020 has been kind to me. Given me space to review, evolve, rediscover and reinvent. I will miss 2020.