Wow...what a year...
What is there even to say about a year like 2020? In a year full of social injustice, a pandemic, and one of the most ..interesting? presidential elections in the recent memory, 2020 was one for the ages. During a time like this it is easy to reflect back on all of the negatives that occurred, but there were still some positives to this chaotic timespan. This year my fiancé and I had to push our wedding almost a full year due to restrictions in place because of the virus, however; this gave us the chance to learn and grow more as a couple. With our relationship being majority long distance prior and still revolving around travel pre-virus, these past 10months have been eye opening and have really brought us closer as a couple. It is hard to think back to a time before travel restrictions, fear during flights due to close interactions with others, and potential quarantines. While we were still able to travel some during this time, we were always fully masked and sanitizing as much as reasonable. It hasn’t been one of the most exciting years for travel, however we were able to take this time to have a lot of “staycations” revolving around drinks at our patio bar, lunchable style charcuterie in a hammock, and hanging out on the lawn of our city’s beautiful town square. Overall, I think the lessons learned from 2020 will just strengthen us as a couple and make our date in 2021 that much more special. One of the largest benefits to 2020 was the cost saving aspect of sheltering in place. Granted, I am not a person to spend money usually, however not being able to travel or attend conferences has saved me a decent chunk of change this year. The cost savings was eye opening this year as our travel was limited and we were able to keep more money in our account. With an average trip costing $1-2k after hotel and travel expenses, we likely saved $8-10k by just limiting the number of vacations this year as we had a honeymoon planned and one other potential international trip. Finally, with restaurants closed, we did almost all of our dinning from home. We invested in a couple of cook books, tried a few different diets, and ultimately learned how to prepare some of our favorite meals' vs paying someone else to present us with the experience of them making the food. Finally, my favorite part of 2020 was the opportunity it presented us all for self-improvement. This year alone I have completed 40hrs of CEUs for my physical therapy career (we need 30 every 2 years), completed all of the course work and passed my real estate licensure exam, and have read over 50 books (mostly consumed the content on audible during my commute), and have been able to make countless meaningful connections with others to hopefully set up some big moves in the years to come. While self-growth is not the first thing on everyone's mind during a pandemic, it is a major portion of my self-care routine. I am not one that does well sitting and vegging out for extended periods of time. While I do enjoy quiet time to mediate and have purposeful relaxation, I cannot spend hours on end watching TV or playing video games. When it comes to self-care, I very much stand by the GaryVee approach of do what makes you happy, and for me that is constantly moving forward and striving to be better. That being said, if you need the time to wind down after a long day and it doesn’t cause you even more stress, then please continue to do that because 2020 isn’t about what could of or should have happened, it is about making it through and doing what makes you happy. If you are reading this and want to shoot me a message or a comment about what went well for you in 2020, I would love to hear it! We made it through this year together and while many of us have suffered a loss because of this virus, hopefully 2021 will be clearer skies and we can keep progressing forward in this thing we call life. If there is any way I can help you make 2021 a better year whether that be through offering an ear to listen to your problems, talking through an injury with my physical therapy knowledge, making drink recommendations, or helping with all of your real estate needs, please never hesitate to reach out! Cheers to kicking out 2020 and bringing in an even better 2021!
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AuthorI am a new graduate DPT and am interested in personal growth and becoming a connector within my profession.
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