A Year In Review: 2020
Congratulations! We’ve made it to the end of 2020, a year of uncertainty, heartache and also of small joys, strength and resilience. If I’m being completely honest with you I have really dreaded the idea of reflecting on 2020. It just feels too soon to find a whole lot of comfort in all the life changes this year brought for all of us. That said, I want to take this last day of the year to reflect on the happy moments and the accomplishments that I’ve managed to squeeze out of it, big and small. So here I go, reluctantly reflecting on 2020, one of the biggest years of change in my life.
Highlights of the Year
No. 1: Going Full Time. It’s not lost on me that a lot of the major changes in my life were actually self-imposed. A long term goal of mine was always to make my online platforms into my full time job. I had already got very comfortable with the idea that blogging was my new career, and I essentially worked 2 full time jobs between my museum job and my blog for about 2 years. Then March came and I was presented the opportunity to leave my old job and really go all in with blogging. My plan was to take it month by month and see how it goes. Here we are 9 months later and I can honestly say I love every single moment of work and I wake up feeling so grateful for this job every day. This was definitely the year I fell in love with my career path.
No. 2: Turning 26 & A Big Chop. My 26th birthday was spent at home with some of my favorite treats and an Aperol spritz in hand, basically my ideal situation. It was a bit uneventful but in the best way. I think this first step into the later half of my twenties was a little bit scary (birthdays never really bothered me before) but with the career changes and reconnecting with myself, I felt like I was on the right path for the most part. I also decided to cut off all my hair, a small change (at least in my mind) for a fresh start.
No. 3: Summertime in Georgia. My dad and I were able to travel home to Georgia in July (taking all the necessary precautions) and it was such a wonderful trip. Being able to celebrate both of my parents birthdays that month with the rest of my family felt so special. I spent days working in the garden with my dad and transforming the space at my mom’s new home. It pains me to think about how much time apart people have had to spend from loved ones this year, which makes moments like this all the more special and memorable.
No. 4: Visiting Alaska. This was a trip Kyle’s family planned way back in Dec. ‘19 and fortunately it was one of the few places we were able to travel to in 2020. The trip was spent almost entirely outside in nature, with all types of hiking, kayaking, biking, horseback riding and taking in all the breathtaking sites of The Last Frontier. I feel so incredibly grateful to have taken that trip, despite everything happening in the world, and the memories made there will always be with me.
No. 5: A Cross-Country Move. I could have never imagined beginning and ending the year in Atlanta. After spending the past 8 years in California, a place I love with all my heart, the thought of moving back to Georgia (where I grew up) felt nearly impossible to imagine, much less make a reality. The past few years in San Diego were particularly hard for me as I felt so isolated and alone. And don’t get me wrong, it broke my heart to pack up my belongings and say goodbye to my life there. But I’m happy to say that coming home to GA, moving back in with my mom and seeing my family regularly, has brought such a deep sense of healing that I couldn’t even acknowledge needing for a long time.
No. 6: Celebrating the holidays at home. After moving in November and election stress, the holidays have been the perfect end to the year. They were low-key and super relaxed but we had the whole family together for the first time in a long while. This is the first year I helped cook Christmas dinner with my dad. And my mom and I went all out with the festive decorations to celebrate the first holiday season in her new home. And in a few short hours we’ll be ringing in the new year together with Japanese Udon noodles (mom’s tradition) and black eyed peas (dad’s tradition) and something nice and bubbly too.
Personal & Career highlights
No. 1: Growing My YouTube Channel. Once I decided to go full time with content creation I knew a big part of that was growing my YouTube channel. I started putting out two videos a week. I also shared a whole lot more of my life with you all in weekly vlogs. These vlogs definitely helped keep me sane and stick to healthy routines with so much alone time in lockdown. I could never have imagined my channel growing the way it did this year, going from around 350 subscribers to nearly 5k! Reading some of the sweetest and most uplifting comments at times when I was sharing a lot of difficult personal moments felt like such an incredible gift. The little community we’ve created on YouTube is something I’m immensely proud of and so thankful for.
No. 2: Finding Joy In Movement. Health-related goals are always on my list of resolutions but it actually took a whole lockdown for me to get comfortable with the idea of working out at home. I’ve tried the gym, barre and yoga classes over the year but could never fully commit to them because of how much anxiety those environments give me. This year I was introduced to Barre3 and I feel like I finally figured out that I much prefer being active on my own, in a more comfortable environment. The trip to Alaska also showed me just how capable I am of being active in nature.
No. 3: Creating a New Work Space. Moving to GA meant completely refiguring how I work, since so much of my work requires photographing and filming my surroundings. I’ve managed to create a nice little work space in the loft of my mom’s house and I really love the new setup. I’ve never had a dedicated film/photo space in my home and this little blank slate has brought me a lot of inspiration.
No. 4: Hosting a Live Webinar. Being able to host a live webinar with Encircled was definitely a career highlight as it’s something I was so scared to do. I’d never considered translating some of my blogging resources into a live seminar-style chat but when they presented me with the opportunity I just couldn’t turn it down. It was so fun to put together and I remember beaming with excitement when it finished. Doing things that scare you is always a good idea!
Some Final Thoughts
So that about wraps up the year for me! It’s really strange to look back on events that happened just a few months ago and yet they feel so distant in time. This year was really challenging mentally, emotionally and physically. I felt so much fear, frustration and sadness, as I’m sure many of us have, but in the end all I can really feel is grateful for those moments, or at least for surviving them and moving forward.
Sometime this year I picked up a little mantra to guide me along the way and that was, “How Can I?” While it was mostly intended as a career mantra, I didn’t realize how fitting it was for life in general this year. Sometimes the question has been as essential as, “How can I move forward? How can I get through this day?” and other times it became much broader and difficult to answer, “How can I change my perspective?" How can I understand them? How can I help?” It’s a practice that’s brought a lot of clarity for me into this chaotic year and something I plan to bring into 2021.
And lastly, I want to say thank you to you all, from the bottom of my heart. Connecting with you over this little corner of the web has really helped me feel a little less alone throughout this year. I have your support to thank for giving me the ability to do what I love every day and literally transforming my life. I’m so appreciative of all the loving energy you contribute to this space just by being here, interacting and connecting with me. Wishing you so much joy and happiness in the new year.
Cheers to 2021!
