Things I Want to Thank 2020 For

            Well friends, 2020 has been A YEAR. I don’t know about you, but I am super excited for 2021 to make it’s appearance. I have really good feelings about the coming year.

            I know that a lot of us have had a rough year. Maybe rough is too light of a term for some of you. Maybe you lost someone to COVID-19 this year. Maybe you struggled with depression and anxiety because of the lack of normalcy this year. Maybe your business struggled. Maybe you lost your job. Maybe you got angry with your partner one too many times about leaving dishes in the sink because you were so angry with everything else around you – it just tipped you over the edge. I hear you. I may not understand everything you have gone through this year, but I can certainly respect it.

            Some people will probably say that I have blind optimism. I really do try to consistently look on the bright side. Your mind is the most powerful muscle you have and I have worked really hard this year to acknowledge my feelings of sadness and anxiety, while working on my mental strength to pick myself back up after a little while.

            A lot of things that you are consuming on the internet are all bad things about 2020. AND I GET IT. This year has not been a cakewalk and I am not here to invalidate your feelings because they are VALID. SO SO VALID. But I wanted to talk a little bit today about things I have come to appreciate this year. So, here are 5 things 2020 has made me grateful for!

HOME.

Oh my gosh guys. When we got stay at home orders here in Ohio – I was NOT the happiest camper, to say the least. Even though I knew it was the right thing to do, it was still a bummer. My husband calls me a social butterfly. I love going out and meeting new people. I have never been a homebody – literally ever. But this year has made me come to appreciate the simple state of being at home. In my safe space. With my tiny family. And my favorite coffee mugs. And my coziest blankets. I think I took being at home for granted before. I want to make sure I don’t do that again.

Facetime.

Honestly, it is hard to think that not that long ago Facetime wasn’t a thing. I am so grateful for it. I am super close to my grandparents. We normally see them quite a bit throughout the year even though they live far away. They always make it a priority for to see us. I haven’t seen them in a year. That is the longest I have ever gone with out hugging them. So, I have gotten a lot of use out of Facetime this year, as I am sure many of you have. SHOUT OUT TO THE PERSON WHO INVENTED VIDEO CALLING ILY.

My dogs.

Guys – can we all just agree that this is year may not have been our favorite, but I bet it was your pet’s favorite! With stay at home orders and working from home, my dogs have seen more of me than they probably wanted to this year. I have always loved my pups – they are my BABIES! But the company and comfort they have brought to me this year has been so wonderful. I am so thankful for their spunky and silly selves.

Quality Time.

If this year has brought us anything, it has brought us the gift of quality time – and probably lots of it. Maybe you got to spend quality time with your family. I know Jordan and I spent a little more time watching movies together, going on drives, and getting to –go coffee and donuts from our favorite local spots. Those are little memories from this year that I really love. And that I know I will cherish. Maybe you got to spend some quality time with YOURSELF this year. You might have spent a little more time getting to know YOU – and what a beautiful blessing that is! I feel like I got to know a lot about myself and what I prioritize this year. The time we got really helped me grow. I am so grateful for that.

QUIET.

There is so much noise in today’s world. Your phone is always ringing, the TV is always on, your keys on your computer are constantly clicking, someone or something seems to need your attention every second of the day, and it can all be so overwhelming. I grew this year to love the quiet. I grew to appreciate the simplicity of a quiet morning with my coffee watching my puppies play outside. I also made a little more of an effort to have those quiet moments to myself. They really helped me gather my thoughts and kept me feeling centered.

I know we are all excited to see 2020 make it’s exit. But I would love to know something you grew to be grateful for this year! What did you take for granted in the past that this year has helped you to appreciate?

XO,

Kelly