January 1, 2021. If you would have told me one year ago on this day what the new year would bring, I am 100% sure I would have never believed it. Still can’t. I’m sure many of us feel this way. The things that have happened over this last year are the things most of us have read about in history books, but never imagined that we would see in our own lifetime. And yet, here we are.

Unfortunately, it’s so easy to sit here and think of all the bad things that have happened over the last 10 months. A worldwide pandemic of Covid-19. Family’s not being able to see each other. Food shortages around the world. Countless businesses closed for good, causing massive job losses. The mental health impact of all these things happening, combined with the isolation of being quarantined at home, sometimes alone. Anyone could find themselves slipping into depression/anxiety thinking of these events. Even though I try hard to focus only on positive thoughts and energy, I have certainly had my moments. Mainly of disbelief, and sometimes anger.

But that’s not why I am here today. Nope. We all know that bad shit has been and is still going on. Today I am reflecting back on only the positive things that have happened over the last 10 months. And yes, I feel there have been positives in our lives, even if we have to think a little harder about what they might be.

Time. Our most precious and valuable resource. I have never talked to a single person in my life that hasn’t wished that they had more time. Time for family, time for hobbies, time for themselves, etc. And unless you were working in what was deemed an essential job, you were at home in quarantine and finally found yourself with the gift of some free time. Making productive use of that free time was up to each of us.

My husband has had a green thumb for many years. We decided to use much of our time in the early months of Covid-19 lockdown to plant veggie seeds and prepare our garden beds. He even assembled a greenhouse on my parents property for all of us to use. Our gardens turned out awesome and produced like crazy! We made salsa, pickled some veggies, and had plenty to share. Not to mention all of the wonderful time that we, (my husband, my parents, & my brother), spent together as a family that I will treasure forever.

Having extra time also allowed for me to reflect on some things, as well as ask myself some questions about what I wanted going forward. I find it interesting that I have spoken to more than one person that had a similar experience during the quarantine. I guess when we are busy with work, and every other thing on our to-do list, we simply do not have the time or energy to look inward. We just keep doing what we’re doing. Even if we are not happy doing it. I was absolutely guilty of this for many years. I was a barber for 20 years. The reality is, that was about 10 years longer than what it should have been. Why? Because I was no longer happy. I was tired of my 40 min, (sometimes longer), drive, I was tired of that type of customer service, I was tired of being gone from 8am to 8pm, and I was tired of working Saturday’s, Christmas Eve’s, New Year’s Eve’s, and so on. 10 years…An entire decade I stuck with working at something that was no longer working for me. I acted as if there was nothing else I could do. Like there were no other jobs out there for me. It’s certainly not like I made some million dollars a year that I couldn’t replace. Far from it. So, with my husband’s support, I finally found the courage to move on. I will always miss seeing the friends I worked with everyday. But the truth is, I do not miss the job. I have less money, but more happiness. It took me a long time to realize that if you want something different, you may have to let go of what you have. I only wish I would not have waited so long to leave.

Which brings me to another positive event that probably would have never occurred if not for the Covid-19 lockdown. I obtained my real estate license. I have to say I am proud of myself for actually following through with something new. As an extreme creature of habit, doing anything new or different doesn’t happen often. However, I am excited to see what happens to unfold with this new line of work. And I am excited for what this new year may bring!

My hope with this post is that it might remind you of some positive moments or events that have occurred in your life over these trying and difficult last 10 months. And I hope that in doing so, it will bring a smile to your face and your heart. Because we are all in need of that, now more than ever.

Take care.