Best and worst of 2020

Happy New Year! It's the first day of a brand-new year, but before I look ahead, I like to look back at the previous 12 months. For all our sanity's sake, I'm not going to use the C-word in this post. It's hard enough living with it, no need to make it worse by excessively talking about it. Here are some of the good and not-so-good things that happened:

Let's start with the good:

I got a permanent job! In May I finally got a permanent x-ray position in the sweetest little town. It's my first permanent position since our move 4 years ago! It's part-time, I'm my own boss (well, sort of: I do have a boss, but he's 100 km away 😉), and the town is picture-perfect:

Puppies! We currently have 9 giant puppies running around the ranch, and it's the best. They've taken over not only our lives and hearts, but also my Instagram:

I obviously made several videos:

(For more, take a look at my YouTube channel.)  They're 6 weeks old, eat insane amounts of food, and they're so much fun!

Walking daily. About 3 or 4 months ago I started going on daily walks during my lunch break. I never thought I would be one of those people who wants to move instead of plopping herself down at break time, but I really needed it. With the short days and the long commute, I didn't have day light left when I got home, and I crave sunlight and fresh air daily, especially after being cooped up inside for a few hours. 

My mental health has improved dramatically, my breathing has gotten better, and my resting heart rate has improved! I have more energy, I'm a lot happier and calmer, and I sleep better at night. Walking is my happy place. 

Therapy. After years of suspecting that I may benefit from therapy, I finally took the plunge this year. I was very reluctant for many reasons, but mainly because I was afraid. Isn't fear such a bitch? The unknown is scary, asking for help is scary, and revealing your demons is scary. I'm not saying it was easy (I would feel completely drained after a session), but man, is it ever worth it!! I found out a few mind-boggling facts about my childhood, learnt a bunch of stuff about myself I never knew, and I've been given a set of tools I use every single day. It was the best thing I did for myself (and my relationships) this year. 

Hammock time. Even though our (along with everybody else's) vacation got cancelled, we still had plenty of down time in Puerta Veranda and Playa Backyardia. Spending time at home hasn't been a hardship for us. 

Finding proper medication for my asthma. After 3+ years of wheezing and shortness of breath, I have finally found an inhaler that works for me! For the past 2 months I've been using Symbicort, and it helps a lot. Plus, I'm convinced that my daily walks are good for my lungs as well, and for the first time in years I feel that I have my adult-onset asthma under control. Yay! 

Staying in touch with friends and family. Despite the pandemic, we deepened the relationships that are most important to us. Shout out to face-time, WhatsApp and instant messaging! 

Becoming braver. My long-term goal is to be less afraid. I worry a lot, especially about things or people I can't change, and I'm always working towards changing that. 2020 helped me to get one step closer to that goal! I'm not as afraid of confrontation anymore, and I'm learning to stand up for myself. It's baby steps, but they're steps into the right direction.  

There was also some bad:

We had 2 deaths in our family and close friends in less than a week. One we saw coming, the other was completely unexpected. It happened less than a month ago, we are still processing. 

Bear passed away. My beloved big Bear closed his eyes for the last time in May.

Painful lessons. I learnt a few lessons this past year about people that were tough at the time. I cried many tears, but with a few months distance I'm glad I went through this. I think I came out stronger and wiser. 

As I have for the past few years, I took another 1-second-everyday video with this app. I just love them! 

   Cheers to a new year with new hopes, dreams, and vaccines!

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