It’s weird to think that this year is going to be in the textbooks’ of the next generation. There’s so many things that went horribly wrong, that it’s hard to list the things that are actually going right. We all had to adjust to a different way of living, loving, and learning. Hopefully, the vaccine makes things go a little back to normal. It’s important to list the things that we feel thankful for and really hold onto them in a bad season. Here are seven things to be thankful for in 2020.
1. Dogs, Always Dogs
I already posted on my Instagram that I am so so so thankful for the dogs in my life. My roommate rescued Matilda Mae, who we call Tildy, in the end of September. Not only has she made one of my best friends so happy, but she’s made our apartment feel more like a home. My family dog, Cooper, hasn’t been feeling the best and it’s made me realize just how grateful I am to have had to guard my food from him for all these years. Nala, my personal shadow, has been the emotional support I desperately needed more times than once. Dogs literally love us more than we will ever love ourselves. For that, I’m pretty damn thankful.
Shelby’s sweet Matilda girl 
Nala, Sullivan, Cooper, and I 
Nala had to get shaved in quarantine… so she had some funny ears for a while.
2. Brands that Align Themselves with My Clients and I
This one is not as relatable, but it’s something that I’m thankful for! Not only have I been able to stop working my day job, I’ve been able to help other influencers do the same. We’ve been able to find brands that make us feel all warm and fuzzy. They are brands that we actually want to post about and it’s things we really believe in. More importantly, the really great brands see us as valuable resources and treat us accordingly!
I’m very thankful that my writing on my WordPress page has turned into something that can sustain me. Scribbling the most emotional things of all time in a journal has prepared me to make a living and change other’s days by sharing!
3. Heating pack (Just me?)
This one is a little materialistic, but I’d like to have a specific shoutout to heating pads. I’ve made a lot of purchases in quarantine – a lot. One of my favorites has been a heating pad that wraps all the way around my back.
Have a stomach ache? Heating pad. Does your back feel like it’s cracking in half, like mine? Heating pad. Menstrual pain? Heating pad. We were given the magic bullet of pain relief and I’d just like to say that I’m thankful for that.
4. Our Ability to Change
Listen, I’m not going to lie here, sometimes this is not so good. There are things in 2020 have have been handled terribly. It’s pretty cool, though, just how fast restaurants, hospitals, and other businesses were able to transition to life within a pandemic.
These days, we have contactless delivery. Drive-up options at department stores as going to be utilized for those who need them even after the vaccine is administered. There are people who are going to be able to work from home forever, and live wherever they want, all while doing their dream job! One of my clients is a real estate agent. She shared with me that up to 23 million Americans are moving as a result of being able to do work from home!
Call it what it is – this year was really shitty. In the midst of all that, it’s important to remember that even when the world did come to a screeching halt… it really didn’t.
5. Our Health
I know that I’m one of the lucky ones that gets to say this. At this point, more than a quarter of a million lives have been taken because of COVID-19. So many people have lost loved ones and millions will have complications due to their battle with coronavirus for years to come. If there’s one thing that 2020 taught us to be thankful for it’s good health.
When you wake up in the morning and can take a deep breath or you can get restful sleep, that’s something to be thankful for. We can think back to all the times that we could be blissfully ignorant about the germs we picked up in public places because we didn’t have the constant reminder of a mask on our face. 2020 has taught us that being healthy is never something to take for granted as you never know when you won’t be!
6. Actual Self Care
I started off the year being able to put my problems on the backburner. When I got overwhelmed, I could go to the bars with my friends. When I felt inadequate, I could pick up some more shifts at work. In other words, it was a lot more convenient to deal with the easier stuff.
2020 made us face the hard stuff head on. It forced us too. When I felt negative feelings, I couldn’t just run to the bar and forget all about it. It was much harder to separate those feelings from the realities of quarantine. 2020 made us value self care so much more. Now, we know that we can spend time alone – for months – and still prevail. We can be thankful to 2020 for helping us fall in love with alone time a little bit more again.
7. The Autonomy of Being Social
With that being said, it’s been a big lesson to us homebodies and introverts too. For the most part, I don’t feel a ton of FOMO about the bars. However, everything that has happened has made me thankful for plans that I can have, the people I am able to see, and the social time I have.
Am I crying every night in boredom? Honestly, no. This has finally validated my love for staying in and watching Netflix. It makes me thankful for the times when I have autonomy to make those decisions though
2020 Kind of Sucked
There are a lot of things to come out of this year, though, that remind us how resilient we are in the face of dark days. If anything, this year showed us just how good we are adjusting when we need to. It’s made us want to do better in 2021. Which we will.
What are your thoughts as we wrap up 2020? Connect with me on any of my socials below!