What can I say about the year that is 2020? Like many, I STRUGGLED this year. My mental health took a major hit at several different points and I found it difficult to deal with stressors coming at me from several directions. Stressors that normally give me a hard time but felt like they were amplified because of the circumstances of this year.

Accepting that it was okay to not be okay is something I found most difficult this year. I couldn’t go onto social media without seeing all the bread baking, exercising, etc that people were doing and not feel like there was something wrong with me because my motivation was completely gone and has been for most of the year. I stopped exercising, we weren’t cooking as much as we normally do, I hadn’t posted on this space in months, I withdrew from many people including friends that, in normal circumstances, I see on a pretty regular basis. Feeling stressed and drained felt normal after a while and everything seemed like it was a challenge, especially trying to find some positivity in the everyday.

Toward August though, I grew so sick of feeling “blah” that I began planning content that I could post to my blog and that was the first jolt of inspiration I had felt since probably the very beginning of the year when you’re still in that inspired bubble that is the New Year. It was like coming out of a fog and for the first time in what felt like a long time, I felt positive, inspired, and motivated. I have posted semi-consistently since the beginning of September and have no intention of stopping anytime soon. I love creating for this space and sharing my thoughts on life, fun DIY projects for readers to try, my style, my home decorating style, and everything else in between.

This year has been such a crash course in gratitude as well. Thinking back, there were times I had to force myself to write down what I was grateful for, even something as small as the fact that I was still breathing that day. Gratitude and self care have been essential for me especially in the particularly dark moments. Therapy really allowed me to work through these feelings and working on accepting that I wasn’t okay. I seriously don’t know what I would have done without my weekly appointments.

So in the spirit of reflecting on the year of practicing gratitude, I thought I would end this post with a list of things from the past year that I am grateful for and that I know got me through in the end. I hope you’re looking forward to the new year as much as I am but also that you’re taking the time, like me, to look back and reflect on the good, the bad, and the extra ugly of this past year.

This year I am grateful for:

The trip we were able to take down to San Diego to visit my cousin and her husband at the beginning of March before lockdown.
Outdoor walks/hikes with my husband
Therapy and my therapist in particular
Jamie Oliver and his tomato ketchup recipe from his show Jamie at Home
The chance we got to dog sit for my brother. I loved having a dog in the house!
Fresh flowers and greenery throughout my house
Spring flowers
Snuggles and impromptu photoshoots with my cat Baxter. I am obsessed with him!
Blogs. I really got back into blog reading this year and have read some really great articles!
Gardening
Outdoor dining on our patio
Delicious wine
The workouts I was able to get in
Outdoor grilling
The landscaping project Jake and I did ourselves to make the front landscaping much more manageable as far as weeding goes
New plants
My friend Amy and her husband Ben got married on May 4th despite having to change the whole plan for their wedding. I was so happy to attend their intimate ceremony and be her maid of honor!
Tomato salads
Car rides with Jake
Fresh produce that we grew ourselves
Celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary with a camping trip in Eastern Washington
The cute ducks that we pass when we walk along the Soos Creek Trail near our house
Joining an online community full of inspiring and supportive women from all walks of life
Summer afternoons at LakeWashington
Cute bikini’s
Fresh new cut and color after lockdown restrictions were lessened
Kite flying with Jake
Growing dahlias successfully for the first time
Picking fresh dahlias from my dad’s garden
Cold smoothies on a hot morning
Iced Tea
Jazz music
Showtunes
Video chats with friends
DIY holiday decor projects
My blog
Days off to recharge
My husband for a great many things including outfit photographer, meat smoker extraordinaire, website setup and hosting, fire starter, bread baking enthusiast
Friends near and far
A quick trip to WA Wine country
Fall and holiday decor shopping
New fall/winter coats
Decorating for Fall and the holidays
Amazing co-workers
Relaxing baths
Family – my mom, dad, and brother in particular
My grandpa recovering from a stroke
Inspiring Podcasts
Audiobooks
A trip to La Conner and Whidbey Island for Jake’s birthday
A new incoming President
Movie nights with Jake
Christmas lights
Holiday movies
The upcoming year 2021!