We all know this year has been nothing short of theatrical, meaning… it feels like we’re in a movie instead of reality. It’s been devastating. Mindblowing. Terrifying. Insert pretty much any other negative adjective and it would fit.
It’s hard to look back on 2020 and see the good at all, in a year full of loss and uncertainty and fear. And it’s kind of hard to look forward to 2021 knowing that it will likely be filled with much of the same since, well… there isn’t really an end date, is there?
Nevertheless, it is Thanksgiving, and I wanted to try and dig deep and find what I could to be thankful for in a year that feels pretty thankless. Here we go.
Health
When all of this craziness started, I didn’t actually KNOW anyone who had COVID, but over the last few weeks, I have started to know actual people who have contracted the virus. I am so, so grateful that everyone has recovered, and no one has struggled much with it other than some minor symptoms. Even better is that none of my family or close friends have gotten it thus far, and for that, I am especially thankful.
Time at Home
At the beginning of the shutdown, I worked from home for a total of about 2 months. It was a huge adjustment and a very scary time. I struggled a bit with being home all the time, but after a couple of weeks, I started to get into a groove and kind of began to enjoy it. When I got called back to work in May, I was both relieved and sad to see my time at home come to an end. And while our current home is not my dream home, and I’d one day like to hire a custom home builder, it was cozy and perfect and comforting for my little family during such a scary and uncertain time.
Our Jobs
So many people lost their jobs and I feel so horrible for all of them! I can’t imagine the struggle they’re going through right now. Jerry and I realize how lucky we are that we’re both still employed during this crazy time. There were times that we were fearful and scared at the start of this, and I’m sure most people felt the same! I am super grateful that I was able to work remotely for a bit of time too. We both love our jobs and would have been devastated if COVID had impacted our work.
Student Loans Deferred
Because of graduate school, I pay over $500 a month in student loans. This is a MASSIVE burden on us, and is the biggest reason we don’t have a bigger house right now. I’m serious! We realistically probably can’t / won’t move until my student loans are paid off. The student loans were the biggest factor in what we got pre-approved for when we applied for our first mortgage. We almost didn’t get pre-approved at all because of them! #TrueStory. Anyway, not having to pay on my student loans over these last few months, without any penalties or interest, has been an amazing Godsend. I wish this could go on forever.
My Jeep Paid Off
Another great thing that happened financially this year is that we paid off my Jeep in the spring! Yay! It was a 6 year auto loan, and my car is still in pretty good shape! I’ll be driving it for several more years with NO PAYMENTS! Gotta love it. We have 9 years left on Jerry’s, but at least we’re down to one car payment instead of two. Sigh.
My Pink Zebra Business
Pink Zebra was not even a thing that was on my radar last year, and now I’m a consultant. I never would have predicted this for 2020, but I have always loved wax melting and home fragrance, so I took a leap and signed up in August. I’ve been way more successful than I ever imagined, and have been having an amazing time with it!
An Excuse to Slow Down
As an introvert, I require a lot of alone time, down time, and quiet time. I generally don’t get enough of any of those things, and it shows. My mental health has taken a hit because I am incredibly stressed all the time, and a lot of it has to do with my lifestyle and stress levels. I am too busy and have too much going on and too much on my plate. My schedule is always packed and I am always on the go. This year has forced everyone to slow down. I used to live and die by my Google Calendar and all of its appointments, and now I hardly have to glance at it because I HAVE no appointments. While there are days that I long for life to go back to normal, there are also days I am very thankful that I’ve been forced to slow down my life a bit this year.
So yeah, 2020 has majorly sucked, there is no denying it. I think that no matter what, there is always a silver lining though, and these are mine.
What are you thankful for in this strange and unsettling year? Please share!
I wish you all a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving. While it may look different this year, I hope you find some things to be thankful for.
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