Dear friends of the Internet,
I was about to write that 2020 has not been particularly kind to me; But now I am thinking that that statement would be untrue. I was challenged this year, more so than I have ever been. I went through phases of feeling completely alone, phases of feeling utterly overwhelmed, phases of feeling stuck in my grief and worries, phases of doubting myself and my abilities, phases of simply wanting the year to end.
And yet…
And yet. I have never been more self-aware. I have never been more in touch with my feelings. I have never grown more. I have never been more optimistic. Yes, I have never felt more lost but I simultaneously have never felt more liberated. I came to terms with who I am, what I want and what is important to me moving forward.
2020.
I believe that for me, above all, this was a year of continuous tough love. Things weren’t made easy and at times they could feel almost unbearable.
And yet…
And yet. 2020 pushed me to welcome and accept the unknown variables life has to offer. It pushed me to stand up for myself. It pushed me to finally be honest, both with myself and others (took me long enough). It made me start acting instead of reacting. In a lot of ways, it made me painfully aware of my role in my own life, if that makes sense. That every decision I make is a matter of a precious life – my life.
This post is to remind my future self that every hardship is a chance. A chance to look inwards and to listen, to learn, to grow, to surprise yourself.
The lessons I want to hold onto
Be proud of what you have managed to accomplish, of what you have been able to learn in a year that I dare say was far from easy for most of us. Be proud and be thankful for the lessons you have been gifted.
I love this post omg! So insightful and truthful, I think I’ll take the idea from 2020 that you need to be carefree to be happy, post that casual random pic on instagram, spontaneously go on trips (covid safe ofc) and just have fun, you have one life so make the most of it and get out there and do things, imagine looking back on life and seeing what you could have been, i think that’s much scarier than going out and taking opportunities.
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Thank you! I love your lessons learned / key takeaways from 2020 – so true about fear often holding us back from grasping new opportunities and simply LIVING.
Also, YES to “post that casual random pic on instagram”!! I was talking to a friend about that the other day – that even with Instagram, something that should be fun and carefree, there are so many pressures that come with it that the fun element sadly often goes lost because of them.
Here’s to taking control of our lives and starting to live it on our terms!
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In love with the artwork!
I definitely agree – 2020 is not the year that everyone thought it was going to be but I think it has been a year that everyone needed in order to realign their priorities and realise what is important. It has definitely showed the true colours of some people and it is safe to say that nobody has come out of last year untouched! xx
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Happy to hear that, thank you Hannah. I. completely agree – I think a lot of people (re)discovered the things that are truly important to them. “Nobody has come out of last year untouched” – AMEN. x
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What a beautiful and insightful post. Your graphics are absolutely gorgeous here too! Facts stand that it has been a challenging year but our highest selves were certainly called upon. Many of us saw our potential to be diamonds amongst the rubble, reflecting outwards an inner glimmer when put through trial and pressure.
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Thank you for your kind words! And so true, you put it so beautifully!
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I feel like a lot of people, myself included, learnt and grew a lot this year! I loved reading that what you’ve learnt. And so it’s nicely illustrated! Happy New Year and I hope 2021 teaches you a lot of as well and is filled with (not so tough) love. ♥️♥️♥️
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2020 was definitely a year of continuous growth for us all. Thank you, that’s so kind! Hope you’ve had a great start to 2021 x
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Love this so much Fiona, I think this summed up 2020 perfectly for a lot of people, you’re definitely not alone in how you feel. I love the graphic you included in this too – perfect as a phone wallpaper! xx
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So happy that you enjoyed this post, Chlo. xx
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