5 Ways That I Grew in 2020

We have all heard it a million times, 2020 was unprecedented, a year of change, a year of upheaval. Etc, etc. I don’t need to tell you about 2020. But, while it was one wild ride, it was a year that taught me a lot. A lot about the world, about society, about others and most especially, about myself.

So I thought instead of listing resolutions and goals for 2021, I’d start the year by looking back instead of forward, and reflect on the things I accomplished this year and talk a little about my self growth.

So, let’s get started shall we?

Things I’ve Achieved in 2020

I Started a Lifestyle Blog

It was sometime in January of 2020 that I first started this blog. It’s still a baby, just a year (maybe less, maybe more) old. I did this because the other two blogs I had were more of hobby blogs, and I knew I wanted to reach a larger audience. I knew I had more to share, I knew that I could possibly help others with my experiences and so Tidbits of Care was born. I love writing for this blog. It is my passion. I love that I can tell my stories, provide others with insight into their own through those stories, and possibly inspire them to start living more authentically. I can help, and that means the world to me.

Life Events

A few major life events happened to me in 2020. I got married in the middle of a pandemic, and my husband and I have made the decision to have a baby. Life changed when we got married in subtle ways. People think that because we lived together before we got married, that our life is no different, but sealing the deal so to speak has impacted us both enormously. We are more committed to each other, to a life together, more open about things like finances and what kind of a life we want together. So making the decision to have a baby was huge.

Began the Journey into Minimalism

I decided to really look into my home and lifestyle and make some changes, and this resulted in becoming more minimal. My husband did this right alongside me, and we both know what we need to minimize the things in our lives. Less stuff equals more peace of mind. Peace of mind means less stress. We want to do things like travel or build a second home, so we are spending more wisely and removing from our lives things that are needed, useful or that just take up space. It’s been hard–my husband sold a lot of his things. I threw out a lot. I am storing some at my mom’s in case we one day move into a bigger home. Both of us found this challenging and we talked in circles around the decisions. But we got it done, and felt a whole lot better for it.

Diving into Writing

I have always wanted to be a writer, and now that I write this blog, I really am a writer. Sure, I had imagined myself as a creative writer, wanted to write stories and books, but I writing and it’s that which really matters to me. I am also exploring creative writing again by writing poetry, and that is certainly something I am excited about and enjoy doing. If my goals and dreams are fulfilled, then I will be a serious writer when I take on blogging full time.

Living more Mindfully

This one goes hand in hand with becoming more minimal. I really think about now what I want versus what I need, and I think about the life that we want as a couple, and how we will achieve that. Decisions are based more on that thought process than impulses. Even with our living situation, we are carefully weighing what will work for us as a couple (or family) and what kind of space we need, that we want to travel more, and are planning around those choices. We set goals as individuals and as a couple so that we can be happy and have a sustainable lifestyle that is meaningful to us. Living more intentionally has really opened my eyes to what I want out of life instead of making decisions based on what I think I should do, or what society does as a general rule. If this isn’t self growth, I don’t know what is.

Growth and Healing

For the past few (and possibly several) years, I have been on a journey of healing. I have been trying to heal my heart and mind, learn to cope with my anxiety in ways that are healthy and that will help me live a less stressful life and one that that promotes overall mental and physical health. I have had ups and downs in that time, and I have always sought to address them as best as I can and I can see the gains I have made as an individual, and as someone struggling with mental health. It’s not always easy because sometimes you feel like you have setbacks, but this journey has been showing me that there are certain things I need out of life to be happy and healthy. 2020 especially has opened my eyes to those things, and possible steps I need to consider to continue to improve my mental health. It’s deeply humbling in some ways, to get to know yourself more intimately in this way, to be vulnerable with yourself in ways that we generally aren’t, and I am glad that 2020 has brought me this growth and healing.

What did you learn about yourself in 2020? Share in the comments below.