2020 My year review....

December 22, 2020

2020 My year review....

If somebody would have pitched the events of this year to me as the dramatic plot to a new fantasy novel they were writing, I'd have probably thought it to be too far fetched and told them a virus could never make the world grind to a halt, but 2020 has proven that sometimes reality really is even stranger than fiction!

Nobody could have predicted the destruction this global pandemic brought and most people have just been waiting for the year to end and for normality to resume. I certainly won't look back on this year fondly, but I have realised upon reflection that in spite of everything I actually had an incredibly productive and positive year in many ways!

I thought it would be a nice idea to share some of that positivity and talk about how despite the sadness, we shouldn't forget that loads of good came out of this year too.

January -March.

My year began working with a personal development coach who I'd been working with since October 2019. I completed a "No junk January" diet (lost 7lbs) and I also joined the gym where I went at least 3 times per week. I made loads of new friends through group coaching sessions and learned a tonne about health and nutrition which was empowering because it helped me to really take control of my physical well being, which also had a positive impact on my mental well being too.

Things were going brilliantly through February and March, I stuck to healthy eating and going to the gym and continued to work with my coach on my personal development goals (writing a novel, building confidence, controlling my anxiety and generally becoming a better and more fulfilled version of myself.) I worked on myself a lot, learning to approach and respond to life differently, I was feeling much better and seeing good results until the first UK lock down hit in late March.

March - July.

We spent these months in full national lock down here in the UK and I can't deny that it was a scary time but I decided to turn the negative into a positive and put loads of work into writing my novel whilst I had the spare time! With the gyms closed I was determined to stick to my health and fitness goals so I set myself a lock down challenge to walk 200km in 30 days using my once daily government permitted exercise!

During the lock down period I signed up to work closer with my personal development coach in order to double down and hold myself accountable and it really did pay off. My coach kept me focused through the perils of the 200k challenge and reminded me that not only would it keep me fit but it would also serve my mental well being too, because having something to strive for and to get out bed for when I had no work made me feel like I still had a purpose! I smashed the challenge a day early and I was incredibly proud of my achievement.

I also managed to finish writing my first full length novel and I launched this blog! In my down time I worked my way through my reading list and read so many books that I had to buy a new book case! I also developed a real interest in Space and the universe, sitting out and stargazing became a hobby during the long nights of lock down and I have been obsessed ever since.

I later got invited onto my coaches world record breaking podcast as one of his success stories to talk about my personal development journey and the experience of writing my first book which was such an honor!

I was finally allowed to return to work in July!

July - October.

Going back to work after being locked down for nearly 4 months was hard. I struggled a lot with anxiety trying to settle back in and adapt to the "new normal." Having to wear PPE such as a mask and visor for 12 hours a day when I have a history of panic attacks and claustrophobia filled me with dread but I soon discovered that all of the "pushing my comfort zone" work I'd done as part of my personal development coaching was about to pay off massively. I had learned through all of the challenges I'd been undertaking (like writing a book, pushing myself in the gym, walking 200k in 30 days) that I could do anything I put my mind to, and that whilst I couldn't control the global pandemic or how the "new normal" life was going to be, what I could control was how I responded to it. I chose to respond with confidence instead of self doubt and told myself that I would cope! I'm incredibly proud to say that I did. I astounded myself with how resilient I had become because 2019 me would have never coped let alone thrived in this kind of situation!

I also published some poetry and began writing another book!

In my downtime managed to go for some summer days out and even went away on a mini break between lock downs which was lovely!

October - December.

Unfortunately, October and November brought another 2 lock downs, the first a local one because the area where I live had a chronic outbreak, the second a national lock down because the local one didn't work. Once again I found myself unable to go to work or to have any kind of normal life. I was determined not to allow this interruption to bring me down or halt my progress and so I knuckled down again to work on my goals.

I continued to edit my first book and publish my second (which did really well in the rankings), worked on my blog and also enrolled to study with the Open University. I had become so enthralled with space and the universe at this point that I decided I wanted to take my interest further and really learn about it academically! Going back to study was intimidating and I found parts of it very hard but I pushed through, believed in myself and completed a Particle Physics course!

I then immediately enrolled on and began studying another course in cosmology which is still ongoing but I am really enjoying it!

So as you can see, in spite of a global crisis my 2020 hasn't been all bad!

Like everyone else I had goals and plans for 2020 and all of them were halted thanks to the pandemic, but I adapted and set some new ones and as a result I still feel fulfilled in spite of everything.

Of course, I've missed seeing my family and friends massively and I've missed my freedom. I've missed going to concerts, sporting events, on holidays, on nights out and shopping! I'm currently preparing for a very restricted Christmas. I've lost 20% of my usual income, been out of work for months, lived in fear for my own health and that of everyone I love and at many times I've felt like curling up in a ball and crying but when I look back now in retrospect, although this has been the most difficult year I've ever experienced.... I am still grateful for 2020 and all of it's challenges. If nothing else it has proven to me that I am far tougher and stronger than I ever gave myself credit for, and it has also shown me that I can achieve anything I set my mind to! It's opened doors to new friendships, new interests and an entirely new way of thinking and responding!

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that even in the darkest of times, some good always shine through!

Stay positive and Merry Christmas,

Love Helen. xx