Usually I hate January - waving goodbye to Christmas and my birthday for it to be replaced with the requirement to go back to work has never been something that I particularly look forward to. This time though, like everybody else, I was definitely ready to see the back of 2020.
Now, I know that in England, on the 5th of January we were put into a national lockdown...AGAIN, and I knew that everything wasn't going to magically return to 'normal' once the clock struck midnight on January 1st, but something about a 'fresh start' really appealed to me, and I was looking forward to 2021.
Looking back at 2020, it is important that I realise that as much as Coronavirus ruined the year for almost everyone, I'm lucky that, for me, it wasn't all bad. I was lucky enough to escape to Amsterdam for a long weekend with my boyfriend, Sam, back in February (before COVID-19 was really even spoken about in the UK). We had a really amazing time, and it was a lovely belated 21st birthday present for Sam. I am so grateful that we were able to go before Coronavirus really impacted Europe, and we made memories that I have really treasured throughout last year when I had to go for really long periods of time without seeing him.
2020 was also the year that I moved jobs and could finally put 'full-time copywriter' on my CV. I had wanted to become a copywriter for such a long time, and I am so proud of myself that I not only started my marketing career just over a year after graduating, but also in the middle of a global pandemic!
I also think that the biggest things for me to take away from 2020 are the lessons that I have learnt. I learnt the importance of family, friends and relationships - you never know how special someone is and how much you will miss them until you are forced to keep apart. I learnt that, in the grand scheme of things, the little irritants that used to get me so wound up really do not matter as much as I was making them out to, if at all. I've learnt to enjoy my own company - I spent a lot of time alone and so I needed to. And I learnt the importance of a positive mindset. Last year was hard. Really hard. And I often struggled to stay positive. But I learnt that dwelling on the negatives will only make things worse, so it's best to focus on the positives and try to make the best out of a bad situation... I think I'm still learning that one.
In terms of my goals and expectations for 2021 - I'm not really setting any 'resolutions' this year, as you never know what is going to happen. Instead, I have set out a few 'hopes' for 2021. First, I am hoping to move in with Sam. I have really struggled being apart from him so much last year, and so I am excited for us to finally be in the same space. I am hoping to progress in my career. I want to gain as much experience as possible - not only in copywriting, but in as many areas of marketing as possible. I'm hoping to continue on my fitness journey. Last year, I got myself a personal trainer, I was in the gym 4 times a week and I was loving my training. This year, I want to be able to continue on my journey and build on my new-found passion for exercise. I also want to hit a 100kg squat PB (my current PB is 75kg for 2 reps). Finally, I am hoping to spend more time with my family, when we are allowed, as you never know where life could take you and I want to make the most of my time.
Have you set any new year's resolutions or goals for 2021? Let me know what they are!
Sending everyone positive vibes, and here's hoping 2021 is a better year for everyone.
With love, Chloe x
No comments