Reflections on 2021: A Year of Growth
2021. What. A. Year. We did it.
As we approach the close of 2021 and gear up to warmly welcome 2022, I want to take a minute and appreciate the changes, growth, and big moments of the past year. Not only was this the year we purchased our first home, but it was also a full year of my working from home during the global pandemic, friends and family finally receiving the vaccine, and facing a wide-variety of changes overall. Without a doubt, most of us had a year full of challenges and changes, but I’m pretty sure there were a lot of positive moments as well.
Now, I won’t go into every single event, but I’d love to share with you this list, which highlights the big moments, the major changes, and some experiences that made 2021 an unforgettable year.
Family
As I shared with all of you during my last reflections post, the beginning of 2020 started with a family emergency, several weeks before the pandemic took hold of everyone’s life. My dad suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for weeks, spent several more weeks in rehab, and thankfully moved home in late-May 2020. Now, at the end of 2021, I’m happy to report he’s doing pretty well, all things considered, and I am so, so proud of all he has overcome. While he is in a wheelchair and needs 24-hour care, I would say his spirit is incredible. He is determined, upbeat, joyful, and thoroughly enjoys spending time with us as much as possible. His personality still shines through, he loves to laugh, he loves sports, he loves when I bring him homemade cookies and muffins, and he is happiest surrounded by family.
As with any major, life-changing event, it has taken time to get used to this new normal for him, but I couldn’t be more proud of how he, and my mom, have conquered all of it. They both are true role models for how to make the best out of any situation and how to handle even the toughest changes with nothing but grace and awesomeness.
On the other side of the family spectrum this year, we also faced some hardships with the loss of my grandfather in early May (he was 97). It was sudden, unexpected, and one of the more shocking experiences of the entire year. It rattled me and made me sad and frustrated, but I have (mostly) come to terms with the reality and will be forever grateful for the time I got to spend with him. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him, his humor, his joy, and his relentless positive attitude regardless of the situation. He loved birds, house plants, silly jokes, lamb chops, Chinese food, homemade cookies, ice cream, and anything to do with family.
My grandfather was the absolute best and while the first half of 2021 was nicked by the sudden loss of someone so kind and wonderful, it made me that much more determined to make the rest of the year as special as possible. When I think of everything that has happened since that fateful day in May, I know he would be so proud of me and everything I’ve set out to accomplish (details to come). While he never got to visit our new home in person, I’m so glad we were able to share it with him on Facetime. And while he wasn’t able to congratulate me on finally getting my driver’s license, I am pretty sure he’d say, “that’s jazzy,” about my (first) new car. Papa, you were incredible and amazing, and you will be missed.
FriENDS
On a much lighter note, 2021 was also the year of fabulous friendships. I became much closer to a few friends who now feel like family and I feel so lucky to have strengthened these friendships during the last year. As someone who tends to put family first, I have sometimes found it difficult to “let friends in” to the level of family status. However, one’s life becomes even fuller and richer when you have friendships that are that type of strong. It’s pretty cool!
I don’t have much else to say on this topic, but I am so grateful for these friendships that I am confident will last a lifetime. Cheers to friends who have become family; I’m so lucky to know you.
Home-style
The past year had a number of exciting accomplishments, but one of the biggest was closing and moving into our first home! What a thrill! From having our offer accepted to the organized chaos of getting a lot of paperwork in order to finally making it to closing day (after weeks of packing, an inspection, a final walk through, and other exciting stuff), it felt almost surreal to finally get the keys and move into our own house on January 22, 2021. Almost one year into living here and I am still smitten! Sure, it’s an old house (1900) and there have been some quirks, but I have no doubt this is the right house for us. Athens loves it, too.
While the majority of decor is under control, my house plans for 2022 include changing some light fixtures, upgrading our main closet, adding more framed photos throughout, finally buying nightstands, hopefully fixing the bathroom, and continuing to improve the exterior. Seth has done an awesome job making our yard look fantastic, now we need to take care of the perimeter of the home (easier said than done).
Home-ownership comes with its fair share of surprises, of course, but for the most part I’m pretty darn pleased! The hot water is plentiful, the heat works well when needed, and window-unit air conditioners saved us during the summer. I love the character of an older home, the original details that will be here forever, and the memories we’re making just by living in this cool space. :)
Now, on the style side, I know I had promised you a list of my most-worn items of 2021. I don’t have time for such a (long) list, nor do I want to bore you, so here’s a brief list of brands I have turned to repeatedly in this year of WFH and the continuation of being stylishly-comfy, all the time.
New Balance 996 Sneakers
Birkenstock sandals (Arizona style is my go-to).
Alex Mill everything, but especially sweaters. Love this small, but quickly growing company.
J.Crew cashmere sweaters (perfect for meetings or grocery runs). They do go on sale!
Sezane knitwear and sweaters. I always feel confident and chic when I wear one something from this French brand.
Abercrombie & Fitch Denim (love the variety of washes and lengths, plus the price is very reasonable).
Self
2021 was a big year for each and every one of us. We have all been experiencing this pandemic differently, yet we all have similar stories to tell. And while I’ll refrain from going too deep into the “how has this pandemic changed me,” I will say that I have become a stronger, more confident version of myself during 2021. I have been able to handle “the tough stuff” for years before we had ever even heard of COVID, but much of that tough stuff wasn’t specifically centered on me. Well, the second half of 2021 changed that narrative and I took charge of a few “self care” items that were weighing heavily on my mind at all times.
In September 2021, after almost two full years of having my learner’s permit (not my first), I finally passed my driver’s license exam and am now a licensed MA driver. Cue the confetti! Wow, this was a long time coming. I had no real interest in driving for much of my adult life until we moved to the ‘burbs, I was working from home, and I had no way to get myself anywhere. Something had to change!
I got my permit in October 2019, very unaware of the year to come, so by the time I got my head on straight enough to focus on driving again, it was summer 2021 with my permit expiration date (October 2021) looming in the distance. I practiced, practiced, and practiced some more, and finally (finally) passed the exam with one month to spare on the permit. Friends, I failed the test three times due to errors in parallel parking and not being able to get out of my own anxiety-filled way.
Once I was able to conquer some major fears, take some professional driving lessons, and be forced to drive on the highway in awful rain, I was finally prepared to pass the test. And I did! My fears and anxiety about driving were a bit deeper than I anticipated and while I wouldn’t say I’m “fearless” when driving now, I don’t think anyone should be, I am far more confident than when this journey began. To anyone else out there who is learning to drive well-past the traditional high school age, I commend you! It may be difficult and you may be scared, but you can do it! I definitely think passing my driver’s test was one of my most-proud moments of 2021. I’m still beaming!
What’s a license without wheels? Surprising everyone around me, and myself, I went and got myself my first car just a few short weeks after passing that test. Who am I?! Is this being an adult!? I can hardly believe it. Opting to lease since my taste in cars tends to change fairly frequently, I signed all of the paperwork (I can sense a theme here) to have my very own, brand-new Subaru (we do live in New England). It’s so cool! I am so proud. It’s definitely jazzy. ;)
Beyond the license achievement and subsequent fresh wheels, I also developed the best fitness regimen I’ve had for myself in quite some time. The pandemic turned my daily workout upside down since my gym days were long gone and our apartment wasn’t exactly ideal for at-home workouts (I walked outside a lot). Once we were finally settled in our house (AKA unpacked), I caved and got a Peloton bike for one of the spare bedrooms which is now unofficially the “at-home gym.”
I had heard so much hype about these bikes and the community centered around this at-home workout. They weren’t kidding! I was hooked almost immediately (even if those rides are not easy) and find myself looking forward to my workout every day (no joke). I even joined one of those online community groups (though I rarely chime in). I love the flexibility to use the bike when I have the time, the variety of workouts available, and the fact that I can actually see myself make progress and get stronger.
Daily fitness is important to me to feel strong and to keep healthy, but it has also become imperative to my mental health. Peloton rides or the off-the-bike classes allow me to completely separate from the rest of the world, focus on myself, and feel much more calm and relaxed afterward. Whether I get the workout in early in the day or right before dinner, making time for fitness in this capacity has become a joyful, necessary part of my day. I know carving out time for a workout isn’t always possible for everyone, but even ten minutes can make a world of difference in how I feel for the rest of the day. Self-care isn’t my favorite phrase, but it sure is important for each and every one of us!
Finally, what year wouldn’t be complete with one more big, life-altering change right amidst the holiday hustle? As I shared on Instagram recently, I made the decision to leave my job in finance in favor of accepting an offer in an entirely new industry. Wowza. I have been an Executive Assistant for many years, but never did I anticipate making the jump from a pretty standard office environment to one of a start-up all during the busiest time of the year.
My new role officially begins on January 3 and I couldn’t be more excited for the change and a bit of the unknown. My risk tolerance isn’t the greatest and yet when it comes to changes in career path, I often say, “bring it on.” I am looking forward to new experiences, new challenges, more friends, and an opportunity I feel so fortunate to have been offered. Exciting times ahead in 2022, for sure, especially when it comes to work. I can’t wait!
The Future
As I look back on everything I’ve shared with you about the past year, I’m proud of my accomplishments and have been made much stronger by the tough moments and difficult experiences. In reality, life changed significantly at the beginning of 2020 (not just 2021) and with that I have learned to overcome a lot, but I have also continued to strengthen my positivity prowess. Even during the hardest days of this year (and the year before), I always come back to thinking of something positive, finding a way to smile or laugh, and making sure I still acknowledge the good stuff.
In the wise words of that famous musical, Rent, “How do you measure a year?” There are infinite ways, but how about measuring it in love. 2021 sure had a lot of that, which is pretty fantastic.
I am so excited for 2022 for many reasons, but perhaps most of all it’s because of what I have already conquered, achieved, and experienced in the past. Bring on the New Year. I am so, so ready for all of the joy to come.
Happy New Year, friends! I hope it’s a wonderful one for all of you.
Cheers!
