Hey everyone, thank you for clicking on this blog post and your interest in learning a bit more about our personal life, updates, and reflections on what this year, 2020, has taught us.
I think as a whole, we can all relate to the fact that 2020 was a bizarre year. Filled with change, uncertainty and fear. The pandemic put a pause on life as we know it and forced us to adapt to a new life of lockdowns and social distancing.
For us personally, it put a stop to our dreams of travel and forced us to change the overall direction of our lives. Which was tough to come to terms with.
At the beginning of the year, we had big plans to launch our very own company, Journey PR, and continue our digital nomad life on the road. Originally we had planned trips to South America and were set to begin our dream PR company in the hospitality industry. We were so excited!
Little did we know that the hospitality industry would be one of the hardest hit, forcing us to put a hold on our prospecting. We couldn’t even imagine that lockdown restrictions would force us apart yet again. Going back to a long-distance relationship in the middle of a pandemic was absolutely heartbreaking and proved to be a true test of our bond and mental health. And if all that wasn’t enough… we had to move back in with mom and dad. While we feel extremely grateful to have such a supporting and caring family, it definitely was difficult not having our own space and freedom as adults nearing our 30’s.
Like so many others in the world, our lives took a full 180 degree flip and for a long time we felt stuck.
But with all that said, 2020 has really opened our eyes to the little things we used to take for granted and we became more aware of how blessed we are. Little things like a roof over our head, food in the fridge, along with the health of ourselves and our loved ones, all became so much more important. Through travel we recognized our privilege, but living through a pandemic we recognized that all of our ‘personal problems’ were relative.
One of our favorite quotes to come out of this pandemic goes a little something like this…
“While all of us may be enduring the same storm, we are not all on the same boat”
We think it’s extremely important to recognize that everyone is going through their own battles this year. While some of us are able to weather this storm comfortably, knowing we will stay afloat, others have holes in their ships and are sinking slowly.
It is so important to be kind to one another and never make judgements based on what you see on the outside. You never know what someone may be going through behind closed doors.
2020 Recap & Reflection
Below are a few topics we wanted to discuss with you and hope that they can be helpful for you to remember during this time.
Don’t Wait Around -Adapt
If we learned anything from 2020, it’s that if you choose to sit on your hands and wait for things to change around you, you put yourself at a disadvantage. For a long time, we sat around waiting for things to change, for life to ‘go back to normal,’ and for travel to open back up. However, in hindsight, we now recognize how this slowed us down from achieving our goals. If you are able to adapt, shift and make progress you will be in better shape!
For us, this meant re-evaluating our niche and content as bloggers. Doing a bit less travel related content and focusing more on lifestyle and fashion. Try to think of ways you can also help yourself to adapt and trust us it is the best way to avoid feeling stuck.
Check In with yourself
Mental health is such an important thing to be aware of during this time. It’s okay to not be okay. If you find yourself in a slump, try to forgive yourself and work on ways to get yourself back to normal. You can click our blog post here if you need some more concrete tips, but recognizing how you’re feeling is the first step and try not to be too hard on yourself!
Its okay to move back in with mom and dad
To be honest at first we were a bit ashamed about this one. Having both moved out of our apartments in 2019, we didn’t have a place of our own. While it has been difficult at times, we also realized how truly fortunate we were to have a place to call home. If you had to move back in with your parents don’t be ashamed about it! So many of us are in the same boat and you know it is only temporary. Just work on doing what you can to get yourself your own space in due time.
Be Kind
Again, going full circle here, be kind to those around you. Go the extra mile and check in with some of your friends that you may not have been in touch with all year. Find ways to connect with loved ones where and when possible!
Overall, 2020 has been one of those years we likely look back on and wish we could forget. A blip in our life. A little hiccup. A year we want to erase. But let’s also consider all of the incredible lessons we were able to take away from 2020 and never take eating out with friends, a concert, or a holiday in the sun for granted again!
For more blogs like this be sure to check them out here.
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