A Review of 2020: Oh, what a year.

Did 2020 fall short for you? Me too. All things considered.

I started this year with a trip to New York. I received an award for work. It was great! On the plane ride back I even saw Zachary Levi (he was on my vision board).

Speaking of, there were a lot of things on my vision board this year. I did a heavy up in February and March, knocking things off the list…being an overachiever. Or was I? In two months, I really did knock out a lot of things. Did I know something was coming? No. Come on now, no one did.

My Vision for 2020

Here’s the thing about vision boards. You can visualize all you want, but if you don’t take the steps forward to make things happen, it’s just a vision board. You gotta meet The Universe halfway, remember? I was writing essays, submitting to contests, working on my manuscript, learning French.

I went on a mission to incorporate fitness and signed up for Class Pass. I took my first hip-hop class and continued with my ballet. I wanted to find work outs that didn’t feel like workouts. I started going to ZUMBA. Kickboxing and Rowing was next, but then March happened.

How 2020 really went

There were good days and bad. Living alone during a pandemic was not something I ever thought I would have to experience. That being said, I’m glad it happened. For once, I finally got to experience what solitude felt like. Learning to be comfortable being alone and working on a skill I kept avoiding—discipline.

I had been circling around a draft for a few years, constantly editing. I needed to keep the creative juices flowing (lord knows that’s what saved me) and I started a new manuscript. This time, I was going to finish it. Keep going. Move on to the next step. Keep going (again).

A lot of people looked at my productivity online and wondered how in the world I was getting so much done. My answer to some who would ask would always be, I don’t have any other choice. As someone who is high-risk in this pandemic, I was forced to stay home for eight months (and counting). I live alone. Creativity was the only thing I had to help my mind.

How I’ve changed

I don’t think any of us will be the same after this. Well, those who decided to take the year and accept the season. (I’m not talking to those who decided this year didn’t happen.) If your Instagram feed looks the same as it did in 2019, you missed out on a year for reflection. They called 2020, The Great Pause. I love that because it should have been a moment of pause for everyone. A chance to readjust your life.

If you’re going into 2021 or post-covid doing the same thing you were doing pre-covid, you didn’t do COVID right. The great news is, there’s still time for you to make a change. If you’re scared of change, let’s call it an adjustment instead. It’s okay to take time for yourself. To do the work you’ve been neglecting. You don’t need a pandemic to do that, you just need to commit to the healing and trust the process.

How I’ve grown

Creatively, I’m not afraid anymore. I’m not afraid to make bad art. To put myself out there. And most importantly, to let go of my art. To share it with the world. I danced and continued trying my best to knock things off my vision board. The things I could work on, despite the current situation.

One of the other things I did this year—learn more about my chakras. I did some healing and even though I still have a lot of work to do on that front, I opened the door to even more balance. To me, that’s what success should be all about. Balance.

Here’s to the New Year, but what is time really?

I think the biggest thing this year has taught us is that time is relative. Who cares if you’re not on the 30 under 30 list, you’re doing your best. We’ve learned that things take time. I for one, finally gave in and truly felt what a season of life was supposed to feel like.

I hope you took the time to realize that you’re on the right path. That this season you’re in will pass. COVID will pass. Your loneliness will pass. Even if the start of the new year doesn’t look how you envision it to be, at least you’re on the right track. Keep going lovely, I believe in you. Keep moving forward.