I cannot, cannot, cannot believe 2020 has ~finally~ come to an end. Let's be honest, it's been a long 12 months. Jan. 1, 2020 feels like it was three years ago, not just 364 days ago. Despite the current state of the world, with its many crises and ongoing dumpster fires, 2020 has been a good year for me. I graduated college, bought a car, explored Utah, and wrote a book! As I reflected on this year, I realized just how much I've learned, accomplished, and experienced.
The four goals that I've shared with you:
Wellness: replace chemical products with natural ones (as I can afford it)
Spiritual: finish The Chronological Bible plan
Creative: read 20 books
Personal: pass the B2 level for German fluency on Deutsche Welle
Wellness
In last quarter's review, I shared my research on natural deodorants. I did try Native this quarter as I said I would. I was honestly expecting this switch to be the hardest, but it was pretty simple. I didn't go through a detox period like some of my research said I might. Native works great!
Overall, I accomplished this goal! I switched out my haircare with products from Lush and Love, Beauty and Planet and tried a few natural skincare products from Lush, Skin Balm Apothecary, Method, and Mary Kay's MK Naturally line. One thing I learned through this process is that it takes time -- both in researching and testing the products. I was ready to give up on the shampoo bar, but I waited it out as my hair adjusted. I still don't think I found *the one* yet, but I'm headed in the right direction.
Another thing I wanted to mention is that I began Curology! I will definitely share my experience with their custom acne treatment in the coming months.
Spiritual
Reading the Bible chronologically in a year was a bit harder than I anticipated. I'm not sure why I thought it would be easy, but I'm doing my best to stick to it. I struggled to keep up with my daily readings last quarter, and this quarter saw only minor improvement. But, as I have mentioned in my past reviews, it is not about completing the challenge within the timeframe but gaining a better understanding and deeper love for the Word of God.
In grand scheme of things, I am roughly two months "behind schedule," so I won't finish this plan until February. Often times I would get more caught up in trying to power through my readings for the day instead of focusing on what God wanted me to learn. Through this challenge, God taught me that I don't need a schedule or routine to have a relationship with Him, though it can be beneficial.
Creative
I read seven books this quarter. Seven! Or rather, I should say that I finished seven books, because I started several of them months ago. A few of these books made it into my top books of 2020 post from Monday, which you should check out if you haven't already!
I read All the Places to Go by John Ortberg; The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket; The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas; How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi; The Bridge on the Drina by Ivo Andric; Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot by Mo Isom; and A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman.
All the Places to Go by John Ortberg was an insightful read about learning how to recognize the doors God placed before you. I think it's especially applicable to those facing transitions.
I enjoyed The Ersatz Elevator (the sixth installment in A Series of Unfortunate Events), but I'm still finding it a bit repetitive. This book does have my favorite Lemony Snicket quote so far: "but if we wait until we're ready we'll be waiting for the rest of our lives."
The Hate U Give was my pick for my book club. I picked it because it's been on my TBR list forever and I wanted some Young Adult rep in our book club picks. This book helped me to see beyond my own experiences and step into those of others. I loved Starr and her family and their relationships with each other. I highly recommend it!
Next, I read How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. Kendi weaves together history, law, science, ethics, and theory together with his own personal narrative of his awakening to antiracism. This book definitely challenged me. It reveals how easily racism is intertwined with, well, nearly everything. I appreciate what Kendi explains at the closing of his first chapter: "No one becomes a racist or antiracist. We can only strive to one or the other. We unknowingly strive to be a racist. We can knowingly strive to be an antiracist."
Reading The Hate U Give and How to Be an Antiracist side-by-side was an complimentary experience. Many of the concepts Kendi touched on were applied in "real life" (fictional but as close to real as it could be) scenarios.
The Bridge on the Drina is a book I'd never pick up myself but I'm glad to have read it. The novel spans the lifetime of the bridge in the heart of the Balkans as it stands witness to the lives of those around it. I enjoyed reading about an area of the world that I'm unfamiliar with. It's a dense read, and it took me forever to finish (I believe it was my book club's June pick. I didn't finish until November). I think part of the denseness came from the font and small print of my book. Andric's writing style is also detailed and long, but I loved how he often extrapolates universal truths and clever proverbs from the mundane.
Sex, Jesus, and Other Conversations the Church Forgot came to me highly recommended by a friend. It was good, but I found it to be lacking in the "other conversations the church forgot" part. Isom spent the majority of the book on her personal redemption and healing from sexual impurity. Those chapters were beneficial, but not as applicable to me, personally. The last few chapters were the most interesting, as Isom expounds on God's true purpose for sex and how the enemy does everything he can to twist it. I wish Isom spent more time on that and on how the church should teach this to our youth, engaged, newly-weds -- and even couples who've been married for years.
Lastly, I read A Man Called Ove. It was my book club's December pick, and I loved it so much. This book is incredibly heartwarming and hilarious. I laughed and cried. Seriously, everyone needs to read it!
I completed this challenge with a week to spare!
Personal
I really slacked with my German learning this quarter. My learning habits were dropped -- along with nearly everything else -- during NaNoWriMo, and I have yet to get back in the saddle again.
Overall, I made some decent progress this year. I organized my German binder and created a learning schedule that I stuck to for a few months, though not every single day.
2020 Reflection
These are only four out of the twelve goals that I set for myself this year. I nearly accomplished all of them! Some of the goals I didn't share with you included working out more consistently, writing a book, working on this blog, and more. It's exciting to see how each goal came to fruition, and even how some didn't. I view each goal is an opportunity to learn and improve. Even if I didn't smash each and every one, I'm still proud that I strove for it. Small steps are still steps.
I also take time every year to reflect on the highlights of each month and a few lessons I learned. Here are 5 lessons that I learned this year:
Traditions mean everything and nothing at the same time. The pandemic revealed just how much we take traditions for granted. It also showed me that it is important not to rely solely on tradition alone. The holidays are a prime example of this. Christ is still risen and He was still born, even if we couldn't participate in our usual traditions. Sometimes, we can get too caught up in our traditions that we miss what it's supposed to be about, especially within the church. But traditions, such as graduation ceremonies and weddings, are also meaningful and an important part of life.
God is good.
I am a capable writer. I already shared this in my NaNoWriMo recap, but writing a novel in 30 days taught me that I do have what it takes to be a writer. I regained the passion and internal drive to write creatively and for myself.
I don't need a routine or schedule to have a relationship with God. It is beneficial to have a set time for daily devotion, but it doesn't have to be all-or-nothing.
Letting others in on your struggles is terrifying but liberating.
Reviewing my goals also helped me prepare for 2021. I'm moving in different directions for almost all of four categories, but I've created some habits that I'll carry with me. For example, I will still be researching and testing natural skin and hair products, even though it is not a set goal for the year. I enjoyed this quarterly review process, and I plan to keep it up next year. A post all about my intention and goals for the new year will be up soon!
What are you most proud of this year? What is your intention for 2021?
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