3 Good Experiences I Had in 2020

I could probably start this article off (as most could), talking about all the problems people (and even myself) have endured in 2020. I am not trying to downplay anything at all, but I think those things go without saying. As 2020 comes to an end, I wanted to reflect on the positive things that have come out of this tumultuous year.

1. I SPENT MORE TIME WITH MY FAMILY THAN EVER BEFORE- Since the entire family was pretty much at home for the entire year, we spent more time with one another than ever before. I have to admit, there were plenty of moments that I’ve wanted to scream and even cried due to frustration. But for the most part, it’s been a joy. My oldest is approaching his teenage years and so I know that these moments are precious. I know that in a normal working environment that my baby would be in the care of a nursery at this point. Time is something that is valuable and we will never get to get back. So I made every point to cherish every moment I’ve had with my family. I know that tomorrow isn’t promised, so I strived to invest everything I have into each day. We played board games, went on walks, watched cooking shows, and even made some delicious meals together.
2. I STEPPED MY COOKING GAME UP- So in 2020, we didnt go to any restaurants for the most part. So I decided to take up cooking. I have a few recipe apps on my phone, but since I’m more of a visual learned, Youtube is where I got the most of my recipes. One of my favorite meals that I made this year was a ‘Korean Rice & Beef Bowl.” Here is the recipe if you’re interested: https://therecipecritic.com/korean-ground-beef-rice-bowls/. One of my favorite things to do is baking and I really did that a lot this past year. I made a peach cobbler, churros, key lime pie, apple pie, and much more. I really enjoy cooking and baking and I’m glad that I was kind of forced into it.
3. I STARTED PLAYING CHESS AGAIN- When I was a pre-teen, I used to play chess all the time. But once I got a Playstation, I resigned indefinitely. It wasn’t until my son was having to do online school that I decided to give him some extra-curricular activities to do weekly and chess was one of them. I’m sure you think that we started playing once, ‘Queen’s Gambit’ came out, but we actually started playing again before I even heard of it. I don’t know why I always feel the need to tell people that. Well since then, I’ve played hundred of chess games. I love it and I hate it, but I definitely enjoy it (at times).

We can always look at a situation and find the negativity in it, but it takes intentionality to find the positive in things. I’m glad that I was able to take time and reflect to find good experiences in 2020. I’m looking forward to creating more memories in 2021.