I’m sure no one in December 2019 knew what was coming in 2020 (well, Trump did) when we all made plans, goals, and resolutions.
2020 changed everything. 2020 changed me.
This year has certainly been a roller coaster in every meaning of the word. A year unlike any other. I am sad that over 300,000 in the US & millions worldwide who died of COVID and I feel for the families who also lost loved ones.
I’ll share some of my lessons at the end of this post, but first I wanted to share some personal highlights for me in 2020.
In March, we were put on lockdown and no one knew what the next few days, weeks or even months were going to look like. As I stand here on December 30th writing this post, I can say I’m grateful to be here.
January – My birthday always starts out the year. It always gives me time to reflect on where I am and make new goals. I started out 2020 with my best friend, Aseelah, in St. Augustine, FL. Her birthday is 3 days later so we decided to do a girls trip and explore somewhere new.
Traveled to Atlanta (little did I know this would be my last plane ride for the year) to the Game Plan 2020 conference. A great boost to jump start my year with business goals.
February – Kobe Bryant passed away and shook us all. I think we all felt like we knew him personally as we watched him grow into an amazing athlete and father over the years. This tragedy put some things into perspective and even made it more apparent to make sure the people I love know I love them.
During this month, I also had the opportunity to speak to over 100 high school students about Financial Literacy at PwC in partnership with the Junior Achievement.
March I attended my first Podcast conference in Orlando (thanks to Dani Faust) in anticipation of my own Podcast, Dream Girl, Dream!
Virtual school started this month after spring break. It was our new reality because of the pandemic. I have children in elementary, middle and high school, so having all three at home and managing it all was a real experience. 9 months in, I think we finally got the hang of it.
April – 1st Viral Video – I put together a group of amazing women 40 and over to do a Don’t Rush Challenge Video. 82,000 views!
May l launched my Podcast, Dream Girl, Dream!
June Bailee launched her own nail polish line.
August
We did some renovations in our home and got new floors. I love them!
My family was invited to Animal Kingdom and a stay in their newest resort. It was a welcome distraction to what was going on around us. Before school started we planned a Mother Daughter Girls Trip with my best friend and her daughter. We took our girls to Siesta Keys for the weekend and had a blast.
Chadwick Boseman died – another living legend whose death rocked us to the core. #wakandaforever
September
After 9 months of not seeing my grandmother, we took a road trip to check on her. We had a great weekend and it was bitter sweet. I pray I get to see her again soon.
Celebrated 17 years of marriage in Naples, FL.
October
Spoke at a virtual conference
1st Viral Reel with my BFF and daughter. Over 117K views on IG Reels (click image to play)
The Knighten Project (my non-profit) started collecting items for our Packing with Purpose suitcase donation drive. It was a huge success. Read about it here.
November
A few of my closest friends came to Tampa and we rented an Air BNB downtown. We had a ball just exploring Tampa and catching up. It was a much needed Girls Trip.
More renovations were done in our home, this time it was our cabinets.
December
Cut my hair and went blonde. I wanted it shorter actually but this will have to do.
I signed a contract to work with a major company in the Diabetes Community to create content, videos, speaking engagements, and media opportunities.
We completed Packing with Purpose. Our goal was 25 suitcases, we raised enough for 91 suitcases and gave them to 6 local Tampa organizations. (Click the video to see our experience)
Brand partnerships for 2020:
- Arnold Bread
- Sunny D
- Moms Rising
- Moms Vote
- Abbott Freestyle Libre
Oh, the hubs and I joined a property investment group, with hopes of buying our first property in 2021. I also started trading options this year. Wow, that experience has been full of ups and downs, but I’m learning new things with each trade. I’ll write a separate post on that.
A few lessons I learned this year:
- If you love someone, tell them. Say everything you’ve ever wanted to say because you may never get another opportunity.
- If you want to do something, do it. What are you waiting for? The power of now has never been more important. I’ve started eating on my wedding China. I’ve had it for 17 years and it just sat in the cabinet waiting for “that special occasion”. Well, lunch became special enough for me.
- Love shouldn’t hurt. If a friend or someone special tells you that they love you, their actions shouldn’t show you the opposite. Someone that loves you should NOT hurt you on purpose.
- Social media is too much. Although I’m on social media often because I’m an influencer (and I get paid to post things), I’ve actually slowed down posting. I don’t have to show everything, tell everything, or comment on everything. This year I’ve concentrated on putting the phone down and being more present in the moment.
- Family is everything. During this pandemic, families spent more time together under the same roof than ever. It either brought you closer together or tore you all farther apart. The time together definitely deepened my relationships with my children. I’m grateful for that because my oldest will be off to college in 2 years, so this time is precious. Oh the conversations we’ve had.
- Health is wealth (although I knew this before the pandemic).
- Don’t be afraid to say goodbye to something that is no longer good for you or to you.
- Would you rather live an uncomfortable truth or a comfortable lie?
What did 2020 show you?
