While many of us couldn’t wait to kick 2020 to the curb, there was still plenty of good that came from such a tumultuous year. From the pandemic to racial injustice, social strife and political upheavals that claimed to overtake our lives, came strength, fortitude, patience and empathy. Acts of kindness — small and large — filled our hearts and opened up our eyes to what could be a better tomorrow if we all pulled together. And these are the things worth writing down, recording and remembering.

This past year, we all got a lot of time to ourselves and learned to be comfortable with solitude. And with this time came the ability to focus on finding ourselves, looking inward and taking care of our own mental and physical wellbeing. 

In doing so, I learned to disconnect, take longer walks, appreciate my neighborhood and find gratitude in people, nature and my surroundings. There were so many instances where I took all of this for granted and didn’t open my eyes up to the true nature of life and all of its beauty. With so much devastation, hurt and loss, I want to make a commitment to finding and practicing gratitude on a daily basis. I want to live in the moment, smile more and appreciate the very things life is offering me. I want to overcome the challenges that come my way and live up to the values that make me who I am. I want to make memories worth keeping and recording. Here’s to year two and life lessons worth remembering.