Reflecting on 2021

 Happy New Year!  As we move forward into 2022 I always enjoy this time of year to reflect on the year past. I think it's good to take some time to think about all that we have accomplished and learned.  One of my big questions to people this year has been about your biggest lessons from 2021.  There have been lots of good and different answers for where people are in their lives.  I think my biggest lesson is how much I value some of the small things in life.  2021 was a challenging year where a lot of that was taken away until we were vaccinated. Even when I look at my lists of what happened throughout the year, once we were vaccinated the different things really grew.  However coming back to all of those things was amazing, but it made me realize the value in some of those mundane things - like driving to work.  Seeing people in hallways at work.  Going to the yoga studio, having those smells and sense of community.  Being in an airplane and having my feet on soil from another country.  It has been a good takeaway from COVID and this crazy last few years is how much I appreciate a lot of the little things. 

We were lucky this year to go on a few trips - our usual Kelowna trip was extremely smoky.  To the point where I thought we might go home early - however, it rained the first day and that seemed to really help.  We also made it to Panorama and Fernie in the summer and a whole week spent in Lake Louise. We are lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country that summer was spent, again this year, exploring and enjoying it. Plus Darryl got a new bike and so all of the biking in this area can be enjoyed.  

I was also able to fly on an airplane twice!  We all had a wonderful family trip to Mexico.  It really was such a wonderful time where we got to spend quality time with my family.   It was such a great time to reconnect with everyone.  We ate great food and got lots of good vitamin D.  I was also able to go to Ottawa for a volunteer board I work with.  Darryl and Nathan traveled to Ontario as well to surprise his mom and spend time reconnecting with his family as well.  Again so nice once we were vaccinated to feel like we could do a bit more of those things.   

Here are the resolutions I made last year to see how I did:

1. Read 12 books - I'm almost done with The Vanishing Half (an excellent read) and next is Green Lights

Not quite on this one - I got to 8 books.  Although 8 great books.  Two of my favorites were the 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and Anxious People.  

1. Donate blood 4 times this year - this was a regular practice for me in the past, but it's has fallen off in the last few years - I would like to get back to it. 

This became a regular practice again, I got up to 3 times this year and sign up for the next time once it's offered.  

1. Decorate bedroom: Last year we got rid of this big TV that was unwatchable in our room and the year before that a shelf that was above our bed.  We really need some new art and other decorations in the room to make it look and feel like we do - grown up.  =)

Nope - this one did not happen at all.  Something to consider for this year again.  

1. Buy original art - This goes with #3, but also would like to invest in more local artists.  Starting at Lineham house Gallery

Nope - again one to consider for this year. 

1. Find 3 new podcasts

Boom - hit this one out of the park.  Found lots of new podcasts - with my favourite being No Stupid Questions. 

1. Learn to make 3 new cocktails - this is a continuation of Christmas where we learned to make Old Fashioned's and Moscow Mules

Nope - just continued to drink those two....

1. Have less debt

This got better with the lack of traveling.  

1. Donate more to charity

I'm not sure on this one - after looking at our taxes from last year I did pretty good in 2020.  We will see what 2021 shows.  

1. Take up one new activity

While I wouldn't say I took it up - we tried cross country skiing and it was really fun! 

1. Use a journal to follow through with goals, use a planner to create bigger goals at work as well, don't get caught up in the things that do not matter as much. 

This one was pretty good.  I used a planner for work last year and really liked it.  While it was mostly used for day to day, it also helped with some of the bigger goals.  I would also say I was pretty good with not getting caught up in the things that don't matter.  There were so many curve balls thrown at us this year (maybe not as many as 2020, but still pretty damn close) and I was able to navigate all of them pretty well.  

1. Listen more - ask more questions.  Work to be more of a coach. 

This one I think I can still work on.  While I feel like I'm becoming better at my work and as a listener, I can still work on it.  I must say that both Lucas and Darryl do a good job of calling me out and making me more reflective on my communication skills.  

1. Hike 21 times

So close - 20 hikes in 2021 - which may be a record for me.  I became quite the hiker this year.  One week I did 5 hikes in a row.  This year for Christmas I got chairs you can carry in your backpack and set up at the top of a hike.  I got hiking poles for my birthday!

1. Paddle 12 times

Only half way on this one - 6 paddles.  Although I really loved them all.  My most beautiful paddle - Moraine Lake was this year too.  It's certainly one to do again.  

1. Plan 12 date nights

Darryl and I did quite a good job with this one - lots of fun date nights and even date days.  High fives for us!

1. Make 21 new recipes

I'm not sure we got to 21, but we did make lots of fun stuff.  Fresh pasta, fried doughnuts are some of the highlights.  

1. For one month drink 1L of water a day and start each morning with water and lemon - record how the water makes me feel. 

I did really great on this one two - probably for the first 6 months of the year I would drink water with lemon and it was a great way to start the day.  

1. Take two courses

Did not do great on this one - lots of learning this year, but not as structured as I've done in the past.  A good one to move forward.  

1. Plan 21 family games nights

Not great on this one either.  

1. Go to the spa for a day

This list is going downhill....  but this is one I should for sure move to 2022!

1. Less time on social media- this is also a continuation of this year, I have put the limit for 1 hour a day this year and that is a helpful reminder when I end up scrolling and scrolling. 

This one I was quite good at this year - generally 1 hour or less.  It went up a bit over the holidays.  But in my day to day life it's generally pretty limited.  

Well, I have to say overall for me 2021 was a pretty good year. I was quite active which I love to be - lots of walking Sully, some golfing with ladies, and lots of hiking.  I got to go on a trip which I was really missing and interact with a variety of people again face to face.  I recognized the value of being beyond the screen and will take them forward into 2022 and probably for the rest of my life.  I think one of my other really highlights is watching my children grow.  While I think they are missing out on some of the teenager things, I have really been able to spend quality time with them and they are a few of my favourite people.  Each night we have dinner together and I'm so impressed with the conversations we have and their perspectives on life and what they have learned.  I feel so honoured to be their mom and learn so much from them.  

I hope everyone else had a good 2021 as well.  

Jenn