Well, it sure has been an interesting year, to say the least. 2020 was by far the most bizarre year. However, there were still some good things that happened and that’s what I want to focus on. Writing has always been very therapeutic for me. I wasn’t even sure I was going to share this post but thought why not. Maybe it will help someone else who feels discouraged by the events that happened.
Either way, I wanted to write a post to get all of this out of my brain and take a moment to look back on all that happened. I feel proud of the positive stuff and all that I accomplished. We need to remember that good always comes with the bad and if we are grateful we can continue to see the positive in everything!
2020 Rewind on Family Life
It was not an easy year for most of us. Between the kids doing remote learning, the pandemic, and other stressful events, 2020 was a challenging year. This may sound mean but having the kids home was not always easy. I just don’t think it’s normal for them not to be in school. At some point, we all need a break from each other and the kids need to be around friends their own age. I noticed a decline in their mental health. Going forward, we do our best to support them in this unprecedented time and make things as normal as possible.
Family Loss
On top of all that, the kids lost their grandmother due to longtime health issues. She was in Florida so we didn’t even get to see her at the end of her life. She was brought back up to New Jersey to be buried and we couldn’t even have a funeral for her. It was so sad and very frustrating not to be able to celebrate her life.
In addition, I lost my grandfather who was 101 years old. He was a World War II veteran and was married to my grandmother for 80 years! As of this post, she is still alive at 102. Good Italian genes! I am blessed to still have my other grandmother as well who is 93. She had a stroke and is now in a rehab facility. I was finally able to visit her last October and spend some quality time but I have not been able to see her since.
I have not been able to see my family in NJ and NY as much as we normally do. However, we were able to get a couple of visits in. It is so hard not to be able to hug your loved ones! I hope soon this will get better as well. Connecting on the phone and Facetime is just not the same but it will have to do for now. I am grateful everyone is healthy and surviving this crazy time in life.
SOME GOOD NEWS!
I got engaged! We are blessed to have a family house in the Poconos on my fiance’s side. We were able to get away there 3 times in 2020. On Memorial Day, my boyfriend and kids proposed to me by the lake that we visit down the road from the house. It was a complete surprise and I was shocked and extremely touched. That was the best news that came out of 2020 as most of my family and friends tell me! It was a bright moment in a dark and stressful year.
2020 Personal Rewind
While at home during the shutdown, I picked up the hobby of gardening. Sort of. I found a great plant nursery that I visited to get out of the house and find some peace. We had a new patio built so I bought lots of plants and flowers which made it my favorite spot of the spring to hang out! I also tried my hand at renovating a couple of things around the house. In addition, I learned how to sand and restore an old table as well as an old Adirondack chair set.
I took the time off to organize some of the rooms inside as well. A complete overhaul of the kitchen was attempted and I did get rid of stuff we never use. I also cleaned out all of the closets and donated clothes and other items. Cleaning and organizing never seem to be done but I was happy with my progress!
We are blessed to have a pool and that was my favorite spot in the summer. I probably got a little too much sun but I was in my glory. I felt grateful to have a little escape at home.
At the beginning of 2020, I decided it was time to get some weight off that I have gained over the years. I tried 3 different programs that somewhat worked. I only lost 12 pounds. But I will take it considering how much stress there was throughout the year!
Being a spiritual person, I missed going to church but I did find the time to watch mass on TV and also on Facebook Live. I definitely felt a little void in that part of my life although I do keep up on my devotional reading and listen to uplifting preachers.
2020 Rewind on My Business
My Massage Therapy business was closed due to the pandemic starting the second week of March. I thought it would only be a couple of weeks. I was out of work for 5 months. No massage sessions and no chair massage events. It was sad and boring not to go to my office and I missed working on my clients. However, there was lots of time to work on my blog which was fun for me.
When I returned to my office in August, I came back to a very slow schedule. People were just not ready to come back yet. I had my reservations as well but was extremely prepared with all the proper protective equipment and cleaning protocols in place. To be honest, it took some of the joy out of giving a massage. Wearing a mask may not be a big deal to some people. I hate it and feel like I can’t breathe. I guess I got used to it after a while but it definitely is not enjoyable. As I am sure it’s not enjoyable for my clients to wear a mask during their sessions either.
This is the case for now. I have to go with the flow and hope that my business will recover. My hope is that one day it will go back to normal. I don’t know how I will recover those lost months of business. I don’t know if it will ever be the same. Although I have been doing massage therapy for 15 years, I do still love it but it may be time to move on to something more sustainable. Time will tell.
2020 Rewind on My Blog
There was plenty of time to work on my blog in 2020. First, I started with taking a free course on how to set up a blog which was so helpful called Start a Blogging Business- 5 Day Crash Course. Then, I was able to make some great connections through an awesome blogging course I took called Blogging Blastoff 2.0. Therefore, these resources helped me grow my blog and introduced me to a lovely community of bloggers to network with.
Through these connections, I was able to meet people to add to my community as well as collaborate on some really cool projects! I look forward to doing more interviews and writing reviews on wellness-related products and services. Please share anything that you would be interested in reading about!
Subscribe here to get blog posts delivered to your e-mail and never miss one!
2020 Highlights
I joined the Chronic Illness Bloggers Network and was featured in a roundup called 34 Best Chronic Illness Blogs To Read In 2020.
I was asked to be a feature writer for a new section on the Leslie W. Blog called The Wellness Chat.
I took a class on expanding my Pinterest account and started growing my following on other social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Finally, the most exciting venture was creating my private Facebook group – Simple Self-Care and Stress Solutions.
My Favorite Posts of 2020
Insights on The Road to Healing Book by Brianna Fitzgerald
The Self-Care Essentials Gift Guide
Master Your Self-Care Routine in 8 Simple Steps
25 Ways to Survive Stressful Times
15 Ways to Promote a Refreshing Night of Sleep
10 Gentle Ways to Stay Active with Chronic Illness
New Affiliate Partnerships
As a Blogger, one way to make money with your blog is to become an affiliate. In other words, you promote other company’s products and services and then receive a small commission from any sales from your affiliate links. First, I signed up with some companies that have made a good impression on me and that I believe fit in my wellness blog.
I hope to be able to grow that part of my blog and offers lots of great deals to my community that will help them in their wellness journey. I would love to hear what you think!
Here is the list of companies I work with as of this post. Thanks to ShareaSale for offering this amazing opportunity!
Cratejoy – an awesome subscription box company
Homedics- consumer health and wellness and home products
Etsy- custom and handmade items from small business sellers
MasterClass- an online education platform with hundreds of interesting classes
Bookshop- online book store that supports local book shops
WellBefore- cleaning and disinfecting supplies and personal protective equipment
Moving Forward into 2021
Above all, I am happy to report that we remained healthy and survived the tough times together. Looking back, I am grateful for the accomplishments and I look forward to another year of growth and continued happiness. My wish is that 2021 will be a year of healing and happiness for all.
xoxo
Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.
