A year of adaptability ๐คน๐ผโโ๏ธ and re-discovery ๐
Tell me you had cooking all meals, all year long as part of your 2020 resolution ๐
The last meal ๐ฝ we ate out was at the end of February, to celebrate my husbandโs birthday ๐. We were delighted and thought we stumbled across a little piece of Japan ๐ฏ๐ต at Peg ๐ฅข. Little did we know in the coming months we would order takeout ๐ฅก only once (true story!) and cook all our other meals.
We werenโt even big on eating out before covid. We were accustomed to cooking ๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ณ๐จ๐ปโ๐ณ. One of the perks in relocating to London was a spacious kitchen and the supply of reliable and affordable fresh produce ๐ฅฆ๐ง๐ฅฉ๐ฆ.
What I have come to realise is that, the act of eating out is more than the food and drinks. Often it is associated with social gatherings ๐ฏโโ๏ธ, celebrations ๐ฅณ, the exchange of ideas ๐ญ. I thought all that mattered was who I met with, what we put in our mouths and the conversations we shared. It never occurred to me that people watching ๐ต๐ปโโ๏ธ was such a fundamental part of the experience, and that I drew energy from it even when I was just a spectator.
We can all agree 2020 has felt like a nightmare ๐ต on loop with no pause button (or falling into a dreams rabbit hole in Inception?). Some days I still wake up wondering if weโre at the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end ๐ง. However, despite being mostly confined within our flat, Iโve still managed to find joy and gratitude ๐๐ผ.
My loved ones and I have maintained good health ๐ฉบ, and thankfully are unscathed from the financial fallout of the pandemic so far.
Thereโs no better person Iโd rather be in lockdowns with. My husband has been the most supportive, understanding and loving partner ๐ฅฐ anyone can ask for. (We finished our favourite couch-coop game ๐ฎ PixelJunk just last month.)
Being more connected with my family and friends than any other time, even though only through virtual means ๐. We have spent many quality hours catching up, playing games, sharing a meal ๐/ drink or two (or more ๐น๐ป) and lots of laughs.
The space in our apartment is plentiful for two adults to be working from home ๐จ๐ปโ๐ป๐ฉ๐ปโ๐ป. My husband took the living room as his office, and let me use our spare room which has a proper set up including a sit/ stand desk ๐ฅ.
Based on what I learn from โWhy We Sleepโ, I adjusted my sleep patterns ๐คค. Now I am both respectful and in control of my circadian rhythm. (If you have trouble waking up in the morning, just go to bed earlier. Itโs that simple!)
I re-established a sustainable workout schedule with a healthy mix of cardio ๐โโ๏ธ and strength training ๐๐ปโโ๏ธ, all in the comfort of our home.
My goal of reading one-book-a-month ๐ initially appeared ambitious, but here I am on track to finish book #14 to wrap the year.
My professional network expanded through platforms such as LunchClub and Cafecito. My pre-existing connections strengthened and continued to offer sound career advice. I keep learning from all your experiences & wisdom.
My new job, responsibilities and team at Twilio. The learning curve/ ramp has been incredibly steep ๐ข, but itโs the exact challenge I needed at this point in my career and everyoneโs been generous with their trust and support ๐๐ผ.
The 5-week break in-between jobs, which I dedicated towards David Malanโs CS50 course ๐ค and picked up some good old C. Salient reminder of the value of first principles learning ๐.
This blog โ๏ธ (!) for providing a creative outlet to jot down some deep reflections. Writing demands discipline, patience, humility and so much more.
While we must remain hopeful for what 2021 would bring ๐ค๐ผ, for now letโs pause, look around us and celebrate every win, big and small. Be kind to yourself, be kind to each other. โฃ๏ธ
What are you thankful for in 2020? Share your thoughts with me here.
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