2021: A Review

2021 was probably the saddest and most stressful of my life. My mum got poorly this year, her cancer came back and she’s been in chemo. This has caused a seismic shift in my life. I’ve probably spent more time crying this year than I ever have before. I’ve also had to take on a lot of responsibility. In 2021 I began to care for her somewhat and this has been quite the adjustment for someone who’s lived carefree and hedonistic up until this point. Despite this, looking back (as I have been forced to do while spending my New Years in isolation) I haven’t hated it. I’ve been able to keep my positive outlook and have still been able to have a lot of fun. Here, I thought I’d give a little review of what I have, and haven’t done this year.

I’ve ‘improved myself’. I continued walking a lot in 2021, as documented in the completely unrelated pictures that punctuate this post. I’ve had to become a lot more organised! Something that isn’t second, third, fourth or even fifth nature to me. I’ve also dramatically increased my repertoire of meals. In order to stave off the monotony of ‘something with mince’ I’ve spent a lot more time planning and cooking dinners for my family. I even signed up to do some online courses (which I’m yet to begin).

I left my job - twice. I felt my life had stagnated at my cafe job. It was comfortable and fun and had been a million times better than what I did before but I needed to leave. It seemed like a reasonable idea to take a sideways step into another waitressing role. The few months I spent at the restaurant were super fun and incredibly chaotic but it really cemented the idea that I did not want to work in hospitality full time anymore. My responsibilities were mounting at home and I needed to get some more life-friendly work hours in my week. I was also yearning to do something a bit more fulfilling on a personal level. I applied for a job and got it and have had the pure pleasure of my first working Christmas with time off as standard!

I left Kent - loads of times. Restrictions lifted, I went back to work and the vaccine got rolled out. This meant I got the chance to leavvvveeeeee the little corner of the world I had been trapped in for the past year. I didn’t manage to get abroad but did get to spend some long overdue time with some good friends in London, Manchester and Leeds. Even better, we were allowed to dance! I went to parties, saw live music and boogied to my heart’s content.

I forgot how to read. In 2020 I read 107 books. This was absolutely astronomical to me, a return to the frenzied reading I had left behind in childhood. It was an impressive feat in a singularly unimpressive year. I left 2020 hoping I’d never have the opportunity to read that much again and I didn’t. Over lockdown me and a friend started buddy reading books together, tearing through massive tomes with no trouble. This has now expanded to include four people in a virtual book club who constantly delay our zoom meetups because we haven’t managed to get through the book. Our lives are constantly getting in the way and honestly, I couldn’t be happier about it.

I remembered how to write. I feel like I’ve joined Hive twice this year. Once in summer when I actually joined, and again about a month ago when I returned with a bit more gusto. My life has calmed down a bit and I’ve got a bit more time to dedicate. I’m still trying to get my head round a lot of the platform but I’ve really enjoyed popping stuff on here out there and perusing other people’s stuff as well.

I’m not sad to be leaving 2021 in the past and am looking forward to seeing what’s to come in the new year.