
Let me start by saying that 2020 broke my heart, challenged me, and changed me in more ways than one. I still remember that at the very beginning of 2020, it was all about the Tiger King. Can you believe at one point in time, that was the one thing everybody was talking about? Pretty much the only thing? Sigh. The good days. Then came the news articles about a virus from China. What spiraled from there, nobody saw coming. Well, maybe the Simpsons. If you know, you know.
Although we can sit here and say that 2020 sucked, we have to try and look at any positives that came out of this. No matter how small they may seem. I want you all to just take a moment and think of five positives that came out of 2020. Even if one is just “I got more sleep.” I think a lot of us can relate to that one, huh?
5 Things I Learned In 2020
Don’t take your friends or family for granted.
Unfortunately, I lost two family members and one of my best friends in 2020. It’s one thing when death is expected but when you wake up to the news on Facebook, it’s earth-shattering. It took me a couple of months trying to wrap my head around my friend’s death. It was definitely a wake-up call for me. Now I’m constantly checking up on my loved ones and being extra heavy on the “I love you’s.”
It’s okay to take a break.
In the beginning of 2020, I planned on totally upping my social media game. I wanted to be posting on my blog twice a week, improve my Instagram content, be the consistent YouTuber that I wasn’t being lately. A lot of people were saying that during the lockdown and being furloughed, you had to take advantage of that opportunity to make your mark online. I tried for a little bit but my mental health was at an all-time low.
I took about a 3 month break from everything online. Posting here and there, sure. But I allowed myself to not stress about content, to focus on my mental health, and catch up on Netflix and sleep. I lost quite a few followers but when I thought about it, my mental health is so much more important than the Instagram algorithm. It was simply the best decision that I’ve made. If you ever feel like you need a social media break, do it. Trust me, we all need it from time to time.
You can practice self care every day.
I remember I used to dedicate Sundays as “Self Care Sunday.” Yes, it’s fun to post about it on Instagram and use it as an excuse to use your favorite face mask but when you step away from the social media aspect of it, you realize self-care should be every day.
Daily self care could look like:
- Getting to bed early every night so you wake up refreshed the next morning
- Writing a “to-do” list for the next day so you’re not as stressed
- Sticking to your workout routine and drinking enough water
- Taking 20 minutes a day to just quality me time.
I don’t think we recognize these little acts as self care but they truly are.
I’m a lot more creative than I thought
Even though I took 3 months off of social media, I’m still a creative person who needs an outlet. So I took courses on video editing, how to be a better blogger, played around with Canva graphics, and I even started planning my online store Simply Motivated! Even though I wasn’t sharing my creativity, taking the time to learn and grow my skills was much needed. I can now go into 2021 with everything that I learned.
I’m ready to take on what used to scare me
This year has threw me out of my comfort zones and pushed my limits. Even though in the moment, I may have hated every minute of it, I’m actually thankful. Because of everything that has happened, I’m ready to take on any challenge that comes my way in the future because I know I can handle it. For example, a year ago, I struggled with balancing my blog and youtube channel.
In 2021, I’m determined to improve and grow my blog, run my apparel store, and still post YouTube videos. I have my work cut out for me but I’m filled with something that I wasn’t at the beginning of 2020…confidence. I genuinely know that I got this.
Let’s Look On The Bright Side
I made this post because, despite all of the tough things that happened this year, there was still good. So, I have a challenge for you. Grab a piece of paper and write down 5 positive things that happened this year!
Remember to take it one day at a time. We’re in this together.
Need some motivation? Check these posts out!
- Motivational Quotes To Get You Through The Day
- 25 Positive Affirmations | Daily Motivation
- 7 Toxic Things To Stop Telling Yourself Right Now
- 7 Ways To Change Your Life
Talk to you soon!

Amanda Burnett is a 25-year-old content creator. Growing up with a disability, she wanted to prove to herself that she was capable of accomplishing her dream life. Today she is helping her audience realize their potential as well! Her goal is to motivate as many people as she can through her lifestyle, beauty, and self-improvement content.
2020 has been a wild year! Such a great way to look back at it!
I’ve just written a similar post to this! I’m so sorry for the loved ones you’ve lost this year. I think it’s so important to take a break from social media and I wish that’s something I had done xx
http://www.dellalovesnutella.co.uk/