It’s officially one year since I started working from home. One year since I thought, “Life will be back to normal in two weeks. How much can change in two weeks?” Oh, how little I knew. My world was about to be rocked. This past year has changed a lot for a people. Some people found out how important going out to eat was to their social life. Some people found out how much they really value their family. And me? Well. I found out a lot. Let’s get started!
one | i kind of, almost like coffee now
When the pandemic started, I was a strict vanilla almond milk latte gal. Now? I drink iced coffee with creamer. This may not seem like a big deal to anyone that’s been drinking black coffee since they were sixteen, but this is HUGE for me. And I like it. I like trying new coffee drinks when I go out, I like being able to have a coffee routine. It’s such a lovely little realization that I’ve come to love coffee over these last 365 days in my own home.
two | better at setting boundaries
I’m the biggest introvert there is, but I also have massive FOMO. You can see my conundrum. I hate saying no to things because I’m always terrified of being left out or not being someone’s friend. Or, should I say, used to. Because of this forced downtime and a new relationship all throughout last year, I’ve really learned to value my time with the people that matter to me most. I’m much better at saying “no” or scheduling things when they work best for me rather than just immediately saying yes to things, especially things I don’t even want to say yes to.
three | skincare
My skincare routine has quite literally never been better. I even use sunscreen everyday. You know those things you think are just tricks to make you spend more money actually really do help! (I’m talking about flossing and wearing sunscreen.) My skin has never been healthier, and I’ve never been happier with it. My favorite products are my Curology daily skincare, my Kiehl’s dark spot corrector, and my Tula sunscreen.
four | intentionality
I always knew I needed to be intentional, but the pandemic really hammered home how intentionality completely changes my day. One of the biggest reasons I have this blog is because it helps me stay accountable to my reading goals since I intentional set them and share them with you all. My boyfriend and I started doing weekly check-ins every Sunday to determine what we did well the week before and what we could do better going into the next week, and I swear it has changed the game for me. I’m not perfect, but I’m definitely hitting goals more clearly now.
five | i like to get ready
Aside from my boyfriend and my roommate, I do not see people on a daily basis anymore, and I still put makeup on everyday. Putting makeup on makes me feel good. I even try to put together outfits that don’t involve sweatpants — who is she? I get ready for me. If you don’t like getting ready, that’s okay, too. But I can’t start the day without putting on a little makeup and something that makes me feel like my best self.
six | we all need somebody
I’m so lucky to have had a roommate, a boyfriend, and a mom only a phone call away during this pandemic. Some of my friends really struggled with living alone, not having a significant other, and not feeling close to their family, and having someone, just one someone, is so important. So many groups banded together during this time and created weekly Dungeon and Dragon virtual meetups or writing groups that met virtually or virtual game nights. It just proves that even when you can’t physically see someone, you can still feel connected.
Happy adventuring,
Kimberly
