16 things that changed my life in 2020
Alright, let’s get real. This was a year for the history books.
No matter what you walked through this year, it’s hard to argue that it has not been A LOT.
A global pandemic. The world shutting down seemingly overnight. Lockdown. Quarantine. Police brutality. Thousands of years of oppression that many of us (including me) had overlooked simply because of the privilege of our skin color. Murder hornets. Blatant sexism. The most divided political election in history. Hundreds of thousands of deaths. Sky high unemployment rates.
What else? I’m sure I am missing something.
On the other hand, for some people, it was an incredible year of growth, either personally, spiritually or in business.
Each individual had different experiences this year. By no means do I want to generalize; I can’t speak for anyone except myself.
As I have been reflecting on my 2020, I have been very blessed. As an empath, I have definitely shed many tears this year, been overwhelmed, sat with a heavy heart, been lonely, and was forced to face some of my inner demons, but I have been incredibly cared for, held and protected this year.
In many ways, 2020 presented me with the exact opportunities I didn’t know I needed.
I experienced incredible growth this year. I’m not the same person I was in January of 2020, or June of 2020, or even November.
In fact, I am not the same person I was yesterday.
And you aren’t either.
I started to flip back through my planner to look at all the things that happened this year (a ritual I do during this week between Christmas and New Year’s) and holy sh*t was this year longer than 12 months?! SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED.
I thought I would sum it up in this blog post. I’m not even sure if you care (which is totally ok), but it helps me process, so here we are.
I want to be clear here. This is not me trying to package 2020 into a cute little list. I originally titled this “20 things that changed my life in 2020,” but then I realized that there is nothing cute or neat about this year. So I wrote this odd number, stream of consciousness list because it feels like the right thing to do to pay homage to 2020.
It’s in no particular order of importance and ranges from the trivial to the expansive.
Here we go! 16 things that changed my life in 2020:
1) Curly hair shampoo. Seriously, why did it take me so long to try this?!
2) READING. I read two books a month this year which is an accomplishment I am very proud of. Don’t ask me for my favorite, but here’s some honorable mentions: The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn, A Happy Pocket Full of Money by David Cameron Gikandi, Signs by Laura Lynne Jackson, and Untamed by Glennon Doyle.
3) Twice daily meditation. No longer than 10 minutes each time, but WOW, what a difference it makes for me!
4) Trying many things. I laughed at myself when I flipped through my planner because I tried many different things this year from coaching others on living an anti-inflammatory lifestyle to teaching horseback riding lessons to implementing search engine optimization best practices and building businesses. I’m so grateful for the variety because the contrast has all pushed me closer to understanding who I am, what I want, and what I like doing. Don’t be scared to try something you are curious about. You just never know where and who it will lead you to. And there is nothing wrong with perceived failure (trust me, I’ve had a lot of that this year too).
5) Shifting what I eat to mostly fruits and veggies. I still eat animal protein and dairy sometimes (moderation is key for me), but focusing mainly on plants has been huge for my health. As with any diet advice you will hear from me, take the time to figure out what WORKS FOR YOU.
6) Podcasts. I know this sounds cliché, but honestly, playing good vibe inspiration on my daily walks shifts my energy and that is the most important work any of us will ever do. Some of my go-to favorites include Manifestation Babe, Spark Your Light, The School of Greatness, The Highest Self and Abraham-Hicks.
7) Learning about manifesting. I’ve always been interested in this topic, but this year I REALLY dove in, starting with Gabby Bernstein’s 21 Day Manifesting Challenge in January and ending with Kathrin Zenkina’s Epically Aligned Bootcamp in December. This stuff is changing my life you guys. And it can change yours too. No one is exempt from Universal Laws. Read more about my thoughts on this subject here.
8) Working with a health coach and spiritual intuitive. This really propelled me further faster by helping me trust myself. Remember, you already contain everything you will ever need for success within you. Sometimes you just need someone to remind you of who you are. I 10/10 recommend working with other beautiful souls and professionals who you jive with. You are the best investment you will ever make.
9) Realizing that I am not in control of anyone else’s feelings besides my own. How ultimately selfish it is to think otherwise.
10) Excessive amounts of time spent alone. I went through the COVID-19 pandemic alone (ok, with my dog and my horse), after having recently moved to a new place with no family and very limited connections. What seemed like a problem turned into a beautiful, distraction-free opportunity to tune in to me. As Sam Acho says, “You are worth getting to know” and wow, isn’t that the truth?! Many people don’t get this opportunity until the end of their life. I realized how much fun I have by myself and how beneficial that time is for me. I don’t think I’ll ever again be halfhearted about ‘alone time.’
11) Spotify. Similar to curly hair shampoo, what took me so long?! I LOVE music. Spending $10/month on unlimited tunes brings me so much joy. If there is something that you love that is easy to integrate into your life, I urge you to take inspired action and do it.
12) Writing letters. I did a lot of writing this year, not only on this blog and other websites (I was published online for the first time this year!), but also in the form of letters. Some of them I sent in the mail to loved ones. And some of them I channeled from my guides, angels, and deceased loved ones. These letters have been so healing, eye-opening and full of guidance. I highly recommend the letter writing process.
13) Asking for signs. When I am aligned with Source, I can see the Universal Love and Energy that is always around us. When I am tuned in, I always receive what I need to know. Asking for signs has helped me make some major decisions—ones that I already knew the answer to in my heart, but that my logical mind needed validation in order to fully decide. Anyone can ask for a sign; After all, “ask and it is given.”
14) Road trips. Holy Toledo, I made a lot of road trips all over the West this year (haven’t gotten on a plane since I saw Oprah in early March right before the lockdown!), but the miles I spent solo were healing. Great time to think, listen, and BE.
15) Being intentional about how I feel. I think that a lot of us believe that we are subject to however we feel. But this is just not the case! Feeling good should be your greatest priority every day and you get to choose how you feel! How empowering is that?! It’s not always easy, but it is worth it.
16) Tapping into my inner child. Letting myself be playful and remember the things that I innately loved as a kid has helped lead me through my growth this year. When I remember who I am and who I came here to be, when I remember what I love doing, I realize that all of the answers I will ever need can be found in childlike curiosity.
My plans for 2021?
*Play the quantum field.
*Go for the full body yes and give up the rest of the B.S.
*Unapologetically speak, Know, claim and normalize my desires. Lead with my heart.
*Be intentional about leaving space for unexpected miracles.
*Make beautiful things.
If you made it here, I encourage you to try this. What did 2020 change for you and what are you carrying into 2021? Let me know in the comments below!
And thank you for being here. I appreciate and love you more than you know and I am so humbled by every single reader of this blog.
Xoxo and here’s to a new year,
Em