I think most people had high hopes for the year 2020. That is, until it actually started! January and February were great- I was on track with my planned workouts, I was publishing new blog posts every week on a schedule, I was consistent on Instagram and growing my audience while reaching out to multiple brands to collaborate. Then March happened and the world shut down. I have suffered from anxiety for many years, and the fear of Covid-19 multiplied my anxiety ten-fold. Luckily, the company I work for (my 9-to-5) allowed us to work from home so I didn’t need to leave my house. I had all my groceries and food delivered. So I did not leave my apartment for a couple of months, except to take a socially-distanced walk outside a few times per week.

While I love working from home now and my company has done really well adjusting to this new normal, it wasn’t great for my weight. Chris (my boyfriend), was still going into his office so I have the apartment to myself most of the day. Great for Zoom meetings and trainings, not so great for my snacking habit! We were also ordering a lot of food from local small restaurants, trying to show our support, but this also contributed to my not-so-healthy eating habits. I have a history of disordered eating so all of this change did not help.

Since March, I have gained at least 30 pounds. Although I don’t like it, I have accepted that 2020 was beyond our control- we had a global pandemic that none of us have ever seen before. A little weight gain is completely normal and really should be the least of my worries! I am so grateful that I have remained employed and still have a place to call home. My friends and family have remained healthy throughout this time.

So now I am letting go of 2020, along with any guilt I feel about the weight gain.

It’s time to refocus and take my health back! And my health is the reason I am making some changes- not because I don’t love myself or feel pressured by any outside forces. This is 100% for me. I am uncomfortable right now and know I am not treating my body the way I should.

Besides my weight and health, I have a couple of other goals for 2021, which I am sharing below!

Goal Setting for 2021

1. Goal 1: Move More! If you watch my Instagram stories, you know I received an Apple Watch for Christmas. Since I sit a lot during the day while working from home, I wanted something to encourage me to get up and move around more. So far, it has been so helpful! I also love how I can track all the details of each of my workouts, like mileage, speed, elevation, and heart rate. Moving means more than just working out- I appreciate the reminders to just stand up each hour!
2. Goal 2: Eat at Home More Often! Like I mentioned before, we ordered restaurant food A LOT this year. While it helped our local small businesses, it put a big dent in our wallets and expanded our waistlines (well, in MY waistline- Chris has not gained weight this year!). I wrote a whole blog post early in the year about how I save money (you can read it here), but then everything kind of went out the window after March. I plan to get back to cooking from home so I can control how much I spend and what I put into my body.
3. Goal 3: Increase my Blog and Social Media Income! Back in January, things were looking good. I was connecting with brands and had secured one of my highest paying collaborations. But then, of course, everything changed. Collaborations were cancelled and I made very little blog income between March-November. Things didn’t start picking up again until December because of the holidays. While I am very pleased with my blog income in December from multiple campaigns, it was just one month! My goal is to make as much each month of 2021 in blog/collaboration earnings as I did in December 2020. Time to get to work!
4. Take a Real Vacation! This one may be somewhat out of my control, but I’m still hopeful! Once I feel safe to travel by plane, I’d love to go somewhere (anywhere!), and be able to afford it without putting it on a credit card!

Farewell 2020!

What are your goals for 2021? Do you share any of the same goals that I have? Whether you believe in resolutions or not, I think it is always important to set goals for yourself, no matter how small. Goal setting helps me focus on my priorities. I’d love to hear your goals below!

Also, peace out 2020!

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