Positives you can take from 2020

[Greydove28]

Starting a positive thread abt 2020.

Positives I can take from 2020 are:
Ive spent more time with my kids and dh as wfh
Ive learnt how to enjoy the outdoors
I've made new friends and enjoyed a closer bond with my family
Saved money as not been commuting or able to go anywhere
Read loads of books, which i dont normally do.

What are your positives?

I’ve taken up running again and have managed to lose nearly 2 stone since the end of June. Am impressed with myself for sticking to it and for actually enjoying the running 😊

I'm struggling too, I only worked from home for about 6 weeks but hated it. The saving grace was having the teen DCs at home too, it was nice having so much extra time with them.

I go to two yoga classes a week now instead of one (one real life, one zoom, I couldn't fit in the travel time to do it twice in the studio).

I've made some nice new acquaintances through volunteering.

I've got a sourdough bread routine going well.

On the whole though it's been pretty shit.

I've saved loads of money, not commuting, no holiday. Enough for a new bathroom, so that's booked for January (all being well).

I've lost weight.
Spent more time with dd2, we took up watercolour painting over the summer, we're not very good but are having lots of fun ☺️
Had time for crafts. I crocheted a blanket over lockdown, which is nice. Learned to knit, and had a go at needle felting.

As a family, we're in a better position than most and we do appreciate that. We are feeling pretty fortunate that lockdown hasn't had as big an impact on us as it has for so many people.

for everyone who can't think of any positives for this year at all

I've discovered that DH and I can work together, prior to having to wfh I would have said we weren't cut out for spending 24 hours a day with each other! Spent a lot of time with my older teen DC.

Also, Covid has forced my DD to change her planned career path and the route she has chosen instead could change her life, in a really good way.

I appreciate my workplace more than ever now too.

I've had the worst year of my life and it's nothing to do with covid.

I lost my son at 22 weeks pregnant earlier this year. I'm now 14 weeks pregnant again (excited by terrified).

I've sold my house after 2 years of trying and I'm moving out in 2 weeks for our fresh start.

Two positives to try and our balance the awful huge negative!

P.s. lovely positive thread

Between the decimation of my kids education, the downward spiral of my mental and physical health, having my cat PTS and my mum dropping dead a few weeks ago... its going to be a struggle.

Passed a level 7 professional qualification
Spent lots of time outdoors
Launched a new business which has done well
Realised how much I appreciate my job and colleagues
Got lots of decorating done

Have utterly hated not being able to travel though. Feel like it's been non stop work all year.

New level of gratitude for most of the things in my life.

Adopted an elderly dog in June who's a total delight.

Moved into what's basically my dream house just two weeks before lockdown – and got to spend 7 weeks nesting intensively (my country had a very strict lockdown so I wasn't even allowed out for a walk)

My relationship with DP has got stronger; he's had it really hard this year and it's softened him somehow – he's more willing to share his emotions with me and we've got closer as a result.

Made the most of so many fun classes moving online and had a bunch of new experiences.

Discovered that I really am quite content in my own company – the inside of my own head is, 95% of the time, a nice place to be.

Spoke to my mother for the first time after 3.5 years NC, and it felt good.

Appreciating simple things.
Enjoying the fine weather.
Not having a routine is wonderful!
Finding ways of reaching out and helping others.
Netflix and catch up.
Books.

Sorry OP, but
absolutely nothing. I am glad for those whose life improved, but
the effect on aged relatives, severly handicapped family members, DH income = 0, Dcs education, local communities and their efforts and activities has been devastating.
I am oldish, with underlying conditions and already survived a life threatening illness - and I am fed up of this overkill.

The sharp clear views were nice in April/ May.
The DCs no longer moan about walking up to 8 miles.
I won't be getting a bad back/ shoulders from staying at MiL's. (Let's hope she lives for a good few years so we get to see her again.
DH and I still like each other despite being together near constantly. We went travelling togrther for 3+ months on honeymoon. We didn't expect it to be a practice for what will probably be a year of him WFH.

It really is not worth the costs. Seeing friends' relationships crumble, others on the brink of homelessness due to redundancy and reduced pay on furlough (while still being exploited for work) others on the brink of coping with WFH on increased workloads while having to educate and entertain young children. Family and friends suffering from reduced access to healthcare.

I'm looking forwards to the days when it's fun to go places and we can be spontaneous again. When we can make plans with confidence and see whoever we like.

Catching up on the consequences of delayed healthcare won't be so easy.

We haven't killed each other.
I finally got rid of our ancient shed.

I had gone back to work in December after mat leave while baby was 6 months old, leaving him for long days.

With covid I've been WFH with him here since early March, so got to spend way more time with him.

The site where dp works was closed for 3 months. He works away from home Monday to friday so he also got way more time at home with the kids.

Came off my ads and doing ok - I think being at home more has made this easier.
We were saving for a mortgage and this got stalled early in the year due to covid, but the letter of offer is now on the way to us in the post. I honestly never thought we would be able to get a mortgage.

Having had a really bad 2019 I felt more in tune with other people this year. Nobody was having a thrilling time!

Nothing bad happened on the 1st January 2020.

It didn't kick off until 2nd!

We had one day......

cant think of any positives plenty of negatives lost two holidays one to Scotland one to Italy, three live gigs joe satriani, joe bonnamassa, and whitesnake, lost three motorbike rallies we had paid for, lots of motorbike one day shows, not seen my first great grandson since he was two weeks old hes now seven months old, hated been at home used to being out at work , only tiny little positive is have more money in the bank but money isnt that important to me i would rather have had my normal life with great things to do and places to go instead

Seeing my DS1 is in his online classes with his peers was eye-opening. Such a difference.

Seeing more of my DD1's curriculum has led to us discussing things more -- though her teachers might not appreciate how much I argued with some of the material (though I repeatedly told her, many subjects are just not conductive to being taught via PDF, she's now coming home with stories of how she's argued with her RE teacher - oops).

Had some lovely conversations.

My father got in touch and we're talking via email for the first time in nearly 20 years. This one is more mixed than entirely positive, I'm finding the whole experience a bit overwhelming.

Sorry OP. 2020 has been unremittingly shit. I don't think I've ever had such a bad year in my life. Lost DP, who wouldn't go to the doctor because of the twatty virus, and my Dad who I only saw once in the last five months of his life. Can't see family members when I need them most.

I know some people have had positives and I genuinely am glad for them but I can't wait for 2020 to be over.

Moved to a new location in the second half of 2019, so the positive this year has been settling in and beginning to feel at home despite the strange circumstances.

@feellikeanalien

Got a new exciting (hopefully) job

No commuting means I've had time to exercise without having to wake at 5am.

Spending time with my children. I've never had so much time with them, not even on maternity leave.

I've survived the first covid related cull at my company so have a job going into 2021.

These are enough to keep me going with everything that's been bad about 2020...there's been plenty of that for our family.

Well, because of COVID, some family issues kicked off and I did some digging and found out my stepdad was a paedophile (convictions from before he met my mum). Awfully shit, but meant I have the information to keep my dc safe now. That wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t kicked off over lockdown.

I’ve also spent a lot of time wfh and I normally commute 16 hours a week. When I do go back to the office, I’ll be commuting as long but less frequently so less time overall and that’s really good.