My Year in Review
I started strong. I started January by doing yoga every day, and I did, 31 days on the mat. Then for February, in addition to the yoga, I took a break from cannabis, and I finished seven books.
In March I continued the yoga, and I sent Pantone postcards, two a day, to people I cared about. I had to explain Pantone to my dad.
Sixty two postcards went out across the US, Canada, and Wales.
April was yoga, and the 30 Days and 30 Ways to Be a Better Ally course that I took from a Black content creator. I later unfollowed her on Instagram, because she had some fatphobic content. So, I guess she helped me learn in more ways than one.
May was, of course, yoga, and I walked or ran for at least thirty minutes a day, to try to get back into running. It has been a hard year in that regard. Injuries, time constraints, the pure lack of joy that lack of races brings.
June continued with yoga, and seven handmade gifts for friends. This was a real joy. Little sewing projects and painting projects.
In July I added to the yoga with squats and planks. One thousand, three hundred and twenty squats, to be exact. Five hundred and forty seconds of planks. At at the end of the month I was up to 212 consecutive days of yoga.
In August I took the month off of social media, and continued my yoga. The social media break was not as difficult as I thought it might be. I slept a lot better, no longer doom scrolling.
September was yoga and DuoLingo Yiddish, which taught me to identify Hebrew characters, but didn’t get into any nitty gritty vocabulary, but Looney Toons and old comedy bits help with that, so, thanks anyway, Duo!
October I planned to do more yoga, and to work on my mental health. I began therapy with a new provider, and adjusted my antidepressants. And on October 14th, after a good day with out of town friends and a good session with my therapist, I decided to stop with all of the yoga mishegas.
I always suffer in the grey winter, so in November I spent thirty minutes outdoors every day. This was a little challenging in the Michigan autumn, but I guess this is why this was a challenge, right?
And finally, December.
In December, I decided to pick up the yoga one more time, for the month. I got to the third day of the month and my husband was in a very serious solo car accident, and was admitted to the hospital with numerous broken bones, lacerations, and bruises. He was lucky. He was fortunate. He continues to recover. But I couldn’t get past it. I fell into a deep depression, and I have to admit that I’ve given up these past few weeks. I’m hanging on by a thread. We have ten hours until the new year, and I’m white knuckling it.
So, this was my year in review. I accomplished a lot. I did yoga for 288 days. That’s 79%. A solid C+. I was trying to do this to raise money for First Descents, but no one really donated. I get it. This has been a rough year. But if you’ve read this far, maybe throw $5 at the cancer organization that changed my life?
In 2022 I am going to do this challenge. I’m going to run a hundred mile ultramarathon. I’m going to work at Starbucks less and sit for dogs more. It’s going to be a good year. I’m going to make it be one.
I wish you all health, happiness, self-improvement, self-reflection, good books, good friends, sunshine, and dog kisses. I know some people think they’re gross, but to me they’re innocence, love, and joy. May 2022 be filled with innocence, love, and joy.
