The combination of my birthday this week and the final week of the calendar year invokes look backs of the year, even in a year like this. To think I thought the death of Kobe Bryant in late-January was the worst thing 2020 would bring. Boy, was I wrong. I'll spare the litany of tragedies in 2020 and share some moments that really stood out for me personally.

Pandemics are hard

My introverted self thought sheltering in place during COVID-19 would be a breeze. One aspect I underestimated was the importance of mobility. It took a toll from sitting at my desk all day. I didn't realize how much simple movements like walking around the office to go to the restroom or get more coffee added to steps and movement.

The biggest challenge for me this year was this sense of survivor’s guilt during such unprecedented times. With many people being furloughed and looking for work, it felt strange to be a in a position of stability. We read from some investors talking about how it’s time to build. It felt really hard to have that mindset while so many people are suffering. How do I write about striving to be the best version of yourself when people are trying to simply survive right now?

I reflected about this for a very long time. I don’t know if I figured out how I feel, though had one realization; that we must find joy and move forward in life during tragic times. My parents spent the majority of their childhood living through a civil war. They never had “normal” and simply had life and endured whatever it threw at them. I took this as inspiration to find forward momentum while trying to be empathetic and not tone deaf with what is going on in the world. With that, I would like to share a few moments that stood out to me this year.

Thankful for more Wilson time

The beginning of my year started with a scare as I thought I had to say goodbye to my cat Wilson. When he moved to Santa Monica he had serious arthritis issues and couldn't get into his litter box. We got to celebrate his 18th birthday this year and he seems to be doing much better with his treatment. I don't know how much time he has left, but thankful for any bonus time I get during his retirement phase.

An amazing team at Webflow

I'm grateful to work with such a wonderful design team at Webflow. Though our year started with a few departures, we welcomed 7 new team members across Brand Design, Product Design, and User Research. This team is truly my joy in the year and am so lucky to work with them all on a daily basis. We are truly building a dream team here and can't wait to start on our 2021 ambitions.

Investing in myself and others

This year focused a lot on me investing in the one person I bet on all the time...me. I first invested in my health by purchasing a beautiful Salsa bike to get my mobility and health back in order. In addition, I did the inaugural On Deck Writing fellowship. The eight weeks in the fellowship amplified my writing consistency on this newsletter. Before On Deck, I wrote two newsletter posts in six months, and since then, have written weekly every Sunday. If you’re interested in enrolling in any of the On Deck programs, use my referral code.

In addition to betting on myself, I spent time investing in others. I continued teaching at General Assembly and taught two cohorts. I also took a leap of faith and started angel investing. It was part of my vision statement and I didn’t expect to begin so soon.

A moment to celebrate hard work

I got to see my alma mater One Medical IPO in the beginning of the year. I found so much joy in being able to celebrate with former colleagues on such a milestone moment. For me, the IPO was simply an event that represented four amazing years working there. There were good times and really hard times there, and the four years dedicated really paid off.

The 2021 focus

If this year has taught me anything, it's that plans can significantly change. I don’t expect the turn of the calendar to 2021 will get rid of the pandemic, racial injustice, or Vin Diesel recording R&B tracks. However, the idea of a new start feels refreshing. I have a few focus areas I’d like to continue working on.

Keep simplifying

I learned quickly this year that I did not need much to be happy, and could find happiness and joy in resilient times. It came down to health, my loved ones, and a decent internet connection. That was basically it. Aside from Twitter (which I'll likely never get rid of), I've stopped looking at social media to avoid doom scrolling. Focusing on my own life and not getting too caught into social media and news really helped my mental health.

Focusing on my personal creative projects

If I retired today, I would spend all my time cooking, drawing, painting, making photographs, and creating zines. Since I can't retire yet and have a lot of work to continue, my goal next year is simply get in the habit of spending time on personal projects. I used to paint and draw daily in college (it was my major). I've been hesitant to pick up a brush again and starting to feel pretty excited to rekindle that passion. I'm hoping now that I have safe access to a place in Palm Springs that I can cherish those moments of painting the beautiful mountains and sky they offer. If not, I can at least pick up a digital camera and take photos.

Make space to do my best work

I’m not in a rush to move to my next career milestone and really happy with the work I have carved out. With the work planned for Webflow, General Assembly, and my independent angel investing, I have plenty to work on for many years to come to keep myself busy. I hope to double down on these things in 2021 to create more focus and believe I’m in a position to do my best work in my career.

Continue low key independent work

The pandemic and remote work has made more time for my personal projects. I have enjoyed writing and investing in 2020. I really like this work because it does not distract me from my day job or really create additional work, rather I'm finding the edges of time to do this in place of what would have been a Happy Hour, commute, or weekend social outing. I don't know how this balance will be affected when (hopefully) normalcy returns, but am thankful for this time.

Explore California

I'll avoid The French Laundry and opt to explore socially distant landmarks in the beautiful state of California. Now that I own a car for the first time in a decade, I anticipate many road trips in the following year to explore the back yard of my home.

Thank you for reading in 2020

There have been moments I've considered skipping or stopping writing altogether. The replies some of you have sent me have been so encouraging that it inspires me to keep going. I'd love to hear what suggestions you have for me to write about. Please send me a quick reply with your ideas and I'll incorporate them next year! Your readership truly means so much to me and hope you have a happy new year.