Like everyone else on the planet, I am glad to see 2020 come to an end.
But I have to admit, this past year has changed my life, at least in some ways, for the better. And while I know and appreciate that people are chomping at the bit to get back to “normal” in 2021, it is slowly dawning on me that some things will never return to the way they were. Perhaps they shouldn’t.
This New Year’s Eve, I am looking at the lessons I learned by living differently in 2020, to determine how I will live in 2021. Here are 10 new habits I developed that will not change in the coming year:
- Paying more attention to the people I love: At the beginning of the pandemic, I awoke each day dreading the news that a loved one was ill or dying. I began to check in on everyone I knew, even people I hadn’t heard from in years. Once I confirmed they were fine, we laughed and joked and traded stories. It didn’t take long to realize there was nothing more important to me than being able to talk to the ones I love. It took a pandemic for me to permanently rearrange my priorities.
2. Shopping less often: We used go to the grocery store once or twice a week, sometimes more. Starting in March, we cut it back to once a month. We found we could easily manage with a well-stocked pantry of canned and dry foods, supplemented with perishables that could be frozen. We started buying reusable, rather than single-use products. When anticipated food shortages never happened, we were grateful. I will never take farm workers, grocery store cashiers, or delivery people for granted again.
3. My perception of looking good. This has been the year of no bra, no makeup, no perfume, and no haircuts—a year of grooming liberation! I learned people want to see you looking healthy on Zoom, not made-up like a L’Oréal commercial. I will rely on moisturizers and brisk walks to give me a nice virtual glow.
4. Learning to make new things: Stuck at home, we experimented with new foods, recipes, and ingredients. We learned to make everything from apple cinnamon crepes to seven grain bread and pickled okra. We made our own mail box, compost bin, raised beds, and home gym, giving us a much needed sense of accomplishment. We are now devoted DIY’ers.
5. Limiting who gets in my personal space: I miss hugging and kissing loved ones, but I intend to be more selective about who gets to enter my physical comfort zone in the future. Why not greet others with a wave, bow, curtsy, or two-fingered peace sign, rather than a handshake?
6. Recognizing health as a luxury: Every morning that I could get out of bed, take a deep breath and feel my own cool forehead, I said a prayer of thanks. As the number of people who contracted the virus climbed into the millions, I was grateful for my doctors who sent us thoughtful email updates on the virus and conducted telehealth visits, and for all the scientists, researchers, EMTs, and hospital workers on the front lines. I will never take health care professionals for granted again.
7. Paying attention to where the money goes: We live on a yearly budget now, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how little we spent by not traveling, going to restaurants, shopping, and paying for gas. This left more money at the end of the year to donate to charity and give gifts to loved ones.
8. Planning more travel by motorcycle, car or RV: It is much easier to control who you sit next to that way! For the foreseeable future, we plan to spend our vacations traveling close to home and getting to know our own town, region, and state better. Family visits are at the top of the list, once it is safe to do so.
9. Working more productively from home: Employers are rethinking their investment in office space, as are school administrators in classrooms. We’ve learned that Zoom meetings and webinars cut costs, eliminate travel time, and reduce carbon emissions, among other things. As an introvert, I’m in my element working from home, but I’ve also learned how important it is to structure your day, have a dedicated workspace, and be disciplined in your work habits.
10. Being prepared for whatever comes next: After 9/11, government agencies recommended that every family have an emergency plan, and I was very glad we had one, even if it wasn’t tailored specifically for a pandemic. We all learned some things this year about what to have on hand before the panic-buying and hoarding starts. Growing up in Buffalo, we always had extra milk and toilet paper around should the blizzards be worse than usual, but flour, yeast, and Lysol wipes? Who would have thunk it?
Did you develop new habits in 2020? Will you do things differently this coming year? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Whatever your plans are for 2021, I wish you all the best for a safe, happy, and healthy New Year!
Moxie Gardiner is a writer and gardener who grew up on the West Side of Buffalo, NY. In a previous life she was a journalist, magazine editor, speech writer, and policy wonk. Back in the day she made three solo parachute jumps, flew in an F-15 fighter jet, and crawled through mud pits at the Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama. She now meditates and practices yoga. She is almost ready to publish her first novel, set in Buffalo.