9 Things I Learned in Winter 2020

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be where you’ve always been. – T.D. Jakes

If you’ve been around this space for a while, you probably know I practice a quarterly habit of sharing some self-reflections and things I’m learning.

Self-reflection allows me the opportunity to put words to experiences after they’ve happened. I’m all about practicing living in the moment, but I also want to learn from those moments.

So, in no particular order, here are 9 things I learned during the winter of 2020.

What I Learned Winter - teal hand made coffee mug on a wooden plate

Writing a devotional is hard, and it takes a lot of time

I did my first devotional for the 2020 Advent season. Despite starting early (like the end of October), I never could manage to get ahead of writing and posting. Balancing research, writing, editing, and posting on this scale was a muscle I haven’t used in a long time.

I learned a lot about my writing process (procrastinate until crunch time, then bang it out). But the almost all-consuming nature of the project also brought my focus for the season towards Jesus, which, truthfully, isn’t my norm.

The lineage of Jesus

As part of Advent, one of the devotional studies was around the lineage of Jesus. I hadn’t realized that Matthew and Luke offer different family trees. During my reading of Genesis in January and February, I kept returning to the passages in Matthew and Luke. It was like a scavenger hunt, matching names across the Scriptures, looking for clues into the long-view God has for humanity.

What I Learned Winter - Black and white of a Bible, journal, and pen

I’m not doing any “serious” research right now. Instead, I’m following my curiosity and not putting too much pressure on learning all the things. Naturally, paying attention to Jesus’s family history got me thinking about my own. I started conversations with family, and I’m considering a similar dive into our history. It matters where we come from.

I read 14 books in 2019 and 25 books in 2020

I only discovered this as I flipped through old planners, picking out any useful dates or events before tossing them. One of my intentions for this year is to read more books. I didn’t think I read much in 2020, but I guess that just goes to show my memory of the last year isn’t as reliable as I thought. Here are a few of my favorite reads from 2020:

The power of play

For the last few months, I’ve been taking portraits of friends. I have hundreds of photos of headshots, playing at a local park, and maternity sessions. I have some great friends who have encouraged my creativity and play. They have sat patiently while I fiddle with my camera and endured my lack of direction on poses and expressions.

Along with learning poses, I’ve been learning post-processing. It’s slow going – sometimes I only get two photos edited in an hour-long session. But I’m learning to appreciate the process for what it is. And Google. Google has been a great sidekick.

Not to be afraid of practice

Of course, play usually leads to practice. For me, the important thing is not to put so much pressure on myself or the outcome. I don’t want to lose the joy of play. This goes for both my photography work and an attempt at a new monthly blog series called Once Upon a Trip. I really enjoy travel writing, but I know it’s not always my best work. So I’m practicing in real-time, in front of people, and working on getting better.

It’s helpful for me to track my habits (+ maybe analog is better)

I spent a few days in the first part of the year downloading different tracking apps, only to find that none of them really fit the bill. So, I returned to my steadfast friends – pen and paper. I can be a bit of a data nerd, so while I would love to know the percentage with which I complete a particular habit, I lack the drive to do the math on my own. Maybe that means it need not be known. It’s satisfying to check a box, recording that I’ve done a particular task for the day.

I’m also learning that keeping unbroken streaks motivate me. I like seeing that I have d more than 40 consecutive days of mediation (more than 400 days of language practice in Duolingo). For now, watching those numbers rise motivates me.

Pressing into the feeling of hygge

Already this year, Husband and I have spent a lot of time apart. He’s been traveling for work, leaving me to fend off the early nights and chilly weather on my own. I’m pretty independent, and I also know this time alone won’t last forever, so as an introvert, I’ve looked for ways to press into it.

What I Learned Winter - lit candle in front of a blue gray couch

Although I was already practicing hygge in the form of old comfy clothes, warm soups, and soft lights (i.e., Christmas lights strung around the house), it was helpful to put a name to the practice. In naming it, I’ve naturally come to pay more attention to it.

My hygge practice right now looks like lighting candles or diffusing oils, practicing mindful movement, and connecting with friends both in-person and remotely.

I’ve been sitting too much

#pandemiclife. As embarrassing as this is, I know this because my tailbone has been sore. I’ve only recently noticed it, so I’m not sure how long this has been brewing. But my body is literally telling me to move. Message received.

Netflix seems to be stepping up its game

And I’m not sad about it. Lupin. Self-Made. Derry Girls. Firefly Lane. Greenleaf (which isn’t a Netflix original, but I still really enjoyed). The Queen’s Gambit. Alice in Borderlands. Behind Her Eyes. What shows have you enjoyed lately? Anything you’re excited to start?