2020 is almost over?!

I actually cannot believe that 2020 is going to be over soon...like in a week...and the Covid19 situation in Malaysia isn't looking any better (it doesn't look like it's going to be OK anytime soon too). So I really don't know what to expect for 2021... I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Despite how messy 2020 has been, there are a few good things that I would like to highlight:

One

I am officially out of (huge) debt. I finally completed my 6 years of service to pay back my student loan for both my master's and bachelor's degrees. I think I am very lucky to be working under MARA subsidiary so I did not have to pay back in terms of money, Alhamdulillah. When I first started, the 6 years felt so long and hard to achieve, but thank God I don't hate my job, so it was bearable. I was also very lucky to get a superior that was very patient and understanding with me (I had no admin background and she taught me a lot of things about admin work). 

My parents also managed to help me sell the house they bought for me back in Johor Bahru. We decided to sell the property since I couldn't afford the mortgage and I do not like the headache of managing a property (rental, maintenance, etc.). And my husband and I have decided that we are not planning to settle down in Johor Bahru, so letting go of the property was the best choice for us. At least I can invest the money that we get from selling the house (Thank you parents for sharing the rezeki).

Financially, I think I'm doing OK. Alhamdulillah, I still have a permanent job (this is one of the biggest syukur for me because I know a lot of people have lost their jobs and are really struggling because of the pandemic).

Two

Working from home, despite its stresses and challenges, is also one of good things for us in 2020. This is the first time we actually got to see our kids growing up in front of us and Alhamdulillah. They've been blessed with good health too this year. It hasn't been easy, working from home full time and being full time parents, but I prefer this so much more than having to send them to the daycare in the middle of a pandemic. At least I know they are safe at home. 

Three

Health-wise - I think I'm the healthiest I've ever been, despite being overweight still (I'm not too worried about this because being fit and healthy is a process and as long as I keep being consistent, I know I'll be alright). 

This year is the first time in my life that I am able to run at least 1km non-stop. I know to most people, this is probably nothing, but to me, this is a big deal! Before this, I could not even run a few hundred metres without getting tired. I have to give credits to my husband for his support and for buying me the smartband to track my calories etc. That thing really helped a lot especially in motivating me to keep on improving. 

I've also tried more new things this year than I ever did before. At first it was home workouts - Chloe Ting was really fun, and then I tried running/jogging/fast-walking, I also did a couple of hiking this year (but very amateur hikes la). My current obsession now is jumping rope. I think out of all the things I've tried, this one burns the most calories in the shortest time, and the bonus is that I get to do it anywhere as long as I have my jump rope! 

But of course, I needed a lot of practice to be able to jump 1k everyday. When I started, I had to watch a lot of Youtube videos on how to jump properly, the techniques, and the correct form etc. I'm only a month into this whole jump rope thing so I cannot do any tricks yet. My timing is not very good either. But hey, I can jump 1K now (I started with 20-30 jumps per day). 

I think being able to workout consistently is the one things that I will miss once things go back to normal (or almost normal). I don't think I will get to do this once working from home is over and kids are back in school. 

 Four

In 2019 and the years before that, I was really struggling with my mental health. To be honest. I really am not sure what happened, but I'm guessing it had a lot to do with postpartum depression and the anxiety I've always had when I was growing up. I'm not sure if I'm cured or what, but I do notice that I am doing so much better than before. I rarely get anxiety attacks (Alhamdulillah!) and I am able to manage it better now. 

Five 

In general, I've been taking extra good care of myself this year, physically, mentally and emotionally and I am really grateful. 

I hope 2021 will be better for all of us, Ameen.