Time for my 2020 annual review.
In this post, I’ll do my best to answer these three questions: 1This format is inspired by James Clear’s annual reviews.
What went well this year?
What didn’t go so well this year?
What am I working toward?
Here we go:
1. What went well this year?
52 blog posts. I wanted to give my blog some extra attention this year, and I managed to publish weekly blog posts.
I learned Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. I’ve always been comfortable with writing, so developing new visual skills has felt like exploring a new world of creative expression. I aim to reach a professional level as a web designer and a photographer.
Married for 10 years. Besides celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary this year, I have been a supportive husband. My wife’s career as a news anchor is demanding. I’ve taken on most of the responsibilities at home — and by always prioritising listening, giving advice, and encouraging.
My son started school. Starting school is a significant event in any person’s life. I think the transition has worked out well, and I’m proud of my son for taking on so many new challenges with a positive and curious mind.
CEO for KIX Communications Index. Learn more here.
I learned my way around a kitchen. My second year of learning how to cook. I’ve been exploring taste combinations, food chemistry, more advanced cooking techniques, mise en place, and knife skills. The aim is to express myself creatively using essential food ingredients.
No alcohol this year, either. Life without alcohol is working out perfectly. Alcohol-free beers go great with certain types of food, and I often replace red wine with 100% blueberry juice, and I go for smoothies and elaborate fruit juices instead of cocktails. I quit drinking because I felt terrible for days after drinking, and I’m still pleased about this decision. The aim is never again to consume alcohol, ever.
I learned to solve master-level Sudoku puzzles. Learn more here.
2. What didn’t go so well this year?
Covid-19. From a professional perspective, I lost about half of my typical workload as a freelancer. But whatever impact this impact has had on my career, the important thing is that my friends and family come out of this pandemic with their health intact. That’s all that matters — I can fix everything else.
Terrible sleeping habits. This whole sleep-for-five-or-six-hours-each-night has got to stop. I’m 41 now and can’t get away with it anymore.
Not an Epic Year. I love to teach, and I love to write. Given the pandemic, I had the opportunity to launch a PR course or write a PR book. Going into this year, even without knowing about the pandemic, I had such ambitions — but I never made it across the finish line despite serious attempts at both endeavours.
Better English. It dawned on me that I’ve been writing weekly in English for a decade now. While this is an accomplishment, I should be a better English writer by now. I know my way around professional business English, but I aim to get my written English on par with my written Swedish.
3. What am I working toward?
Explore a more outdoorsy lifestyle. I know a bit about wilderness survival and bushcraft from military training and several books. Maybe 2021 is an excellent year to explore a more practical approach. At least, I want to teach my son how to build a makeshift shelter and make a fire in a few different ways.
Push my deadlift from 160% to 200% of my body weight. The aim here is simple: I want to improve my strength.
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ANNOTATIONS
1 | This format is inspired by James Clear’s annual reviews. |
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