2020 Favorites

It’s officially the very last day of 2020 (as I’m typing this up) and yall, how did the last third of this year just fly by? I swear we were stuck between April and August for much longer. It’s been a weird year, hasn’t it?!

And what better way to wrap up the year then to talk about our favorite things! Usually, I would make a bookish post to wrap up my reading year but 2020 was so far from what I expected of a usual reading year, so we’ll skip it for 2020. But now, let’s dive into my favorite things of 2020!

#1 Kpop

I bet none of you guys expected to find this particular thing on my list, right? I mean, who would’ve thought I loved Kpop so much (it’s not like I’ve made specific posts about it in the past…). But yes, I love music. I almost always have it playing throughout my day and it’s been one of the things to bring me joy this year. Not just because I kept being provided with new music, but because I was able to meet new people and deepen my friendships with people I met through kpop. I don’t think I’d have gotten through this year as well as I did if it weren’t for those friendships.

#2 Budgeting

If I remember correctly, I mentioned that I was able to deal with my financial situation much better this year and part of that was me finally getting into budgeting. I’ve consumed so, so many hours of budgeting on YouTube and have kept track of my expenses and made a budget since May 2020. I’m still learning new things and tweaking my budget as the months go on, but I’m much further than I’ve ever been where money is involved!

#3 Baby Cuddles/Time With Family

My dad had to get heart surgery in March and to say that it was a stressful time for all of us would be the biggest understatement. I don’t think I stopped worrying until after we picked him up from rehab about a month after his surgery. And of course around March is when we went into the first lockdown here in Germany which added extra stress on all of us since my dad was now considered a risk patient. But we’ve all gotten through this year as well as can be expected!

We even welcomed a new family member this fall: my fourth nephew Elias. He’s the most precious little boy and I was so, so glad I was able to visit my sister in the hospital and meet my newest nephew the day after he was born. He’s growing up so quickly and changes so quickly, we can’t keep up.

#4 Acting On Reading Moods

Something I did a lot more this year was reacting to and acting on my reading moods. I ended up reading a total of 21 books this year and a good number of them ended up being rereads either to continue on with a series or simply because I wanted to. I kept finding my eyes go to my Throne Of Glass books on my book shelves so I randomly picked them up one day and yall. The way Sarah J. Maas always pulls me into her stories is just ridiculous. I’ve read the early books in that series so many times by now, but I still can’t get enough. I often find myself flying through these books! And this is definitely something I want to keep doing in 2021, too!

#5 Taking Steps To Improve My Mental Health

I first got my depression diagnosis in late 2016 and it took me until March this year to finally admit to myself that maybe therapy was a good idea. I was back on medication by that point but still stubborn about not needing therapy. A friend gave me a very kind (but much needed) kick in the butt that lead to me calling different therapists and making my first appointment for March 11th (which actually ended up being the day before my dad’s surgery). I’ve been going regularly ever since and it”s been quite helpful so far! I’ll also be doing a rehab program for my depression at some point in early 2021, I’m just waiting to hear back in regards to when I start.

And I’m doing it 5 hours away from home and family because I told myself if I was going to do this, I’d do it the right way. I need that physical distance for sure.

#6 Little Mix’s Confetti Album

One thing that has been a constant in my life for almost a decade now, is my love of the girl group Little Mix. I never get tired of listening to their music (old releases included) and then I got an early birthday present this year in the form of their 6th studio album. Even in a year that was mostly filled with kpop, Little Mix still ended up in my top 5 most listened to artists, according to Spotify. That’s how much I adore these four women.

#7 Making & Sending DIY Birthday Cards

As I started to collect/trade photocards, I also realized how much fun I had making cards to send the photocards with which then evolved to me wanting tos end DIY birthday cards to my friends. It’s just so much fun to be able to personalize a card for a person you care about and to get their reaction when they finaly receive it in the mail! I’ve sent out three so far and will be making more as the year goes on. 🙂

#8 Romance Is A Bonus Book

Here’s maybe the most unexpected favorite on my list: a kdrama!

I haven’t ben watching that much ‘tv’ this past year so to find myself sucked into this drama almost right away was surprising and amazing! It’s set in the publishing world and the main couple is just absolutely precious and the male protagonist is just wow. They had me swooning because they were holding hands. Or staring into each others eyes. Kdrama really put you through it. But I love it!

The only other kdrama I finished was Extraordinary You but it took me a second try to actually get into it, but once I did? Man. I was so, so sold. And once again, the male lead just stole my heart. He’s also a kpop idol which is even more fun – and he has a new show coming out in January!!! I am stoked. And ready.

Yall, I just realized just how many words I put into this post. And I am so sorry. I just get in a rambly mood when I talk about things I enjoy!

What are some of you guys’ 2020 favorites? Any great books, songs, music you discovered? Let me know in the comments down below!