You guys, did you know I launched a new podcast this year?! It’s called Your Fave’s Faves and it’s basically my feel good response to a year that often felt not so good.
Every week, I sit down with celeb guests to get real about their ultimate “Top Five” in any category they want – top five rom coms, top five bbq recipes, top five lessons learned, etc. I’ve chatted with some pretty awesome guests…like that time Leslie Odom Jr. sang me Christmas carols or Matthew McConaughey meticulously depicted the essential elements of a great hamburger…and they ALL hold up!
To round out this year, I decided to name my top five favorite moments of 2020. My best friend Beans and I sat down and it was such a fun way to reminisce about the year and recall the good things that happened. I want to encourage you to do the same! Call up your best friend or sit down with your partner and share your top five moments this year. No negativity allowed – just the surprising, beautiful, unexpected moments that stole your heart. Here are mine, in chronological order:
- My birthday weekend / RISE Fort Myers Conference. When my birthday fell on the same weekend that our events team planned a conference, I knew it was going to be epic. That weekend was incredible for so many reasons. The energy that thousands of women brought to the conference , the surprise Beyonce impersonator that had us all fooled for a moment that we booked actual Beyonce, and most of all, the circle of support I had around me that weekend.
- Meeting Oprah and Michelle Obama. This moment might surpass the top five in 2020 and land on the list of top five in my life, second only to the birth of my children. This weekend, again, was so special not just because I stood in the presence of two of my heroes but also because I shared that experience with my best friends. I kept it a total surprise to them for weeks! I will never forget the moment I told them where we were going, what we were doing and how we were getting there – it was pure joy.
- Embracing my new normal with my kids. This one is bittersweet but it’s one I know that many mamas and parents out there can relate to. When Dave and I broke up, there was so much newness to adjust to, the hardest of which was splitting time with the kids. For the first time in nearly 14 years, I didn’t have the option to be with them 24/7. Suddenly, I was with them only half the time. And you guys, at first that was really freaking hard. But after some time and a ton of soul searching, I made my way into a new normal. I found the meaning and the possibility of what it meant to be at home by myself half the time and to be with my kids the other half. This memory stands out because I’m proud of myself for getting here and I’m really proud of my family for the way we have pivoted and navigated a new normal in 2020.
- My solo trip to Hawaii. The last memory on my list happened recently when I *safely* took a solo trip to my favorite place on Earth. Hawaii holds such meaning for me and due to COVID there were so many cancelled trips to the Big Island this year. So, after testing, and quarantining and safely traveling, I took a solo trip to Hawaii for a week this year to recharge. I didn’t do much of anything while I was there and it was so refreshing. I didn’t leave the house, I didn’t even go to the beach until my negative test results came back. I just sat with myself, alone with my thoughts and dreams and plans and filled my cup back up to the top. I highly recommend this to the busy mamas, the wives, the working women or college students reading this…spend some time in solitude. It does wonders for your mental and emotional well-being.
So those are my Top Five this year. I just want to acknowledge that I know how hard this year has been for so many people. I know how fortunate I am to be able to travel, to have support, to see my kids and those things are never lost on me. I feel grateful for it every single day. I share all of this with you as a gentle reminder to look for the blessings that are all around you. Even amidst a year that was inexplicably difficult and different, there is so much to be thankful for.
