While I normally stick to writing about food and agriculture issues, this month, as 2020 comes to a close, I think it is worth writing about 2020. Not about all of the bad that has dominated our news cycles this year, but all the good, the small moments of positive that made this year worthwhile. 

Most would agree that 2020 did not go to plan. Like many, my year was filled with missed opportunities and lost family members. But this isn’t about what was lost in 2020, this is about what was gained. Despite the surface-level undebatably bad year, I would say a lot was gained from this year as well. It’s definitely true that my privileged position of not having financial hardship due to the pandemic puts me in a position to even think about the positives. I acknowledge this but this year has also taught me that every bad, even really bad things, can have some good that can come from it, even if it is just a lesson learned. 

I will be the first to admit that I do not always manage to have a positive mindset. While I know it can make all of the difference, I can’t always muster up the energy to stay and think positively. But I know that once I am able to shift my perspective and think positive it makes all the difference. I like to call it ‘brain training.’ 

So for a year that had an awful lot of, well, awful, I am encouraged by thinking about the positives. I recently asked a group of friends and family to share their 2020 positives with me. Because while the world seemed to fall apart this year - there were also many small wins throughout the year.

On my end, I spent more time with my family this year than the past 10 years combined. I learned the importance of slowing down and reprioritizing my time and mind space to focus on the people and relationships around me. And I started a job that I am incredibly excited about contributing, learning, and growing from. So for me, this year wasn’t a waste. 

Others that I talked to had a range of answers to their ‘positive’ of the year. From new hobbies, landing dream jobs, to long-awaited goals fulfilled. 2020 gave us all the chance to reprioritize and (re)discover new parts of ourselves and those close to us. 

So while I hope that 2021 looks a bit different - 2020 was far from a lost year. And while I lost a lot, I also gained a lot. And I bet, if any of you reflected on your own 2020, you would find the same. Even if it is a newfound resiliency to whatever life throws our way.

So what did I hear from my friends and family that chose to share their positives? 

• I moved to Amsterdam and found the city I want to spend my foreseeable future in!

• Breaking into another level of friendship with a group of friends

• I’ve been putting off a dream - Yoga Teacher Training - for years and finally, despite of the pandemic (or to its credit), I started one.

• I was able to spend a lot more time with my wonderful daughters because of Covid this year than we would have ever imagined.

• I got to spend 5 weeks with my family and baby niece.

• Such a glorious harvest of artichokes, and my best barrel of sauerkraut ever!

• Necessity breeds creativity, adaptation and it was fun to be inventive with personal connection!

• I landed a job working in cheese (my favorite food), and it comes with an endless supply of the good stuff!

• A good excuse to live with my parents again and get to hang out with them for an extended period of time after living on the east coast for 10 years!

• I started a street hockey league!

• I discovered I love backpacking this summer.

So the lesson? Never let a year OR a good pandemic go to waste. Find your positive.