Taking Stock

In reflecting on an unusual, and out of the ordinary, year I've tried to sum up what I've learned, and how I've grown, during the pandemic:

Generally, I've learned to be self-reliant, not lonely, and to be comfortable with just my husband and myself, almost undiluted, 24/7.

Specifically, 
• I learned how to knit again (not my forte) and follow a pattern on YouTube. I completed a few knitted items, despite them taking forever to grow
• I learned that it's comfortable not wearing a bra
• I learned how to create my own blog page, and have been posting daily and enthusiastically for 270 days 
• I learned that I have too many clothes - some haven't been worn at all in the past year
• I completed an online plant ID course, and became a certified Invasive Plant Patroller for the Lake Stewards of Maine
• I learned to dilute my wine with club soda
• I listened to all the authors presenting writing lessons in the Masterclass series
• I learned to give my husband license to trim the back of my hair regularly! (... and experimented with some tips on cutting it myself from YouTube videos)
• I grew not only psychologically and academically during the pandemic, but I'm embarrassed to say I also 'grew' physically- i.e. put on weight! I didn't do well with committing to formal exercise, even though I posted publicly about starting a new regime. I couldn't keep it up despite thinking I would be accountable after going public! Much of what I was 'doing' was done whilst ... sitting
• I continued (virtually) participating in my writer's group and in new book launches on line to expand my mental reading library/wish list
• I learned to make pastry for a homemade meat pie; to use olive juice as a brine for slow-cooked roasts and how to make candied peel
• I discovered and accepted that I really like my own cooking
• I adapted to listening to audio books
• I learned the ins and outs of ordering groceries online
• I weaned myself off social media
• I accepted that I'm easily addicted to some TV series and struggle not to binge-watch
• I didn't paint the room I'd intended re-doing last spring, and am now feeling the same stirrings of interest in getting it done
• I learned to occupy my own mind and find things to do for the day when my Google calendar declared that I had no events for that day (which is most days 😀)!
• I learned how important it is to be in control of your own narrative

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
– Chinese Proverb