all that was 2019: a year in review

Is it just me or do the year-in-review, best of and other year-end related articles and blog posts seem to come out earlier and earlier each year? I swear I was reading the best of 2019 everything in like October this year and, while I get that everything kind of takes a break in the final months of the year to enjoy the holidays, things still happen and I’m not willing to just discount entire portions of the year.

This is all to say that I’m super late on my 2019 review, which is okay because I’ve unofficially decided that January is my month to slowly welcome the new year (more on that when I finally get around to completing my 2020 planning). Also, there have been just a *few* things going on for me in the past month — like preparing to move to a new city and state after nearly 13 years as a Denverite. But, all of that will come in 2020. This is the time to officially tie a bow around 2019.

Overall, the year was what I would call a bit of a slow year. Of course, that’s in context to the few years prior, which included such life-changing events as meeting my now-husband, getting engaged, getting married, buying a new house, getting promoted and so on. Taking that all into account, I really needed a year to adjust to all of the changes — especially knowing what I know now that our life is only going to get crazier in 2020 — and 2019 was just that.

The past year was also supposed to be all about “shed” as I chose that as my word of the year. And, while I know I did some shedding — physically, mentally, etc. — I’m not sure I gave the word as much focus as it deserved. In my mind, I had grander displays of shed playing out over the course of 2019 but, based on the quote I used in my post a year ago, I certainly shed pieces of my old self and moved into a new light. That will continue to play itself out in a much more blatant way in 2020.

As with each year, there were intentions and goals and some worked out and others were forgotten or ignored. I grew in some areas and stepped back from others. Some days were awesome and other not-so-great but, overall, I am continually grateful for it all.

reasons to celebrate: one year of marriage to my best friend; two years of dating; hub’s birthday, my birthday, E’s birthday; the return of peonies; one year in our house; 12 years in Denver; one year as landlords; husband accepted position with new company; made decision to move to California; three years of Denver Creates; three years as a Schwabbie; seven years of book club; visited 50th U.S. state; listed house + under contract; going-away party with friends; fresh sourdough made by the hubs; read all book club books (a first after seven years in the club); 12 years of blogging + eight at TJL

just for fun: travels with the hubs to California (x2); whale watching; Alaska + cruise; Seattle; Austin; Canada; French high tea; theater + DCPA subscribers (A Bronx Tale, Xanadu, A Play That Goes Wrong, Hello Dolly!, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Anastasia, Miss Saigon); Dior: From Paris to the World (Denver Art Museum); Leonardo da Vinci: 500 Years of Genius (Denver Nature and Science Museum); Dillon ice castles; book club; indulged in some very decadent restaurant experiences; Rockies season tickets; camping in Arapahoe National Forest + Grand Lake; Steamboat day trip; Badlands National Park; SoDak to celebrate mom’s birthday; western slope + Colorado wine country for my birthday; Georgetown railroad + mine tour; saw The National (only concert of the year!), Rockies beer fest; Glow at the Gardens; evening with Augusten Burroughs; Stand Up for Pits; Monet (Denver Art Museum); Beer Here! at History Colorado; Sedona for Thanksgiving; book club holiday party; hosted beer share party; hosted book club; Colorado Uncorked; SoDak for Christmas; Blossoms of Light; tried new breweries + wineries; discovered “The Good Place” and “Veronica Mars” (basically became obsessed with Kristen Bell); family visits + hosted; girls’ weekend; countless dinners and drinks with friends

for me: spa days + massages + pampering; multiple floats; four therapy sessions, Growing the Good; completed no-sugar challenge; Peloton; rejoined WW; began weekly “three good things” blog post/gratitude, Tranquility Salon Online; annual health screening + check-up; renewed my love of libraries (and bought just a few books); updated manifesto; four seasons of seasonal wheel of life; continued 40 by 40 challenge

always be learning + creating: cooking class; fluid art class; started Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing; Agile training; ServiceNow Future of Work symposium; built a custom dining table; completed Positive Psychology course certificate (five courses); began NYT daily mini crossword in mid-September + successfully completed every day since; Agile leader training; continued blogging; hosted five Weekend Writers/Denver Creates sessions; Growing the Good (attempted), A Year with Rumi

for others + the planet: saved + fostered two pups; volunteered at Children’s Hospital 2x; continued quest for less + reducetarianism; planted a tree; successful-ish no-buy November; farmers’ markets; two Teracycleshipments

work stuff: successful product go-lives (internal and enterprise-wide) + huge successes; work trips to Las Vegas + Phoenix + Dallas + Austin; three years at Schwab; presented at Day-in-the-Life summit; yet another new role + team; hired + welcomed a new member to my team; survived layoffs; recognized with HR HERO award; received Key Contributor for third consecutive year

the tough stuff: paused writing group; post-achievement blues; passing of friend’s little one; battled horrible cold; healed after bike mishap; decided to let Denver Creates go (for now); struggled through post-achievement blues; began saying goodbye to Denver (people, places)

numbers that shaped the year: 

• 883: blog visitors (spanning 36 countries)
• 53: blog posts written + most popular being 2018: a simple year
• 52: books read (149% of goal)
• 37.5: pounds lost
• 9: Rockies games attended
• 5: sessions of Denver Creates hosted
• 2: pups saved
• 1: concerts attended (!)
• 0: U.S. state remaining to visit to hit all 50

A look back at past years’ reflections:

• 2018: the year of everything
• and then there were three: 2017 in review
• 2016 gratitude
• reflections on 2015
• 2014: A look back
• 2014 intentions
• reflections on 2013
• 2012: A look back
• 11 reasons 2011 was amazing
• A year in review (2010)
• a human being, not a human doing (2009)