A Year of Transformation Amidst Global Chaos (A 40-Second Glimpse).
A crazy year worldwide – COVID-19 hit, and the world froze in fear.
Yet, for me, 2020 turned out to be one of the best years of my life.
I stumbled upon a note I wrote back in September of that year:
So far… 2020 was the most transformative year
It’s September 15… still 107 days to go in 2020
And this is what happened (for me) so far:
- Cold showers transformed my health and took me to a whole new level of being comfortable outside my comfort zone.
- The YouTube experiment taught me a lot, although not over yet.
- Due to Corona, I transformed my relationships and communication with my parents.
- We completed the WorkAway “experiment.”
- My 20-day water fasting got me obsessed with cooking healthy and eating healthy.
- My relationship with Vered became much deeper and more accepting.
- I ended my addiction (and even interest) in movies.
- I started working out (almost) consistently (and climbed Teide twice in one month).
- I took sustainable living seriously, especially growing our own food.
- I focused on increasing my financial IQ.
- I became interested in learning new topics (like classical music).
- I consolidated my relationship with Gerdy.
- We started generating passive income.
- We created a new focus in our contribution to the world.
- We drastically lowered our cost of living (while increasing our quality of life).
- I disconnected from Facebook completely.
- I became more active and initiating in my friendships.
- We grew a generation of Monarch butterflies (symbol of transformation).
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And this 40-second video captures some of those moments…
It starts with me taking my first-ever 30-day cold shower challenge.
Little did I know it would become my everyday habit, even as I write this five years later.
Cold showers? Best life hack ever!
Then, it moves to a heartwarming moment of me learning to sew using my mom’s antique sewing machine to make sustainable shopping bags – an unexpected but rewarding experience that brought us closer.
Next up: a visit to the nursery!
I’m not sure why I bought houseplants (I usually focus on edibles), but apparently, 2020 was my year for branching out!
Then, we see me in action, filming a variety of YouTube lessons, a major project we dove into during 2020.
My phone is still packed with these videos – a creative experiment that taught me so much.
A colorful splash follows, showing me dancing with Thom’s long silk fan in nature.
Then, there’s footage of me practicing fire sword movements under Thom’s guidance – which came to Tenerife as part of a magical surprise for Vered’s 60th birthday in July.
The video rounds off with photos of Gerdy and me hiking, including the breathtaking rock formations of Paisaje Lunar.
And finally, a touching photo of me with my dad, smiling, just a few months before his passing in December.
2020 was wild, but this video reminds me of the beauty, growth, and unforgettable memories that came out of it.