I believe it’s safe to say that 2020 is a year we’ll all remember and we’re all happy it came to an end. This year, we all proved how vulnerable, resilient, and adaptable we can be when facing adversity. I’ve always considered myself to be an optimist, someone who always tries to look at the bright side even when things go to sh#*! But even I can say that things got a bit intense this year.
So today, instead of reviewing a book, I decided to review this year. Yep! I’m doing it! Also, I’ve decided to write what I’ve learned from this year and what my plan will be for this new year. Told you I like to look at the bright side… I do not lie. 🙂
First and foremost, before I dive into this year review: HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!!!! (Insert happy dance) 🙂 I wish you all a wonderful new year. May 2021 bring you joy and happiness!
Now, let’s get started… 🙂
Book Year review: 2020 by whoever else feels like me
I believe it’s also safe to say that this year was pretty bad, though not everything was. With that said, the virus put a serious dent in our way of living. So I’ll start with a general view of what happened in my life this past year. I imagine that what I’m about to say is something you (or most of you) are familiar with.
What happened this year in my life?
- I started working from home and so did my husband and kid… not the same as being on your own lol… On the bright side (positive/optimistic… told you), we spent a lot of time together as a family, and if I’m being honest, I really like it. Most importantly, I still have a job. That’s a huge win.
- I learned how to homeschool a 6-year-old kid. I know now why teaching has NEVER been on the table for me. Like there is absolutely zero moments in my existence where the thought even occurred to me. I’d say always trust your guts. As a result of being forced into homeschooling (because yes, I love my kid to pieces and will do anything to support him), I did it and developed infinite respect for teachers. School = 1 – Me = 0.
- I recently invested in a Fitbit to keep my body and mental health in a better place because yes, I started to really stress out trying to juggle it all. I felt like those characters I read about who don’t want to save the world but fate forces them into it. I get them now! lol Though, I’m only trying to keep our lives together… ok maybe not the best analogy but I’m sure you get the point. lol
- I got to vote for the first time this year in the US. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m French. I’m from Reunion Island, a small island off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Last year after living for 10 years in the US, I became American, so I got super excited over voting.
I won’t lie – There were moments this year I felt like that gif below, but hey, we made it. I don’t mean that our problems will go away because it’s 2021. But it’s a new year that will allow us a fresh start. I do not have the fine prints for this new year. No one does, but I certainly hope that this year will bring its share of ideas to restore our economy, bring happiness and wealth to you all, and most importantly, good and strong health. Cheers everyone!
Ok. Now, enough about life. How were my reading and blog results?
- My reading goal for this year was 60 books (like the last 4 years where I was never able to reach it). This year, I read 95 books!! Woohoo!! I mean I can’t go out so, it helped, but that’s still huge for me.
- In terms of pages, my goal was to reach 24000 pages and I surpassed that goal too.
- As for my blog, I’ve had my ups and downs, but honestly, my only goal was to post more and be more consistent. Though I still need to make some progress, I’ve accomplished a lot this year. I was able to post consistently – some months more than others, but overall, I posted every week. As a result, I’ve had 5K + more views this year and 3K+ more visitors, which is great for a still young blog.
What’s the plan for next year?
Reading Goals:
- Read 80 books in 2021
- Read at least one book out of my comfort zone every other month (i.e. thrillers, non-fiction, horror…)
- Read more diverse books (i.e. LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, Own Voice…)
- Read at least 20 books from my NetGalley backlist
- Reach 100 reviews on NetGalley
- Bring my NetGalley ratio to 85% and keep it there (currently at 74%)
Social Media Goals:
- Engage more and discover new bookish accounts
- Clean up my followers on IG – I noticed many accounts I follow that have not been posting since 2017… I mean, it’s time for these accounts to go
- Be more consistent – Like many of you, this year has been tough for me, but I’ll really make an effort here
- Take breaks if my mental health requires it and truly be ok with it
Blog Goals:
- Reach 500 blog followers. Currently, I’m at 395, which I’m excited about. I believe I started last year at 250. So I take this as a win
- Blog at least 2 to 3 times a week
- Comment and like more than I currently do
- Lastly and most importantly, have fun!
And that’s a wrap for me. Bye-bye 2020! You won’t be missed, but I’m still grateful for the lessons I was taught and the positive change that you brought into my life. I’m far from perfect and I try to make positive changes whenever and wherever I can. I’ve learned so much from the book community and hope to make even more friends and learn even more from you all this year.
What about you? Drop a comment and tell me about your goals.