Remember This and That! Something From My Notes

I know there are at least ten trillion things I would love to forget at this moment. Looking back, I can honestly laugh because at the time my schedule felt completely upside down and my to-do list seemed longer than the Nile River. I kept telling myself that one day I would see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Welcome to my little soapbox of rambling this morning.

Today I, thought I would share something I found while looking through my old notes from 2020. It simply said, "Remember this and a little of that."

One of the first things I wrote to myself was, "Tangie, you've cheered for everybody else. Maybe today is the day you cheer for yourself."

Apparently, I needed to hear that.

I also wrote that it's perfectly okay to cry, but it's just as okay to look in the mirror and remind yourself to keep going. I wanted to spend a little more time working on me, myself, and I instead of worrying about everything happening around me. #realtalk

As I kept reading my old notes, I smiled because I wrote  about setting new intentions. I remembered thinking that although 2020 had started off a little rocky and sad, I still had the power to decide what I was going to do with the rest of the year. My plans had definitely been knocked to the side, but I could also see an opportunity to try something different. And, I did.

I started volunteering to help women staying in shelters. It gave me something positive to focus on, and honestly, it kept me from sitting around thinking about everything I couldn't do.

I started working on my business plan for Funky Grunge Boutique in 2019, but opened it online in 2020.

 I even remember clearing my plate of things that really didn't matter to me anymore so I could make room for things that did.

Reading my old notes reminded me that life will always come with ups and downs, but somehow I kept finding a way through them. #womanpower

Can I get an Amen?

I even wrote n that when life starts taking detours, and those bumpy turns show up, it's easy to forget about the little things that keep you smiling.

Looking back now, I think those little things were exactly what carried so many of us through the year 2020.

I remember talking with family and friends almost every day. We laughed about the smallest things, and somehow those conversations meant more than they ever had before. 

I remember taking a short walk one morning and noticing the trees looked greener than usual. To some, that may sound weird, but as for me, I began to notice things while the world was at a standstill.

I could hear the birds chirping, and after what felt like forever, I finally saw a squirrel running across my balcony again. It's funny the things that stick with you when it felt as if the world was on fire.

It’s the small things I remember, like cooking shrimp and pancakes every single day.  I don't know how many pancakes we really consumed, but I know it was a lot. My family was afraid to eat anything else, so I cooked seafood with everything. Seriously, we had shrimp and grits, fish and grits, and shrimp fried rice. Honestly, I may go back to eating like that I lost so much weight. :) hehe!

I also smiled when I read the part about praying with my husband before starting our day. Some routines stay with you because they matter.

I also wrote about finishing a project I had been working on and finally hitting the pause button because it wasn't worth my time anymore. The hardest part about life sometimes is realizing that every idea is not meant to be released into the world. #realtalk

Looking back, that was probably one of the healthiest decisions I made for myself. #anotherrealtalk

Another part of my notes that really stood out to me. I wrote that once life returned to normal, I wanted to help women feel good about themselves again. Reading that today made me smile because, although life has taken me in a completely different direction since retiring from the salon, the heart behind those words has never changed. I still want to encourage women. I just do it in a different way now.

Every day back then, I was trying to think of something fun to do with my family so we wouldn't spend all our time thinking about everything happening around us. None of us could control what was going on, but we could still find little pockets of joy inside our own homes.

Now that so much time has gone by, I am in a new stage of rewriting my notes to reflect where I am right now in life. I am older now, my kids have grown up, they are moving into their own places, and having babies. (Insert tears of joy and happy smiles.) However, my life has started a new chapter, and one that is taking me on a new journey of self-discovery. So, stay tuned and join as I share my life on this blog.

Lastly, after reading these notes in 2026 reminds me that I don't want to remember 2020 only for the hard parts. I want to remember the slower mornings, the unexpected laughter, the long conversations, all the times with my kids and hubby, the birds outside my window, the prayers, the flapjacks, and the reminders I left for myself when I needed them most.

I guess that's why I smiled when I found this note I wrote.

Sometimes it's good to remember this and a little of that.

What do you remember most about 2020 that has changed your life in 2026?