Anna Moore

I know 2020 was technically like the worst year ever for most people, but…2020 wasn’t all bad. I really enjoyed some of the things I got to experience this year, and also grew a lot in my walk with Christ, which I hope continues each and every year. While most of the year I worked from home, I was still able to try a few new things to incorporate into my routine.

In no particular order, but in true Oprah fashion, here are some of my favorite “things” from the year:

Pilates (The Balanced Life Sisterhood)

Until this year, I wasn’t ever consistent with exercising. Is that horrible to say? It probably is because I’m almost 30…. Nonetheless, here we are. I can’t remember how exactly, but I stumbled across The Balanced Life sometime around May or June. I think I found the podcast first and then tried some of the workouts from the YouTube channel. I immediately LOVED it. No, really. I think Robin’s calm, gentle personality really is what sold me, but also the “grace over guilt” approach. The goal is consistency and trusting the process. The workouts are all done from home and come in a variety of time lengths. They are packed with small, yet effective, movements that tone, strengthen, and benefit your body in a number of other ways.

I officially bought into the Balanced Life Sisterhood in August after completing a five-day challenge. Since then, I can feel and see results. I’m more flexible. I’m stronger (okay not like a LOT stronger because I’m me, but it’s enough for me to tell). I’m more toned. Etc. Etc. Oh, not to mention, I am still consistent in the workouts. The program includes workouts every weekday, and you can choose from the entire library of workouts for weekends, if you want to workout. There’s also a Facebook group of other members across the world who share their experiences, questions and encouragement but you have to be a paid member to be included in the group. Oh, and there’s a blog and new healthy recipes shared each month as well. I really can’t say enough great things about Pilates, or at least the Balanced Life Sisterhood, and I could go on and on and do an entire post on this alone. It’s something I know I will continue because I enjoy it and see/feel results.

If this sounds like something you would like to try, I’m inviting any reader of my blog to join! Membership is not always open, but because I’m a member, I can refer others to join. Click on my referral link here to check it out!

The library/reading

I’ve never not liked reading, but somewhere between high school, college and the “real world,” I stopped spending much time reading actual books. I’m not a fast reader at all, so that could be why. Maybe working in news had an effect on this too because I started reading news a lot more. This year though, I found some pockets of time to read books, aside from my time studying the Bible, which is also an actual book (just FYI). Like Pilates, this is something I want to continue into 2021 and beyond because it’s enjoyable and can be an escape that isn’t a waste of time.

It wasn’t until a couple of months ago that I realized I could borrow books free through my local library branch. I have been checking out cookbooks, fiction books, nonfiction books and movies. The library is not a new idea at all, but if you’re not already utilizing one near you, do it! They have audiobooks too, but I didn’t listen to any of those this year.

Some favorite books from this year (library or not): “Even Better Than Eden” by Nancy Guthrie, “The Road Back to You” by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, and “The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis.

Cooking

I realize this list is more about experiences than physical things so far, but cooking is next on my list. Maybe you can relate to this one since a good majority of us were stuck at home for a good chunk of the year. Each week I tried to put together a meal plan for Blake and I and used YouTube, Pinterest and cookbooks (yes, real cookbooks) to give me inspiration. It was so fun to try different recipes and see what we liked/didn’t and how meals came together. As someone who never really learned how to cook from anyone, trial and error has become my way of learning. YouTube also helps.

Some of my favorite recipes this year were homemade chicken Alfredo with penne pasta, Mississippi pot roast, a kielbasa sausage bake, cheese tortellini, chicken fried rice and Magnolia Bakery copycat banana pudding.

My skincare routine

For the last two or three years, I’ve noticed rosacea getting worse on my face. At the beginning of the year it was at the point where it looked like my face was covered with acne or I had a sunburn. It was so embarrassing and made me feel very insecure. I had tried products that claimed to clear skin and acne, but I never actually researched much about rosacea and so I didn’t understand why it wasn’t getting any better. My dermatologist prescribed me a couple different topical creams and gels, but because the rest of my skincare routine wasn’t effective, those products didn’t work as well as they could have.

So enter Dr. Dray. She’s a dermatologist slash YouTubber who posts videos like literally every day about different skin concerns and products. I watched all her rosacea videos that I could find (she has a lot of content on her channel, haha) and bought some products she recommended. The best part was that those products could be found at Walmart or Target. They weren’t fancy, high-end products. Dr. Dray explains in her videos the ingredients to look for and what those things do for your skin. She also explains what not to look for or use on your skin so you don’t damage the skin barrier more. She also heavily emphasizes wearing sunscreen daily. It’s amazing how simple an effective skincare routine can be. We see these articles, videos, “influencers” sharing their lengthy routines with 15 products…and that’s just in the morning, but it really doesn’t need to be that complicated. At least, not for people with sensitive skin like me. Honestly, finding Dr. Dray’s channel has been such a saving grace because I can actually go out in public now without makeup on if I wanted to (of course, wearing a face mask helps too, haha).

Here’s what I do now: I used to use either micellar water or face wipes to remove makeup. Now I use Albolene’s Moisturizing Cleanser. It’s basically a cleansing balm, but adds extra moisture. Something I also do differently now: I only wash my face once a day. Yep. Just once! It’s usually when I shower, which is at night. I use the CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser. After washing my face/showering, I apply a CeraVe moisturizer that’s technically lotion (lol) but I use it for everything. Then I apply some azelaic acid that my dermatologist had prescribed me, or The Ordinary’s version that is a little weaker strength (it’s like $8 at Ulta!). This goes only where the redness still is. Then I apply some Cetaphil redness reducing moisturizer and call it a night. In the morning I usually just wipe my face off with a wet wash rag and then apply the CeraVe moisturizer/lotion. I also use this sunscreen if I go out anywhere.

My makeup routine also changed a bit this year to help improve my skin. I’m now using the Physician’s Formula CC Cream as a foundation and BareMinerals Multitasking Concealer to help cover any areas where redness may still come through. If I want to use powder, I use the Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear powder but I usually don’t wear it because the concealer is really good. That’s it for the base!

So basically, my focus for my skin is keeping it moisturized and using products that are simple and don’t have a lot of ingredients or chemicals. Also, zero fragrance. While my skin is still red, it looks so much healthier now because the texture is even and my skin is more smooth and clear. If you have any facial skin concerns at all, check her channel out.

Herbal tea

I never really gave hot tea much of a chance until this year. Once it started getting cold in the fall, I wanted to have hot drinks that weren’t just coffee. I tried a variety box of herbal tea bags from Bigelow. My favorite was the lemon ginger tea. So good. I also bought a box of Tazo’s glazed lemon loaf tea and it literally tastes like a lemon loaf with vanilla glaze. It’s liquid dessert. Those are the only ones I tried this year but definitely want to keep a stock of tea in my pantry. I love the caffeine-free ones because I can drink them at night and not have to worry about it affecting my sleep. This is definitely a good alternative to coffee for me this winter.

And that’s a wrap! Those are some of my favorite things/experiences this year. What did you enjoy from 2020?

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