I can’t come up with a proper post title since 2021 was a rollercoaster kind of a year. There were lots of happy moments but my family and I also experienced crucial health situations and even faced a significant loss. Nevertheless, I’m grateful that we are ending this year on a happy note.

With that, I’ll be sharing with you in this blog post some of the little things that kept me going, and what made this year bearable despite all the mishaps.

Started the year right by spending a night with the family at Caliraya Ecoville. Despite the rain, we had fun just spending time with each other, eating, and feeling the cool breeze. We went fishing the next day but unlucky to catch any because it was still rainy. Still, it was a fun getaway to get 2021 started.

Coffee is life. This year, I also started my own coffee brewing setup. Got a french press and a manual grinder at first, and now I have my own espresso machine! I just can’t function without coffee and it makes everything better (and more bearable). You can watch my Delonghi Dedica unboxing here.

As silly as it sounds, I also started taking self-care seriously this year. Not just skin care but also my overall health. I’ve been consistently taking my meds and vitamins and have been regularly going to doctor’s appointments. Despite the pandemic, I feel like I’m at my healthiest.

With another Japan trip cancelled supposedly on the second quarter, my sister and I just spent most of our time meeting virtually by playing Genshin. It’s fun playing with each other fighting bosses and monsters – we really didn’t expect we’d bond over a game since we’re both non-gamers lol.

Incidentally, playing Genshin also led me to the best purchase of my 2021: my very first gaming laptop, ASUS Zephyrus G14. Until now, I am still unsure how I survived with just my laptop from college which I bought way back 2012 and a work laptop.

Midyear, our family suffered from Covid and only I was spared. At first, we thought home quarantine was enough – but a week after testing positive, my dad was rushed to the hospital. It was one of the scariest times of my life. And since we cannot visit, I tried to paint cards – mostly florals, since Papa was obsessed with his plants and the garden that time.

That’s the time I also painted the Palayan since it’s one of my happy places with Papa. Fortunately, after a two-week stay in the hospital, he was discharged and is now as energetic as usual.

Not long after, my biggest heartbreak this 2021 came when we lost our dearest Nana. I can’t come up with the right words to put in here but I’m happy I got to spend a lot of time with her before her passing. I have so many videos of her in my phone just telling random stories and I’m glad I got the chance to hear those. I miss you, Nana.

If there’s one good thing this pandemic has done, it’s: work from home. That way, I was able to spend more time with family, and even visit my Nanay anytime. I used to live with my Nanay when I just started working, and lately, I visit her whenever I crave for paksiw na bangus hehe. Her paksiw is just the best!

I was also lucky to have visited some beaches and enjoyed the sea, my happy place, when travel restrictions were eased.

And come November, I ticked off one of my goals this year: to be a certified freediver! I’m now a Molchanovs Wave 1 certified freediver after successfully completing 2 days of intense depth and pool training. I was able to dive to a depth of 15 meters and sustain a static breath hold of 1 min and 30 seconds!

Not long before the end of the year, we were also able to move into a new place that’s more spacious, with better ventilation, and just overall great. Moving is one of the best things that happened this year, not to mention the amazing community in the condo, plus lots of cute dogs!

Despite the saddening events that happened this year, I’m still thankful that I’m ending the year happy, positive, and excited! I learned a lot this 2021, but maybe the most important thing I learned is properly taking care of myself and the people around me.

Here’s to welcoming 2022 and wishing that the next year will be better!