These aren't necessarily earth-shattering, and I REFUSE to call 2020 a horrible year, but these are some of the ways 2020 forced me to think different...

10.) FINANCES.

I started paying attention to how much of my money went to places outside of my local community. When we go out to eat, we look for a local restaurant. Hiring local contractors and service providers. Fewer chains. More local.

9.) INVESTING.

With bonds approaching negative interest rates, and stocks completely detached from reality, the ol' "stick it in a mutual fund and wait until retirement" play is tepid at best, dangerous at worst.

8.) FREE TIME.

I don't commute anymore. My mileage is down 50% from this time last year. This, alone, gives me back hours in my week. Combined with increased efficiencies at work, I had more free time this year than I knew what to do with.

Translation: I'm not nearly as busy as I think I am.

7.) HEALTH.

I've become even more dedicated to never needing a hospital. I'm glad it's there, but I never want to go to one. If I end up in a hospital for anything besides an emergency, I've done something wrong along the way.

6.) FOOD.

"Food is thy medicine, and medicine thy food." They go hand-in-hand for me. Also paying A LOT more attention to what my food eats before it lands on my plate.

5.) RELATIONSHIPS.

After speaking up more this year, some relationships in my life have strengthened. Others have fizzled out. Still others have come to a fiery-car-crash-level halt...

...and I'm totally okay with that.

4.) SOCIAL MEDIA.

Learning to identify my addictions, and social media is one of them. Ironically enough, 2020 brought one of the LOWEST levels of engagement across my social media channels I've ever had.

3.) EXPERTS.

It's amazing who we identify as experts, isn't it? The notion of an 'expert,' for me, has never been more challenged than it has been this year. I've come up with a simple definition for an expert: someone whose life reflects what they teach, specifically in their area of expertise.

2.) TRUTH.

The more candid, clear, and truthful I've strived to become in my speech, the more pushback I encounter. There has to be a reason for this, I'm just not sure what it is.

1.) MYSELF.

When you're in a pressure-cooker year like 2020, you see things about yourself that you like and don't like much quicker:

Don't Like:
- impatience with situations I can't control
- prone to hysteria and panicked thinking
- getting into internet fights on social media

Like:

- track record of consistency in business
- follow-through; doing what I say I'll do
- going after the dreams/visions I have in life

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How did 2020 change the way YOU think?