10 Things That Worked in 2022

The 500 Things Project Ep. 1

Lo, the first list! This week we’re talking about things that worked in 2022. I snagged this reflection prompt from Emily P. Freeman, and it’s been an encouraging way to look back at the last year. Some things on my list are practices that I will be carrying forward into 2023, while some are bigger decisions that I want to remember as my family keeps moving and growing.

10 Things That Worked in 2022

1. Hiring a doula // A doula is a birth coach, and everyone needs one. Our doula Melanie was an absolute rock. She was on call during pregnancy for advice and support, and then encouraged me through an unexpected induction and nine crazy hours of active labor. This is not an exaggeration: I don’t want to know what our birth story would have looked like without her. 

2. Hosting my own birthday // My birthday in May came just as I was turning the corner from first trimester awfulness into second trimester magic. I knew exactly what I wanted: a birthday dinner with two other couples, with spaghetti and meatballs and a salad and a cake I baked myself. Well, I figured out making a genoise is harder than it looks and we had a chocolate cake from Publix, but otherwise that is what we did and it was lovely. The only thing that would have made it better would have been a glass of red wine, but I’ll get that this year.¹

3. In-unit laundry // The number of people at work who asked me post-birth whether we were still living in a yurt really tickled me. Y’all, absolutely not. We moved out of the yurt mid-April, and into an apartment mid-May. It’s almost dumb luck that our little apartment has a washer/dryer, but man, I’m so glad it does. During pregnancy and now with a newborn, time and energy are too precious for the laundromat. All hail in-unit laundry and running water in general, is what I’m saying.

4. Making candles // I love candles, but I love nice candles in jars, and those are expensive. So we bought a candle-making kit with soy wax and some wicks and a wax pitcher and now we have extra hygge on our coffee table all winter long.

5. Journaling // My thinking is often cyclical and unproductive. Writing it all out helps me move forward out of useless loops. Sometimes I just write, but often I use prompts from The Practice.

6. Saying things out loud // It’s like journaling but with your voice! I thought I was an internal processor and worked through problems by thinking and writing, and while that’s not untrue, nothing has beaten talking it out this year. I immediately called my mother to tell her I was pregnant and to start processing out loud. This 500 Things project is the result of a conversation with a therapist where I wished I took writing more seriously. There are many other examples but these two first come to mind.

7. Reading books on Kindle // The Kindle Paperwhite I inherited from my mother got so much use during my maternity leave, because not only is it easier to hold a Kindle than a book while nursing a baby, it’s possible to read it in the dark. I read nine books in five weeks during my maternity leave.²

8. Going on a walk // Always, always, always a good idea, even when 8 months pregnant or fresh postpartum, or frozen in a hard task at work. It always helps, even to just get some sunshine before going back to whatever I was stuck in.

9. Switching teams at work // Speaking of. My original position was great for transitioning into technical work, but after two years I could feel myself getting pigeonholed into government work forever. This fall, I switched to a software development team where I am learning by firehose. It is challenging and frustrating and also satisfying. I’m still exquisitely annoyed by my hour-and-a-piece commute and working in a building without windows, but this is a much-needed change after months of forcing my tired self into the office and the same old same old.

10. Spending time with people // I very rarely regretted gathering this year. Visiting with my parents, having dinner with a friend, having people pop by and say hello because I was stuck on the couch under a hungry baby - all energizing and wonderful. Laughter showed up a lot, and it’s cliche but true: it’s the best medicine.

Those are the first ten things! What worked for you last year that you want to carry into this one? I’d love to hear.

Love,

Amy

1. p.s. The Lazy Genius just put out an excellent podcast episode about celebrating your birthday as an adult and is worth the listen if you find yourself disappointed with grown-up birthdays.

2. Not to worry! Lists of books are coming.