2020 Has Taken Us On One Hell Of A Ride But These Six Constants Have Kept Us Moderately Sane

To put it simply, this year has been nothing short of disastrous. We’ve desperately tried to buckle up but the bucking bronco that is 2020 seemed hellbent on kicking us to the curb. 

As someone who’s had the same thing for breakfast the past four years, you could say I’m pretty averse to change. Sure, I get it’s necessary for personal growth and all that jazz but sometimes you just want things to stay the damn same. Long story short, this year has quite literally laughed in the face of people like me who thrive on consistency.

When the going gets tough it’s nice to know you’ve got some old faithfuls to fall back on. Y’know, those things that make you feel calm like Selma and Patty in the eye of the hurricane.

Amid all the chaos, I’ve really taken the time to appreciate the people and things that have employed this sacred thing called consistency. HBF, is one of the blessed folk doing just that, canning their 2020 health insurance price hike which appeals to both my love of consistency and my desire to live a more frugal life. 

Thus, in the spirit of things that aren’t changing, I’ve compiled a list of seven constants that are helping me keep it together in 2020. They’ve well and truly thrown us a life raft in these ‘unprecedented times’ (sorry I had to say it) and for that, we’re grateful. 

Astrology rules the galaxy (and beyond)

Despite the endless curveballs 2020 has thrown our way, our obsession with the stars has only increased.  I’ll admit I wasn’t initially invested in the  whole ‘woo woo’ astrology thing but boy did I get sucked in last year (and I’m still deep in the hole).

Horoscopes and astrology are extremely comforting because they make us feel as though things aren’t entirely our fault. Surrendering to a higher power and blaming everything on Mercury’s millionth retrograde is a great way of deflecting blame when life gets a bit much. I, for one, have blamed my fair share of foul moods and screw-ups on the alignment of the moon and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. 

I’m glad that our astrology obsession isn’t a passing phase because it’s been extremely soothing during a time where nothing is guaranteed. Sure my horoscope might feel targeted and borderline offensive at times but my daily readings are one of the constants I’m actually grateful for.  So the next time something terrible happens, just remember that it’s written in the stars, people. 

Kath & Kim are our timeless screen queens

Look, I’m not going to beat around the bush here, when it comes to quality Aussie telly, nothing has ever come close to outranking Kath & Kim. The foxy ladies of Fountain Lakes are truly a national treasure and having every season available on Netflix during 2020 has been a real blessing (if I wake up one day to find it’s been removed then look out). 

I could quite literally have had the worst day of my life and I’ll still cackle at Kath and Kel’s river dancing routine like I’m seeing it for the first time. Honestly I can’t believe this show aired in 2002 because these hornbags have a sense of humour that’s timeless. 

Books are bloody magic

As a loud and proud bookworm, I’ve always known the transformative power of the written word – but only recently has the rest of the world cottoned on. When the real world gets a bit too much (which is always) then burying your nose in a book and escaping to a better place is always a good solution.

From consistently empty bookshelves at Kmart to a boom in virtual book clubs, 2020 has become the year the world reignited our love of reading. Carrying a book around is the ultimate security blanket cause there’s never a bad time to enjoy a flick of the page.

Books are the most faithful thing you could ever invest in. You can never have too many, there’s no shortage of them and they’re always going to leave you feeling better than when you found them (unless you’re reading My Sister’s Keeper). Almost every bedroom I’ve walked into this year has featured a hefty book collection or one lone book on the bedside table and that quite literally speaks volumes. Reading is sexy – you heard it here first.

Skincare holds a holy status

You know that meme about a loved one being kidnapped but you somehow still find time to bang out your 12-step skincare routine? Yeah, that’s me. My glorious skincare routine is one of the (very) few things that have kept me sane despite 2020’s best efforts to derail my life. 

When I wake up in the AM and snooze in the PM, this carefully planned dance on my face is a constant that I’m always grateful for. Haters will say it’s superficial but the self-care movement would beg to differ. This year, skincare has achieved some kind of sacred, holy status through its magic ability to make us feel better about literally anything. It’s probable that I’m singlehandedly responsible for keeping Mecca afloat with the amount of skincare products I’ve added to cart on the daily. 

If you’re feeling majorly out of whack and out of control, I’d honestly suggest developing some kind of skincare routine. Even if you don’t really care for it, a simple two-step cleansing and moisturizing jig will do. All the stress of the day fades into oblivion when you’re starting and ending it on a high (and your face is soft as silk). 

Our hearts beat for Uber Eats

Idk about y’all but if anything my hunger for Uber Eats has only become more insatiable over the past 9 months. There’s something about constantly ordering food that feels so right yet so wrong and there’s honestly no force on earth that can stop me from doing it (not even my bank account crying out in agony). 

Picture this, you’ve had the day from hell. Everyone’s let you down and nothing seems to be going your way. There’s only one thing to do. Hit that cheeky ‘place order’ button and watch your problems fade away into oblivion. Despite your crippling disappointment in humankind, you can have full faith that your delivery guy will be pedal to the metal on his electric bike to turn your day around – that’s the kind of dependency we all crave.

Sure, the rona tried its best to derail our ability to enjoy the sweet bounty of Uber Eats but thankfully it failed. Aforementioned delivery driver might have to do the old knock and run once he arrives but when I’m chowing down on fresh BBQ pork buns, I’m just glad to be alive. 

Resilience rules

Obviously I had to end on a mushy note but seriously, the level of resilience we’ve seen come out of 2020 has been something else. We’ve somehow managed to come back swinging against all odds and it’s nothing short of miraculous that we’re all still standing. 

In my most humble of opinions, the power of the human spirit is the biggest and most precious thing that’s remained a constant. It’s hard to see when you’re in the eye of the storm but our ability to bounce back from this nightmarish year has been all kinds of impressive. 

So while I’m ordering Uber Eats in a face mask, reading a good book and checking my horoscope all at once – I’ll remember that us humans have done a pretty stand-up job in showing 2020 who’s boss. Blessed be these constants in our lives and may we always find weird and whacky ways to deal with life quirks.

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