{"id":2356,"date":"2021-01-31T13:29:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-31T18:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linacolucci.com\/?p=2356"},"modified":"2023-08-09T19:22:59","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T23:22:59","slug":"2020-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linacolucci.com\/2021\/01\/2020-review\/","title":{"rendered":"2020 Year in Review"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

2020 Year in Review<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Wow\u2026 2020. It\u2019s certainly a year that has been seared into our collective memories and that will be studied for decades to come. Here\u2019s a look on how 2020 went for me personally.  <\/span><\/p>\n

See My 2019 Year in Review<\/a>. Thank you to James Clear<\/a> for the inspiration. <\/span><\/p>\n

  <\/p>\n

1. What went well? <\/b><\/h2>\n

I felt fulfilled<\/b><\/h4>\n

For most of my life, I\u2019ve had a checklist in the back of my mind of award lists (Intel Science Competition, Forbes 30 Under 30, etc.) and their application deadlines. In 2020, I forgot all about these. I was too busy running my company, working with our amazing team, and shipping new products. In short, I was too busy feeling fulfilled to think about external recognition to validate that I should feel fulfilled1<\/sup>. And <\/span>that<\/span><\/i> was one of the big wins of 2020. <\/span><\/p>\n

I found an exercise routine that I love and can do on my own time<\/b><\/h4>\n

It took a global pandemic to finally push me to buy a health supplement<\/a> and find a workout routine that can help me lose weight. <\/span><\/p>\n

I grew up going to dance classes and then eventually group exercises classes (like yoga, HIIT, Orange Theory, etc.). I tried brief stints of running or doing my own strength training at the gym, but these stints were never enjoyable and always short lived. I like being told what to do when I exercise. <\/span><\/p>\n

The problem with group classes is that they are lengthy (at least 45 min plus travel time) and (often) exhausting. I could not understand how friends were more refreshed and motivated after doing exercise. I was usually toast after going to Orange Theory, so I just didn\u2019t go all that often. <\/span><\/p>\n

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened and I could no longer go to in-person classes. A friend recommended the exercise app \u201cDown Dog<\/a>\u201d (for HIIT, yoga, barre, pilates, and meditation) and I fell in love with it. <\/span><\/p>\n

I <\/span>love<\/span> \u201cDown Dog<\/a>\u201d because I pick the length of the workout (anywhere from 5min to 90min), the focus (e.g. core, cardio, hip flexor stretches, etc.), and then the app generates a perfect workout fitting those requirements. I get bored easily and hate doing the same workout twice, so Down Dog is great because it generates a new workout routine each time even if I pick the same requirements. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now I can do 15 minutes of HIIT in my backyard, get an injection of endorphins, and then be back to work – refreshed and re-motivated – within 30 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of 2020, I also started going to ballet classes (thank you Courtney Liu for your zoom <\/span>#GarageBallet<\/span><\/a>!) which I haven\u2019t gone to in over 2 years. It feels amazing to be \u201cballet sore\u201d again. <\/span><\/p>\n

Because of all this,<\/span> I did nearly 2x more workouts in 2020<\/b> (96 days) than in 2019 (56 days). Plus, I was able to do all of my workouts <\/span>outdoors<\/b> (and get that additional endorphin boost from the California sunshine ☀️), which is something I was never able to do before with group fitness studios. <\/span><\/p>\n

I read more, wrote more, and talked to both my parents and non-Bay Area friends more<\/b><\/h4>\n

I published 5 pieces of content<\/strong> in 2020 (compared to 0 in 2019): <\/span><\/p>\n