The 2020 holiday season will undoubtedly be one for the books. While the phrase “home for the holidays” may take on new meaning, there is still lots to be thankful for as we inch toward the New Year.

Here are just a few things on our radar.

Our Health

If we’ve ever taken our health for granted before, this pandemic has likely assured we never will again. Every breath in is a chance to pause, relax, and reset our frame of mind. Every breath out provides the ability to release what’s not serving us and to start anew. It’s amazing how such a simple act can bring so much peace and perspective amongst the chaos.

Our new home-centered lives also mean that there’s more time to pursue health and wellness habits we may have been putting off—and there’s no better time to re-evaluate our health than the start of a new year! Technology has allowed us to take our studio workouts into our living rooms, while others have garnered a newfound appreciation for their neighborhoods as they walk, run, bike, and hike within their communities.

Cooking is such a huge part of the holiday season—and many of us have put our skills to the test over the past nine months! A home-cooked meal not only allows us to share our love for our family through food, but it is an opportunity to participate in our own well-being when we choose healthy ingredients and recipes.

Our Family

We know we get on each other’s nerves. We know there are moments where we want to lock ourselves in a closet for just a few minutes of peace. And we know there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do for the people we call family.

This year has really put those bonds to the test as many parents and children found themselves under the same roof all day, every day, for months on end. At the same time, it became more difficult to visit with relatives who didn’t live in our homes, especially if a visit involved a hotel stay or plane ride.

Now that the holidays are here, it’s the perfect time to inject a little “normalcy” into our lives. So break out the holiday traditions and spread some cheer wherever you can! Don’t be afraid to take on new rituals or adjust holiday plans. Never made a gingerbread house before? Order a kit and break out the vinyl tablecloths. Always wanted to send holiday cards but never quite got around to it? Make it a family affair. Coordinate your wardrobes, find a nice place inside your home or in the backyard, set your smartphone’s timer, and voila!

Our Homes

Our homes have always been our sanctuaries, but they may be even more so now. You want to make sure yours brings you the peace and serenity you’re after. While major home improvement projects can always wait until the new year, tackling smaller ones can put you even more in the holiday spirit. This starts, of course, with decorating for the holidays.

You can make it an all-day event by playing holiday music, snacking on treats, and giving each member of the family a specific decorating task. If your current holiday décor is feeling stale, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and a number of other holiday-themed sales and promotions provide great opportunities to add a little more festivity to your home. These sales are also convenient for replacing old or worn-down furniture and accents – one of the easiest ways to give your home a makeover with little money and effort.

Our Abilities

Everyone has their own passions and talents that often get neglected in the daily grind. The holiday season is ideal for taking a step back and focusing on what really matters. In addition to family and friends, that includes those passions that light us up inside. We should all take some time to reconnect, not just with our loved ones but with ourselves.

Try a new recipe, buy an at-home spa kit, click on a new virtual workout or go nuts on YouTube, which can show you how to do just about anything! We hope you take some time to savor whatever makes you feel whole this holiday season. Who knows? You might even discover a passion you never knew you had.

Our New Year

We can think of more than a few people who will be thrilled to say “see ya” to 2020. No, the pandemic will not stop in its tracks when the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, but that is nevertheless a special time each year. We think of what we’ve done with the past 12 months and consider what’s in store for us in the next 12.

Though we’re right in the midst of the holiday season, that clock will be ready to strike before you know it. So, take some time to set your intentions for the next 12 months. What do you plan to accomplish? Who do you intend to be? What do you need more of and what can you let go of? Ask these questions to yourself and then to your other family members. See how you can all support each other in the new year . . . then don’t wait to put these plans into motion! Getting the wheels in gear now will ensure a smooth transition to 2021 when it’s finally upon us.

This year may not have turned out the way anyone envisioned, but it has provided a valuable time for introspection and appreciation of all we have. It’s up to us to see the beauty and love in this life—especially among all these challenges—but when we can, it becomes abundantly clear that we do, in fact, have so much to be thankful for.

Our APM family wishes your family the happiest and healthiest of holiday seasons.