Consider this my Top 25 List of 2019
Last year I wrote, “2018 Favorites”, and it was a lot of fun. So I decided to do this again, sharing the top 25 things that worked for me during “the year of the roller coaster”.
Below I have listed the experiences, products, and applications that affected me in 2019. I’ve done my best not to include anything from last year, but needless to say, the things on those list (for the most part) carry over for this year as well.
Keep in mind that each individual is their own universe. What may work for me, may not work well for you. The wonderful thing about this article is that it gives you new things to try and incorporate into your life.
2019 EXPERIENCES / CLASSES
1. Board Game Nights- Having a set day in the week to hang out with my friends and spend an evening together has been really wonderful. While admittedly I have slept through many of the board game nights instead of actively participating in them, the fact that I set time aside to be with the people that bring me joy is amazing. It’s a tradition I plan on sticking to for 2020 and beyond.
2. Celebrating the Small Things- Celebrating the ‘hidden holidays’ of the year and all the small achievements really keeps my life full of joy. I have friends that ask me how I manage to stay positive and this is one of my secrets. I celebrate everything and make sure to give myself lots of self-love.
3. Startup School- This year my boyfriend and I decided to enroll in the free online course known as “Startup School”. While neither of us really moved forward in our projects ever since ‘graduation’, taking the classes together gave us something to talk about and include into our routine. It definitely forced me to be more proactive with 15 Minutes of Creativity and I enjoyed my time with the classes a ton.
4. New York Comic Con- Being apart of the crew for New York Comic Con is always a delight. This year I was ‘spareboard’ meaning that my tasks each day during the convention varied depending on what was needed at that time. Participating in conventions this way has kept them ‘fresh’ and ‘exciting’ for me despite having gone to so many conventions in the past decade. It also gives me new skill sets and experiences to apply into my actual job.
5. Vending- One of my close friends was into buying and selling items in various flea markets and online. While I don’t pride myself as a vendor, it’s been great to watch her ‘in the zone’ and talking to the other vendors about their own experiences. While I’m not sure if I’ll do this again next year, I do enjoy checking out flea markets to see what treasures I’ll stumble upon.
BOOKS
6. Spark Joy- One of my besties gifted me this book for Christmas last year and it was a great read. I express my thoughts more in my “Reading Report” but it’s suffice to say that it’s a big reason why I want my 2020 to be the year of “Declutter & Inspire”. I highly recommend you also read, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” as well to make the most of “Spark Joy”.
7. Rich Dad Poor Dad- Robert Kiyosaki’s book was equal parts educational as it was entertaining. It was a book that encouraged the ideas of hard work, experimentation, and entrepreneurship which are three things I jive with. It also introduced me to the power of real-estate as a way to become financially independent, so I’ve begun to think about that as well for my future.
8. The 4-Hour Work Week- This book that I borrowed from someone continued to teach me the importance of time. Time is a resource that we cannot get back and I learned that more than ever in 2019. That’s why this book left such an impact on me since I want to spend less time working hard and spend more time working ‘smart’. My time is valuable and I want to be able to use more of it to be surrounded by those I love versus work, work, and more work. It’s definitely a great read for anyone who wants to get more done in less time.
9. Yes, You Can!- My friend gifted me a book about two years ago titled, “Yes, You Can! 1,200 Inspiring Ideas for Work, Home, and Happiness” by Sam Deep and Lyle Sussman. I’ve been taking my sweet time with it since there are so many nuggets of wisdom that I want to take my time with it. There’s a bunch of things in the book that may seem like common sense, but there’s also a lot of pieces of advice that are good to be reinforced and reminded. If you can find it, it’s a must buy!
APPLICATIONS
10. Things- Things was an application I purchased in 2018 that I switched away from after using Todoist. However after attempting to incorporate Todoist into my workflow, I found that I didn’t use the IFTTT integrations that I originally set on using. So instead of renewing my subscription for Todoist, I decided to go back to Things. I already bought it and I love the fact it doesn’t use a subscription model. One of my favorite things about Things is the “Quick Entry” function.
11. Shift- This is a iOS Mac application that was advertised to me via FaceBook. It was one of those ads I kept seeing and after a while, it worked. I tried out the product. Shift has been monumental in helping me manage multiple email inboxes, multiple twitter accounts, multiple IFTTT accounts, and more. It’s difficult and frustrating to juggle them all and Shift has been my solution to help me do it all in one single window
12. LastPass- I’ve been told time and time again that I should use a password manager instead of relying on Google or my iPhone to remember my passwords. And they were right. LastPass is an amazing app that has kept all my accounts a lot more secure. Not only does it store my passwords, but it generates new ones which makes changing my passwords every 6 months a lot more manageable. It also can do audits to see how protected you are too, which is really important since my life is becoming a lot more digital.
13. Hindsight- This is an app that I use to keep track of when I last did something. It sounds strange, but it has helped me keep track: my period, when I last changed my password, when I last played my game, and when I last backed up my laptop. These are things that I want to know, “When was the last time I did…” And it’s free, who doesn’t like a free app?
14. NJ Transit- This app has been my unsung hero in the past couple of months. When I used to purchase the monthly passes to go into the city, this app didn’t help much, but as I worked more from home, this app has been a lifesaver. There were many times that I didn’t have enough time to purchase a ticket at the booth and instead ran for my train and purchased a digital ticket on my app instead.
15. Zoom- Ever since I started to work more from home, having a way to talk face-to-face with my co-workers and clients has never been more important. That’s why I want to give a shoutout to Zoom. It’s a free online web conferencing platform that allows me to talk to others face-to-face from the comfort of my home and it has the added perks of being able to share my screen and record the calls.
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SKINCARE / BEAUTY PRODUCTS
16. Clean & Clear Morning Burst- While I’m still experimenting to see what will become a permanent part of my skincare routine, I really do enjoy using this cheap facial cleaner. If I run out, I can easily get more and it has the cool ‘bursting beads’ that make washing my face in the morning better.
17. Origins Mega-Mushroom Lotion- I decided to give the Origins brand this year a try after someone recommended them to me. I do wish they were nearby so I can recycle my bottles easily, but so far I do love this relief and resilience soothing lotion. It definitely makes my face feel a lot more ‘fresh’ in the mornings and evenings.
18. Jergens Natural Glow- This daily moisturizer is another cheap drug store product that I loved using in 2019. This is my second one that I bought and I love how it moisturizes my skin and gives it a bit of color as well. Though I’m sure there are better alternatives out there.
19. Overnight Renewal Therapy Lip Protectant- I have chapped lips, especially during the winter. This has definitely helped with my dry lips though I’m sure drinking more water would help too! I also use Burt’s Bees Lip Balm as well.
20. Garnier Miracle Sleeping Cream- This skin active anti-fatigue sleeping cream is one I need to be more diligent with putting on at night. However I think the many times I have used it before going to bed have been helpful. I just need to remember to put it on BEFORE passing out on my bed.
LIFESTYLE - MISCELLANEOUS PRODUCTS
21. Reusable Makeup Remover Pads- In late August I decided to purchase 10 bamboo reusable cotton pads. I’ve been slowly but surely adding more ‘zero waste’ or ‘eco friendly’ products in my life. Last year bamboo cutlery was my thing, this year it’s bamboo remover pads.
22. Beauty Suction Pro- I purchased the Beauty Suction Pro Comedone & Blackhead Remover after seeing a bunch of ads about it on Instagram. While it’s not as ‘magical’ as the ones they showcase in the ads, I still love using this product on myself and my boyfriend. It’s very satisfying to see what gets sucked up in the machine and I love the fact that it’s pink.
23. Bamboo Eye Mask- When I went to Connection Camp this year, we got ettitude bamboo lyocell eye masks for one of the activities. It’s soft, it’s hypoallergenic, and machine washable. I use this all the time, especially because I love my beauty sleep and my boyfriend loves watching Netflix at night.
24. Google Nest Hub- I purchased two Google Nest Hubs last year during Cyber Monday. It was such a great purchase. The one I have in my bedroom is great on my nightstand. It easily allows us (my boyfriend and I) use my Chromecast and it plays music as well. The other one in the kitchen has brought so much joy for my grandmother and mom since it has become a digital photo album. It’s become a great conversation starter for them.
25. Pentel RSVP Ballpoint Pen- I love love love Pentel pens, my most used one however is the Pentel RSVP Ballpoint Stick Pen. The weight is perfect whenever I’m writing with it and the fine lines it creates whenever I’m writing look amazing. I highly recommend these if you are looking for a new pen.
What would be on your Top 5 List of 2019?
I’d love to hear what experiences, products, or media really affected your 2019 experience. Perhaps it was something small such as a new pair of socks to an incredible traveling experience of a lifetime. Regardless of how grand or small your list may seem, I’d love to read about it! After all maybe it’ll show up on my Top 2020 list!