5 Things 2020 Taught Me
2020 was a year. The Australian wildfires, the death of Kobe and Gigi Bryant, the 2020 election, the death of George Floyd, a global pandemic, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If this year didn’t make you take a step back and re-evaluate some things in your life, I’d be shocked and disappointed.
This year was a hard one, but it was also a groundbreaking year where priorities shifted, attitudes changed and change was made. Today, I’m sharing five things 2020 taught me.
1) Live in the Moment
Man, this is the biggest lesson for me of the year. I have always struggled to live in the moment. I had alway been so focused on the future and the possibilities of what could be that I often forget to enjoy what I have.
The global pandemic really hit the United States in March of 2020. I left my final class before spring break ready to run home, pack my bag and head to Florida for spring break. I was so excited to get off campus, get away from the stress of exams, and enjoy some time off. Man, I wish… I wish I had taken a moment to stop, breathe and enjoy the college experience.
The quotes about not knowing what you had until it’s gone couldn’t be any more accurate. Graduating college and starting a professional career in the midst of a pandemic is a prime example. What a strange experience that only people who have lived it fully understand!
I’m done rushing through life. It’s insane how I quite literally had to be forced to slow down by a global pandemic to make me realize this. Stop, smell the roses, and be thankful for every single moment we get.
2) Be Thankful For What I Have
This year has made me incredibly thankful for my health, thankful for my loved ones, thankful for a stable job and a roof over my head. Sometimes we get so caught up if the “haves and have nots” of the world that we forget the big picture of what really matters.
Over the past year, I’ve had family members and loved ones who have experienced health scares. Many have lost loved ones during these times. It isn’t fair, it doesn’t make sense, but it does put life into perspective. What are you prioritizing in your life? Is that something that really matters, or is it something that immediately becomes insignificant when life throws you a curve ball?
3) Get Outside Yourself
For so long, I was operating off my own perception of reality. Many of us live in our own world, which makes complete sense because each of our realities is shaped by our personal experiences. However, this year taught me a new level of empathy and understanding. Because I struggled to live in the moment prior to this year, it also meant I was rushing past conversations that needed to happen. Conversations about race, discrimination, injustice and so much more. The Black Lives Matter movement offered an opening to have conversations with family, friends and loved ones. The stories I read, the conversations I had made me feel sick to my stomach, brought me to breakdown level tears and challenged my perception of reality. If I was brought to tears hearing about the injustice and racism in this country, how must minority men and women feel in this country actually living and experiencing it?
I am blessed, I am thankful, but man, I am privileged.
4) The Beauty is in the Madness
This year has been a hot mess, but it has also allowed Matthew and I to spend so much more time together. The highlight of 2020 was going from boyfriend and girlfriend to an engaged couple. It’s pretty funny because many of our arguments prior to 2020 were surrounding not spending enough time together. In the craziness of COVID-19, there is beauty in being able to spend time with my loved one.
5) Don’t Spend One Second Where You Aren’t Happy
Life operates in funny ways. We’ve all been there before. What may have seemed like an incredible opportunity turns out to in fact be toxic and unhealthy. This year taught me a lot about knowing my worth. It is not worth spending one second somewhere you’re not happy. For me, this was a career path. I accepted a job that seemed like all the stars had aligned, just to get onboarded and realize it was a terrible fit for me personally. I cried almost every day and felt like I was trapped because I had been told by so many mentors in college that you have to stick out a job for a least a year if you ever want to be considered for other opportunities. This is not true. If your mental health is being compromised, get out.