What Has The Year 2020 Taught Us So Far?

So far, 2020 has been trash. Between tragic and unexpected losses, both high profile and personal, Coronavirus, and the never-ending political circus that has become the United States, it’s been a lot going on, and we are only in March. As an eternal optimist, I find myself trying to find a silver lining or light at the end of the tunnel somewhere, and all I keep coming up with is a straightforward question, what are we supposed to learn from this as a collective?

No matter your religious beliefs or lack thereof, you have to admit that these days feel more and more like the predicted “end of times.”  Maybe not in the drastic sense that we’re all doomed, but simply a major shift is imminent that will force us to re-evaluate how we operate on a daily basis. As marginalized people, we are natural survivors and feel immune to the despair of struggling. We don’t seem to panic the same way the world does when disaster hits. We make a joke, a new song, a meme, and a new dance about anything, and it’s that spirit alone, which is likely our greatest superpower. Be that as it may, the crisis is still very real and should not be ignored. What lies ahead in the upcoming days and weeks feels uncertain, but there are a few lessons we should have already learned along the way to help us as we move forward:

Life Is Precious- No, it didn’t take the Coronavirus or shutting sports down to understand this one, but now more than ever, you truly get a sense of how precious life is. We all have problems, issues, challenges, and stories. You may even have legitimate reasons to dislike some people, but when faced with a global crisis like this, I challenge you to set the petty differences aside. Find peace in your heart to forgive where you can and move on when you can’t live without a heavy heart. Pour love and kindness every chance you get.

If You Stay Ready, You Never Have To Get Ready- We’ve become too comfortable and forgot how critical it is to have simple survival skills. The first skill is always stock your home with some “in case of emergency” cash and supplies. It’s very telling how many of us weren’t even prepared to have at least a two week supply of basic necessities judging by the way people flooded the stores for food and toilet paper.

Mind Your Mental Health- If you’ve been paying attention, the discussion around mental health and wellness has been increasingly important over the past several years and for a good reason. With the internet and social media, we are being fed information at lightning speeds, and we all know bad news travels faster than good. Even the strongest person can get easily dismayed by the news, trending topics, press releases, and conflicting statements coming from the White House. While the news isn’t guaranteed to always be of good report, practice your peace and check on your people. Whether you need to incorporate meditation, stand in the sunlight, take meds or reach out to a mental health provider for assistance, do what you need to be ok and check up on those you know and love. Even the “strong” ones.

Get Back To Basics- Abundance is our birthright, but let’s not lose sight of the simple things. Love, compassion, being neighborly, and good stewards aren’t just old school values it’s how we should always strive to operate in the world as we know it. Lend a hand where you can build a community. There’s nothing scarier than to face a quarantine, and you have cut off everyone in your life due to ego, pride and arrogance. We need each other more than ever.