04 February 2021
I think we can all admit that 2020 was quite the doozy. It was the year everyone was looking forward to — remember the 20–20 vision & 20-plenty mantras we all chanted when the clock struck midnight on the 1st of Jan 2020? But, the start of a new decade had other plans for us, didn’t it? It was the year no one saw coming.
It’s safe to say that 2020 taught us a lot about ourselves, our families, our businesses and well, just life in general. If we took anything away from what was one of the worst years in human history, it’s the lessons below.
We all need to be flexible, willing to adapt and embrace change
If one thing in life is certain, it’s change. Nothing ever remains the same and as we saw last year, things can change overnight (literally). Businesses went from being office-based to being completely remote and face-to-face interactions were replaced with Zoom meetings. The way you knew things to be were completely flipped on its head. But, we overcame these obstacles and we took them in our stride. We adapted. And that is what brought us through (that and the tiny window we had to be outside). Being open to change and being flexible is one of the most important tools you can have in your arsenal. It almost guarantees your success in both your personal and professional lives.
Find happiness in simple things
Having a total lockdown makes you appreciate the simple pleasures in life like having a coffee with a friend at your favourite café or taking your dog for a walk on the beach. As humans, we need darkness in order for there to be light so having everything shut, made us find the joy in small moments. Moments like games night with your family became something to look forward to or trying out a new recipe because you had the time and actually enjoying it or even finding the time to get fit. These were moments we took for granted in 2019, but in 2020, they became moments of genuine happiness.
Slow down
2020 taught us that we actually have time. The culture of busyness that we developed evaporated and we were forced to slow down and find a sort of peace that we could never afford usually. We were so used to being on the go and having everything fast-paced that we forgot how it felt to be still. We learnt how to appreciate the long, lazy mornings and the easy-going evenings — we experienced the gift of time.
Take that leap of faith
If 2020 taught us anything it’s that life is short. Don’t waste your life waiting for the right time, just take the leap of faith. The right time to start your business, buy a house or take that trip will never arrive if you do not make it happen. Don’t wait for life to pass you by.
All of humanity is connected
This is perhaps one of the few times in history that the entire world has gone through the same experience. We need to have empathy above all else. We might not all be in the same boat, but we are all weathering the same storm. We all need to be kind and help whoever we can, whenever we can. “United we stand, divided we fall” now applies more than ever.
2020 is over, and we’re all thrilled but if we do not take heed of the lessons learnt, then the challenges we faced last year, both personally and professionally, would have all been in vain. Let’s stand together and look at the positives that came out of 2020 and let’s strive to make 2021 even better.
You do life, while we do virtually everything else!
Contact Link A VA if you want to know more:
www.linkava.co.za
info@linkava.co.za
