It was never in my strangest imagination that after 100 years, a pandemic will take the same path we are currently taking. We were all enjoying the goodness of freedom and were just savoring what life has for us.
We’re going destinations here and there, making some good times with friends and families, joining marathons, concerts, and get togethers but in a snap of destiny’s will, all of these were taken away.
How regretful I was that I held back from doing those I mentioned. I always believed that future always has the perfect time for me to break free until I found myself isolated in the middle of the crisis.
This crisis made me understand how tricky life plays its part though. Because of this, I took 2020 as a lesson. A lesson I will not want to take ever again.
In this post, I will share with you 10 things that the year 2020 made me realize.
1. Saving is Everything
Remember those days when you used to go to the bar after every end of work? Remember those times when you used to spend your savings for shopping because you were hopeful that the next pay-out was just around the corner? Remember those days? Me too.
The good thing is, yes, I remember those days when my friends always invited me to join going to the bars but I never did. I remember those days when I thought of going on shopping and spending my remaining pennies considering that pay-out would be the week after but, still, I never did and I am thankful of it.
I never expected that after 100 years, a pandemic was going to hit us and during this crisis, saving is everything. People started to lose their jobs and all I was waiting was to lose mine but thank God it did not happen.
During that time, I realized that it was worth it being thrifty and it was worth it stopping myself from spending for temporary happiness.
2. Health is Wealth
This is already an old cliché as we all know but this has been proven true. Even before the pandemic struck, we've already been hearing this phrase from different people but the only moment this got deeper into my understanding was after first month of hearing the never ending cases of the people getting the virus.
Rich or poor, nobody could get away from the unseen enemy that was continuously going around. Vaccines were not yet available but you could not stay inside all the time for you have to go out to buy food and other necessities. The only thing you could rely on was your own health.
Along with prayers, your best weapon against the virus was your own good health. I'm thankful I never smoked and I never exposed myself to any vices for in times like this, health as wealth.
3. Struggles Make You Stronger
Grapes are crushed to make wine. Diamonds should be formed under pressure. Olives are squeezed to make oil. Even seeds grow in the darkness.
This process happened to us sometimes and we sometimes feel down when it looks like we can never stand up after a great fall. This 2020, I realized, staying at home and having no one to physically support you is a struggle, indeed. But this struggle is the one that taught me how to make it through problems on my own and figure things out to survive.
When you experience struggle and you got no one to depend on but yourself, you unlock a part of you that creates another version of you. Stronger, better, and wiser.
So the next time you feel crushed, under pressure, pressed, or in the darkness, that means that you are on the right track and in a powerful place for transformation and all you have to do is keep going and trust the process.
4. Adaptability is Flexibility
I was used to having times in my life where my movements are not numbered for I was free to do what I wanted to do. I could go wherever I want to go and I could meet whoever I wanted to meet face to face.
Until such time that none of this could ever be done freely anymore. No one was allowed to go out unless you have your quarantine pass, no one was free to go to restaurants, go have a walk at the park, or even meet your friends face to face and because of this, I was left with no choice but to adapt to the situation.
I started accomplishing a quarantine pass so I could go out to the market. I learned how to plan listing one week of grocery items so there's no need for me to go out every single time, and I learned to arrange video calls with my friends and started reaching out to them through chats.
I learned to adapt to changes and it did not stop me from doing the things I used to do. With a little bit of adjustment, I became more resourceful and more flexible.
5. Go All In
I remember those times when I could have maximized the time being with my friends. Those days I could have taken the chance joining marathons. Those moments that I had doubts investing. All of those.
This time, I realized that whenever I want to do something that I know will benefit me, I'll go for it all in and I will give my 100%. If I want to learn about investments, I will give 100% of my effort and attention. If I want to do good on my job, I'll give 100% of hard work and dedication.
No doubts and no half-hearted decisions. As a long as I know that it will do me good for the rest of my life. No space for second thoughts. We'll never know when the next chance will arrive or if it ever will.
6. Small Things are Great
Three meals a day, complete parents, and a peaceful household. These are just some of the small things I realized that I should be thankful for.
Because of what was going on in every single day in the outside world, these small gifts were never part of those I considered as blessings. When the lockdown started, that's when the environment where I was moving around became smaller. Work from home, quarantine, total isolation.
Suddenly I was put away from those that gave me different varieties of what I considered as blessings. Night out with friends, travels, and eat out with work mates.
When the lockdown started, that's when I learned how to pray at night. I learned thanking God for having shelter, food on our table, parents you get to talk to everyday, siblings, and even the sunshine.
These simple things I never saw before when I was still blinded by the outside world. These simple things that gave me hope and helped me keep going amidst this crisis.
7. Self Teaching is Something
We are close to being like house mates in Big Brother's house. No one from the outside world can help us deal with our own issues. None but ourselves. Because of this, I realized that I should not rely on anybody but myself. I learned how to figure things out on my own.
When I don't know how things work, I teach myself by watching tutorials, reading books, and browsing the net. The pandemic made me realize that it's not all the time that you can have someone to save you.
In the blink of an eye, you suddenly can be put to a situation when you got no one and you have to practice educating yourself.
8. Accountability is Liberty
Being on your own amidst this crisis means you got no one to depend on. Which also means that whatever the result of your actions is going to be, the accountability should be yours.
Being accountable is not a bad thing after all. This simply means that you got full access to how problems are going to be resolved and how wrong results can be improved and made right.
It's a Liberty to control the entire situation and when you do, you are free to do whatever actions you feel is right to accomplish your missions.
9. Work Hard but Work Smarter
I used to go to work one or two hours earlier daily just so I could make sure all tasks are done before the end of the day.
Being a corporate slave, all I wanted to do was just to work my ass off to give justice to my well-paying job. But just like what other people say specially the risk takers, no one gets rich by doing "8-5" jobs.
This was what I realized when the lockdown started, specially when I discovered that crypto currency investment was a good deal to work on, on the side.
Because of it, I started investing. In life, working hard is not enough. You have to know the smartest way to make your life easier in the long run. Doing an "8-5" job and taking it seriously is hard work that you can have for yourself, but making sure your life is insured through investing is a smart move.
10. The Power of Social Media
I've always known that social media is a power each of us can make use of but I never thought how much of an impact its service would be to me.
Through social media, not only I was able to reach out to my friends and family but I was also able to explore the world of investment through blogs, forums, career groups, and even stock market.
I was never a social media person but because of this pandemic, I realized how powerful it is that it can even make me money through swipes of my fingers.
2020 has made me realize a lot of things. Things that taught me that even in the middle of crisis, you alone can make an improvement.
How about you? What 2020 made you realize?
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