Lessons Of 2020
Key takeaways of the year 2020.
I think it’s safe to say that 2020 was one year none of us had expected when we said goodbye to the ’10s decade. The whole world was a mess this year.
It is so easy to look at the things that didn’t go quite well or as expected from this year, but to look at the bright side is harder for this year. However, even though blessings seemed far off of what the year had offered, it doesn’t mean that this year didn’t have any blessings and lessons.
Without any further ado, here are some things I learned in 2020.
Appreciate the Little Things in Life
It is so easy to get tangled up in the many things you may be doing in your life. Sometimes it may seem like you don’t have to appreciate the little things because it may seem like there is no point.
This year I learnt that appreciation doesn’t have to be of big things. The fact that you have a roof over your head and food on the table may not seem anything too big, but when the whole world is a mess, you realize how lucky you are to have a place you can call home.
There is No Forever
When we go to bed at night, we do so without doubting the fact that we will wake up tomorrow morning. 2020 made me realize this was not the case. The time we have is limited and we may not be here tomorrow.
The night my grandfather died in his sleep, no one could have guessed that when the sun rose tomorrow morning, it wouldn't see his face. That made me realize that things can change overnight and you should make the best out of your time at the current moment.
A Little Bit of Kindness Goes a Long Way
A small act of kindness does not just end with the other person. Being kind is always important, especially during hard times. The number of people who do kind things just out of sheer goodness is small.
You never know what kind of battle someone might be fighting so being kind is so so so important. It is so easy to go about our day without noticing other people’s struggles.
Don’t Beat Yourself For Every Little Thing
I am a perfectionist by nature. If things don’t go as planned, I will end up nitpicking every tiny thing and end up blaming myself for things that were out of my control. I like taking control of my situations so when things come up that are outside of my control, I will end up overthinking them.
This year was a perfect example of the fact that you shouldn’t beat yourself up for every tiny thing in your life that doesn't go as planned. Things did not go as according to plan throughout this whole past year. At first, I was upset about it. It seemed as if no matter how hard I worked, something was going to screw everything else, and it did.
Nothing went as planned in 2020. It seemed as if everything was falling out of place. Then again, this year was unlike any other. No matter how much I could have tried, it was inevitable that things were not going to work in my favour. And that is completely OKAY. Sometimes things need to fall out of place to fall in order for them to fit together.
It’s Okay to Let People Go
Throughout the entire year, I realized that there is no forever. This led me to also realize that relationships also dont last forever. Sometimes it is best for you to let go of people so you can meet new people. This way, you are not holding on to something that is only an expectation and not a reality. It is hard to let people go. I can testify that, but it is the only way you will meet others.
The end of 2020 for me also meant the end of certain friendships. I won't deny the fact that it hurt. It hurt when the people who promised to be best friends forever were no more than just strangers. Those people that you shared all of your secrets and stories were no longer there. It hurt but without taking that step in our friendship, we both would have felt our relationship as just another responsibility without giving it our 100%. There is no point in keeping a relationship that you are not fully committed to.
Laugh; A LOT
I honestly cannot stress this enough. When they say laughing is the best medicine, they are not lying. Let loose sometimes. Make a joke with your friends. Laugh at the stupidest things, at the lamest jokes because you will later wish you could have later on. No matter how tough life gets, remember to take a break and to spend some quality time with your friends and family and make jokes with them. Don’t take life too seriously, no one comes out of it alive at the end so enjoy it while you can.
Document Your Moments
Documenting your memories and moments at the time and looking back at it is a way for you to experience some things. Take pictures of the world around you to look back on it later on. Take silly selfies with your friends, because who knows? That could be your last one.
Personally, I am not a big fan of taking pictures. If you look through my photos on my phone, there will be maybe a maximum of 20 pictures of me in a camera roll of over 3 thousand pictures, the majority of them being my sister’s pictures. I realized, because of this, when time passed by, I couldn’t revisit some moments because I had not documented them. Pictures and videos are like a time capsule you can visit over and over again and experience some things. They let you experience things from way back into the present.
These were some of my takeaways from the year 2020. It was a year unlike any other, but we made it! Give yourself a little pat on the back for going through it all. I think 2020 was a year that let us realize some things that we couldn't have realized if it hadn't been for it. Life is full of learning and growing as a person, so what were some things that 2020 taught you?
About the Author
Hey readers! If you have made it this far, then I would like to thank you for your time! This was not like my usual other articles, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. I am super passionate about learning about new things, specifically more about space, astronomy and anything to do with space. If you want to read more articles from me follow me on Medium and connect with me on LinkedIn!