January 2, 2021
The year 2020 is the most challenging, exhausting, and transformative year. In my 31 years of existence, I can say that 2020 is full of uncertainties. But despite those uncertainties, my joys, dreams, and my hopes remain steady, and wishing that next year will bring enlightenment.
As I reflect on the year 2020, and all of its bumps and hiccups, I have learned so many things about life. From tough times come the tough lessons, self-growth, and learning opportunities. Here are what 2020 and this pandemic taught us:
Take Value Of Time Because Life Is Short
People often waste their time and don't pursue the things they wanted to and often say 'I'll do it at the right time.' This pandemic has taught us to stop wasting time and do not wait for the right time. We don't hold the future so we are always unaware of what will happen the next day. Regrets always happen at the end. To avoid saying 'I should have done this and that,' then take the leap and do the thing rather than waiting the life to pass by.
Action Speaks Louder Than Words
Before the end of 2019, people have set goals for 2020, but because of the pandemic, everything turned upside down. Setting a goal without actions are useless. No matter what happens to the world, you still hold the decision whether to pursue your goal or to withdraw it. This pandemic is just a hindrance on your way, but you can sweep it to clear your path and continue heading in the direction you are supposed to go.
Dreaming is different from doing, and saying is different from showing. We can make all the New Year’s Resolutions in the world, but taking action is the real work. We are a byproduct of our actions, not our goals. If we want to set a goal or do something, then we should take action not just words.
Be Grateful In Simple Things
The pandemic brought darkness for us to see the light. When everything was shut and has been taken away, small things and happy moments have re-sparked. The things we didn't think and care too much about in 2019 became our true happiness in 2020. We feel contented with the simple set of meal on the table. Shopping local foods from our local stores. Drinking a cup of coffee in a sunny window while appreciating the beauty of sun rays that pass through the leaves. And most of all, we are grateful that despite these escalating positive cases of the virus, we remain safe and negative.
Prioritize Self-Care
Self-care is not a privilege but a priority. This 2020 taught us to care much about ourselves because that is the only way we can do to survive the pandemic. It is the year where we set high priority for ourselves to continue the support we give to our family and friends in their time of need. The world won't go but our life will if we do not care for it, especially when things seem to fall apart. Hold firmly and care for yourself more than anything else.
There Is Always A Silver Lining
In every dark side of our lives, there is always a silver lining of opportunity. The pandemic's lockdown that closed offices and schools gives us more time with our family. It also saved money since there is no need to commute. This also gives the opportunity to be more healthy since we nourish ourselves with home-cooked meals. And the zoom thing? It reconnects us with our family and friends on the other side of the world. Being shut indoors for weeks even months reignite some old hobbies to stay entertained. And above all, it allows us to create space for ourselves and find peace barely afforded in modern life.
These are the lessons that we will carry forward with us into the New Year, and for many years to come. Having something positive to look forward to is motivating in the short and long term to keep going.
In this 32nd birthday of mine, what I only wish is an end to this pandemic and bring back the normal lives we have back then, but carrying the lessons it brought us and making it a motivation to keep going.
The year 2020 has taught us that the catastrophe we face and the resilience we respond with has the power to shape our lives. The challenges brought by this year allow us to learn, strive, and thrive into a more compassionate, stronger, and more grateful individual.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME 😊
I'm grateful for the life God gave me.
I'm grateful for the good health of my family and friends.
I'm grateful for having a negative test result in COVID-19.
I'm grateful for overcoming depression and that made me stronger.
I'm grateful for all the blessings and opportunities I had received this past year.
I'm grateful for the new people I have met especially here in readcash.
I'm grateful for the new knowledge I acquired through this platform that I was able to apply in my real life.
I'm grateful and will always be, for everything that will come into my life, either challenges or opportunities, because those things will only make me a stronger person!
"Our life is a byproduct of our actions, not our goals!"
I'm praying for all the good in your life, Jane. In fact, you are a teacher who inspires through your writing, many of us learn to write while reading your articles