The Hidden Gains of 2020
The year 2020 has truly thrown a curve ball our way with the spread of Covid-19 which has assumed unprecedented proportions; more than half the year has been spent in the midst lockdowns, quarantine and travel bans and life as we know it has drastically changed for many. However, being the resilient species we are, human beings have found ingenious ways to keep things going. Thanks to the digital age, many of us are able to continue our daily business of working, studying and even shopping using the online platform with relative ease. The year has seen a lot of trials and heart-breaking loss, but it is important to note some of the good we may have gained, perhaps without even realizing it.
Here are a few hidden gains from this tumultuous year:
A new way of doing things. This year stands tribute to our resilience and adaptability in the face of sudden and extensive change. It has compelled us to see ordinary things like going out or how we interact with others in a completely new way, to approach problems with novel solutions and provided us with a much-needed refresher’s course in personal health and public safety.
Quality time with loved ones. Social distancing may be the new norm, but social connection has always been the cornerstone of rich emotional lives. Staying at home more has allowed families to reconnect emotionally, adjust with physically being in each other’s company for extended periods of time, and it has also helped establish healthy boundaries for being together.
Revisiting ourselves. Deluged with our work, familial or social responsibilities, we often put our own interests in the backseat. We promise we will come back to them when we have time, but the time never seems to come. The lockdown put us in a forced break and many have rediscovered forgotten hobbies or finally got the time to pursue new ones.
An existential wake up call. The pandemic has brought us face to face with our own mortality, and so this year has brought with it some much needed perspective. It may have each of us questioning whether we are living our life to the fullest, or it may have reaffirmed aspects about ourselves we already knew. In any case, it has nudged us to engage in a healthy dose of self-reflection.