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What a year 2020 has been... It has been a year that many of us simply just want to forget about. It's brought pain. It's brought misery. It's hard to see past all the negative sides of 2020. However, there are many positive life lessons learned in 2020. These lessons of life can help up us appreciate all the good that has happened as well. Some of them were life lessons learned the hard way, unfortunately. Some of the life lessons learned in lock-down, however, can help to put us onto a new trajectory for our course in life in 2021. So, as we say goodbye to 2020, let's discuss 21 life lessons learned in 2020 to give us a better 2021.
WHAT LESSONS DO WE LEARN FROM LIFE?
There are many forms of lessons in life. Relationship lessons. Spiritual lessons. Career lessons. Lessons about passion and following your heart. Emotional lessons like empathy and coping with heartache. Financial lessons like how to best navigate your future. Mental lessons like overcoming anxiety and fear. Through trial and error, there are so many things that life teaches us on a daily basis.
WHY IS LEARNING ABOUT LIFE LESSONS IMPORTANT?
If you've ever heard the quote "those who forget history are doomed to repeat it," than this is exactly the reason. All the bad things that happen to us in our lives are actually a gift. They teach us. They let us know how we want to feel, or don't want to feel. They give us more understanding, more clarity, more certainty.
They help us to build a better future for ourselves.
WHAT HAS 2020 TAUGHT US ABOUT OUR LIVES?
Plain and simple. Life is precious. If we've learned any life lessons from 2020, it is that the hardest thing in life is to lose the people we love. To lose those around us is so challenging because we realize that they give life more meaning to live. To lose those connections is the greatest heartache a human can feel in life. So, as the world slowed down, were you paying attention?
Did you realize what actually matters the most? Were you caught up in reality television or what was happening with the Kardashians? Probably not I imagine. You were caught up with the people you love and how they were coping. You were caught up with missing your friends, and spending quality time together again. You were caught up thinking about your life. What is it all about? Why is this all happening? How do you want things to change?
For the first time, in a long time, the world paused for a moment and we took a long hard look in the mirror at ourselves, and our lives. So, if I can give you some life lessons to think about from the past year, they are these:
1) OUR TIME IS LIMITED
It would be great if we could live forever, but we don't unfortunately. This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Steve Jobs which is "remembering that we are going to die is the best way to avoid the trap of thinking that we have something to lose." Our mortality is limited. So, just go out in life and live it, love it.
2) IT'S NEVER A BAD IDEA TO TELL PEOPLE YOU LOVE THEM
If 2020 did anything, it forced us to suddenly prioritize who is most important to us. From the moment we heard the news about Covid, we immediately did the calculations in our heads of who we need to get in touch with. We perhaps thought about the people that we love, but may have become estranged with over the years. We thought to ourselves, I really miss this person. I really value this person. It gave us certainty to who we really value, and who values us.
3) SOME OF THE MOST VALUABLE PEOPLE IN SOCIETY AREN'T EXACTLY POPULAR
It's very eye opening to society that when everything goes a rye, like Coronavirus, the attention suddenly went elsewhere. When our lives were at risk, when everything seemed bleek. Who did we turn to? We turned to Science and healthcare. We turned to nurses, doctors, microbiologists. Yet, before all this chaos they were not necessarily the most valued members of society, seemingly from a populist standpoint. We seem to be so absorbed in celebrities and gossip. Why? It has taught us that our values can sometimes be a bit misplaced sometimes. So, let's change those values in 2021.
4) LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE SMALL THINGS MORE
When this all happened and the world was forced into lock down, maybe it was just me, but did it feel like all ambition went out the window? It was the smaller things that suddenly mattered the most. Our family, our friends, our coworkers, our fondest memories. These are the people everyday who make our lives truly meaningful and something to celebrate. Appreciate the small things more.
5) SIMPLIFY
What did you first think of when this happened? It definitely wasn't about trivial or superficial things. It was experiences. Moments. Taking a walk in the park. Reading a good book. Seeing live music. Ambition, greed, power, all these things seem to fade away. In the end nothing matters but the things that give you most joy. It's usually the simple things.
6) DO WHAT YOU LOVE
Did you find yourself thinking about your life more? Did you think about how you've lived your life up until now? Did you perhaps think about what life you are leading and how you want to change? Maybe you considered doing something that you truly love, that truly matters to you. In the end, you either did what you love, or you simply chased security. If 2020 has taught us anything, it is to lead your life with love, because it's all that really matters. So, take that baking class. Take that acting class. Get those music lessons. Just do it.
7) THE POWER OF SELF RELIANCE
If you were one of the hundreds of millions of people let go from your job, then chances are you thought about how to move on by yourself. You thought about being completely self reliant. No boss. No corporate 9 - 5. You started valuing the idea of being more self reliant, and creating your own future. 2020 has been a year that reminded us that sometimes putting our future in the hands of other people, may not be best idea. So, start that business in 2021. Create the freedom for yourself that you want for you and your family. Just go for it.
8) WE ARE SOCIAL CREATURES
Depression and loneliness were at an all time high in 2020. Suicides unfortunately skyrocketed. We are social creatures. Since the beginning of time we have relied on each other for so much. Being a part of a community is special, and cannot be undervalued. Community is everything.
9) VIDEO CHAT IS BETTER THAN TEXT AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Zoom exploded in 2021. If you paid close attention, it wasn't all about text messages and liking posts. Human civilization looked to zoom. To all sorts of video chat services. Why? Because it's the next best thing to human interaction. Not simple technological tools that are passive and impersonal. So, spend more quality time seeing each other face to face in 2021. Distance is no longer a problem. We can always see, love, and laugh with each other wherever we are.
10) SEEK TO UNDERSTAND YOUR NEIGHBORS
The black lives matter movement was a monumental and necessary undertaking. When the world was at a stand still, it allowed us to peek behind the curtain a little bit better to what was really happening in the world around us. Focus was better. The truth is that some communities are still marginalized, and no matter how you paint it, they are not equal. So, seek to love your neighbors more. Seek to understand. Gain a wider perspective of the world n 2021.
11) LEARN TO SING WHEN YOUR UP TO YOUR HEAD IN MUD
This is a quote from Amdiral McRaven. Basically, With the crap show that was 2020, we learned to be more resilient. We tested our physical and emotional boundaries, and in the end many of us grew stronger from this experience. Appreciate the good as much as the bad, because it teaches us to be better. Learn to sing when you're up to your head in mud.
12) ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING
When the state of the world goes bad, our attitude says everything about ourselves. Attitude dictates our happiness, our worth, our view of the world. Were you more pessimistic in 2020 or optimistic? Chances are you know the answer right away in your heart. There are always going to be challenges in life. Either you lead with the negative, or find a way to see the positive in everything. Challenge your attitude.
13) BE MORE GRATEFUL
Hopefully you found many ways in 2020 to learn how to be more grateful. When humans are stripped of many of the greatest joys in life, they learn to find solitude in what they still have. A full belly. A roof over their head. Gas in their car. Have you taken stock of all these blessings in your life? Gratitude is the key to happiness. Make sure you check your gratitude meter in 2021.
14) FEAR CAN BE CONTROLLED
Coronavirus drove our stress and anxiety through the roof! We were locked down. We were not allowed around the cities. Bars and restaurants closed. However, as more facts came into the fold, we learned to adapt. We wore masks. We washed our hands. We socially distanced. We managed the fear with mindfulness. How can this help you in all areas of your life? When we understood that emotions are not based in fact, and can be managed with solutions, we are better prepared to handle our lives. Control fear with logic.
15) DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP
Chances are, you're one of the billions of people who in a time of need, needed some help from a friend or family member. This could've been financial assistance, emotional assistance, physical assistance. You are not alone. We all deal with the same hardships in life. When we ask for help, we naturally become more vulnerable. As a result, we treat others with more care because we know how it feels to receive it ourselves. Don't be afraid. Ask for help.
16) SELF CARE IS EVERYTHING
Spending so much time by ourselves in 2020, we naturally had to learn our own coping methods. This could've been taking up Yoga or meditation. This could've been reading a book in a nice bubble bath. This could've just been staring at the sunset from your window, taking a quiet moment of reflection. These things helped us to cope better, therefore having more energy to go out in the world and be better as a result, making it better for everybody. Taking care of yourself is important. It is not selfish. Remember to do more of this in 2021.
17) EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE IS IMPORTANT
With all the sadness and much of the hate we saw this year, many people reacted very badly. As a result, it created more sadness and heartache in the world. People lashed out in anger. People lashed out in frustration. These things do not make the world a better place. We cannot allow emotions to dictate our lives. We always have a choice in how we react to situations, so choose wisely. Make emotional intelligence a priority in 2021.
18) THE FUTURE IS A MYSTERY
If 2020 has taught us anything, it is precisely that anything can happen. Who would've thought that this would've happen this year? It's crazy. If a psychic told you in 2019 that this was going to happen, you would've thought they were insane. However, it just goes to show you that the future is a mystery, so forget about it. Anything can happen.There is no point in driving yourself crazy trying to figure out the future. You can set goals, but take it one step at a time.
19) BE MORE PRESENT
This is quite simply exactly what it says. Learn to be more present, enjoy your life. Revel in the moments that make life beautiful. A conversation. A walk in the park. A phone call. Feel the feelings of gratitude and grace on a daily basis. Those daily habits make up your weeks, your months, years, and eventual life. Squeeze all of the juice out of life's lemons.
20) PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY GOOD
Billions of people are worked tirelessly together to get through this pandemic. Doctors and nurses. Family and friends. Neighbors and strangers. So much good has happened in this way that should make you feel good about humanity. It makes you feel good about humanity again. We are stronger together. We are one.
21) CHANGE IS NATURAL
The human brain isn't always comfortable with change. It likes stability and assurance. However, remember that life is one giant journey of change. We start as children. We grow. We learn. We eventually get more wrinkles, and we die. It's the circle of life. The seasons change. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. The world is constantly changing. Learn to dance and move with the ebb and flow of life. Embrace changes. Embrace new horizons. Embrace a new you.
Alright guys, so that's it. 21 life lessons learned from 2020. I hope it's helped to give you a bit of a positive perspective on the year. I hope it helps to inspire you more in 2021.
I know we are all looking forward to a new and more productive year. Stay strong. Stay vigilant. Life will get better. Wishing you all love, peace, and a happy new year!
Matt Jones is a writer and entrepreneur with multiple businesses who loves inspiring others to reach their full potential. He is also a musician, educator, and world traveler who has been to over 40 different countries on all 7 continents. His personal mission is to create and inspire others around the world to be the best version of themselves. He believes in using this one special life for good and achieving happiness.
He is from Los Angeles but is now based in Greater London.
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