Top 10 Lessons Learned in 2020. As we entered the new decade—2020—we were looking forward to new adventures in our lives, new jobs, new places to visit around the world, celebrating big accomplishments and special birthdays with our loved ones. But all our dreams and plans for 2020 were shuttered in a matter of days. We now have a choice to make: We feel sorry for ourselves pondering on everything we lost this year. Or we choose to see the positive experiences and lessons learned throughout this year as we lived through the COVID-19 Pandemic, the riots in many of our cities, and an unforgettable presidential election process.
Let’s choose to see the positive and reflect on everything we learned this year. Below are the top 10 lessons learned in 2020:
Resiliency. One of the biggest lessons we learned is to be resilient. Businesses had to change the old way of doing things from one day to the next. Employees had to learn to work from home with the pets and children around and without having the proper equipment or office setup. As we continue to live through the Pandemic, we are now more prepared to pivot on a moment’s notice. If something doesn’t work out, that’s ok, we move to the next option. This new or polished skill of resiliency will serve us well for the rest of our lives.
Creativity. We had to become more creative at everything we do on a daily basis—from how we buy groceries to how we stock food in our houses—especially how to creatively buy more toilet paper! Event planners created new ways to do their conferences using various systems. Speakers had to adapt to whatever system the event planners had to offer and attendees had to learn to “unmute.”
Compassion. As we observed how the world changed around us and how much suffering people were facing, most of us felt compassion for strangers. This global Pandemic opened our eyes to the see the entire world as one humanity. This virus attacked everyone and is not respecter of persons regardless of background, age, political views, religion, or culture. Yes, there are specific groups of people who are more vulnerable to dying but the virus doesn’t know that. It attacked wherever there was an open door to move into.
Empathy. We became more empathetic for people who are more vulnerable to the virus or if they live with a person who is at higher risk. We empathized with parents of young children who had to work while trying to help their children with schoolwork.
Resourceful. Companies took their retired computers from the closets and put them to work again. These systems may not be the fastest, but they worked okay for employees to be able to continue serving customers from home. At the personal level, many people made masks not only for their own families but gave them away to others in need.
Technology. Everyone had to up their game using technology. People who refused to use technology now were forced to do their banking on their phones, call their grandchildren on FaceTime, Google Duo, WhatsApp, or Zoom. Businesses that were waiting on the edges to upgrade systems or use new technologies were forced to invest in technology now or be out of business completely. Digital payments are now the new way of paying each other or purchasing goods. Also, because of technology, several vaccines are coming out in a record time to help humanity fight and end this Pandemic.
Generosity. Even though nonprofit organizations that help people were not able to meet in person to raise funds, they used creativity, technology, and resourcefulness to attract donors to their causes. People became more generous in the effort to help other human beings in need.
Efficiency. Businesses became more efficient in their processes. What before took twenty steps to complete, now may only take ten steps. Unnecessary steps and approvals had to be removed from the process in order to expedite service to customers and simply to survive as a business. Business leaders had to trust their employees and empower them with more authority to complete tasks while still complying with regulations that apply to their industries.
Prioritize. We learned to prioritize our activities based on importance and risk exposure. We chose to continue some commitments and drop the less important ones. What’s most important in our lives surfaced to the top of the list. All the other superficial activities went by the wayside.
Faith. Most importantly, this year was a time to seek God—for some people for the first time in their lives. Despite the terrible circumstances we all went through this year, God has always been there waiting for us to ask for help and to invite Him into our lives. Faith is what sustains us through tribulations.
So, you see, in the midst of a global Pandemic we can come out ahead. Yes, we lost a lot and some of us lost loved ones to the disease which is the highest price to pay. Yet we can still move forward and learn lessons that will carry us through the rest of our lives. From all the lessons we learned listed above, the most important to remember is faith. I will leave you with this Scripture that sums it all up:
John 16:33 (KJV)
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.