5 Lessons From 2020

2020 was the year most people would rather forget, and obviously, I don’t blame them. So, rather than rehash all the negative aspects of 2020 which we are all tired of reading about, I’m going to focus on the lessons 2020 imparted on me as I look forward into 2021.

1. Nobody cares about your outfit

As someone who used to love shopping for clothes in my teenage years with a monthly subscription to Teen Vogue and Cosmopolitan, I cared a lot about fashion and appearances. While I could never afford designer clothes, I had clothes in abundance from H&M, Urban Outfitters, Simons and Zara. I used to think that having a large variety of clothing to pick from meant more opportunities to show off my personality. However, over the years, I’ve started caring a bit less about shopping and when the pandemic forced us all into lockdown, I realized just how silly it was to have so many clothes in my closet. Now, the only thing people saw was my dining room table and the bookshelf behind me in my at-home working space during the countless webcam meetings I’ve had. Nobody cared about how cohesive my outfit was, although to be fair, I’m sure that even when I did put in effort to get dressed to leave the house, nobody really cared either. Working remotely put that into perspective for me and it has been liberating in a way to come to that realization.

That being said, I still believe in changing out of your pyjamas to start the day, as putting on a fresh outfit does put me in a different state of mind. I just learned that comfortable clothing does not mean you have to look like you’ve given up on life.

2. Disconnect from screens and social media

In a year where all in-person social gatherings were halted, people flocked to spending more time in digital spaces “socializing,” playing video games together, watching more Netflix and consuming digital media. Ironically, as the world strived to connect digitally more than ever, I wanted nothing more than to remove myself entirely from all of it. If anything, spending so much time alone reminded me of how much I love to create. I spent hours playing the piano, singing, dancing in my living room, journaling every day or making bracelets out of string just to pass the time. I took a lot of baths and realized that while I might have been bored a lot of the time, I could learn to just sit in the boredom rather than feel the need to constantly fill each minute with some form of entertainment. 2020 was a year that forced all of us to chill out and that’s not a bad thing.

3. Go outside regularly

Going into the winter months, it is harder than ever to find reasons to leave home with everything being closed and the weather being cold and grey. All the more reason to establish a routine and make time for fresh air. I’ve started making it a habit to go for a walk at least once a day, even on colder days, just to change scenery for a bit. I’m sure everyone has received this advice already, but fresh air will do you good.

4. You don’t need a gym membership to stay in shape

I used to go to the gym regularly, not because I really cared about my physical health, but more because I cared about how I looked. On the point of physical appearances, that still rings true, but I did learn that you don’t need a gym membership to maintain your physique. There are literally thousands of free videos on Youtube of at-home workout routines you can follow along to without needing to invest in any actual gym equipment. When I got over the fact that my neighbours could see me doing jumping jacks in my underwear because I don’t close the blinds on my windows, I actually began to enjoy my at-home workouts. It does take a lot of self-discipline though, as pulling out your yoga mat to do some push-ups and crunches in the same space that you work in, eat in and lounge in is a commitment that requires a strong mindset.

5. Control the controllable

You’ve for sure also heard some variant of this advice. Don’t focus on the past, control what you can. 2020 was the year filled with negativity. All around us, unemployment rates were rising, businesses were closing and people were falling ill. It certainly felt apocalyptic. That’s exactly why I think 2020 was the year to regain control of our own realities and grasp onto whatever sense of normalcy we could. I’m sure we’re all sick of hearing about “the new normal,” so instead, I prefer to focus on what is within my realm of control and focus on that. It has made reality more tolerable along with a few glasses of wine for good measure.

In conclusion, let’s all raise our glasses and give a toast to the year that was 2020! Despite the year being quite horrific, I’ve managed to learn a few things nonetheless.

Cheers to 2021!