Don’t Let 2020 Go To Waste

The call for the “death” of 2020 is rife across social media and the Internet in general. Heck, there’s even a Netflix-produced mockumentary called Death to 2020 (which is apparently pretty bad, but I guess that makes sense for a few reasons, including the fact it seems appropriate that a movie about a horrible year for the planet would be just as lousy).

The sentiment about 2020 is understandable, to make the understatement of the century. What human being doesn’t want to put unpleasant events behind them as quickly as possible? We’re nothing if not resilient and adaptable. Perhaps we can be too resilient sometimes; we can be in such a hurry to distance ourselves from unpleasant circumstances that we miss opportunities to grow.

I’m not trying to be glib with this article, nor am I trying to make light of 2020. I know the gravity of the social upheaval and the loss of life. I’m not going to tell people who have suffered to “look on the bright side” or “cheer up.” This message is really for those of us who find ourselves relatively unscathed in the aftermath of the year.

The Year the Earth Stood Still

I’m sure you’ve had moments when something happened to make you pause from the sometimes-frantic race of life and take stock of things. I call these moments “cosmic nudges,” because it’s like the universe pokes you with a giant finger you can’t ignore. Whatever the cause—job loss, illness, death, or other unexpected changes—trauma forces us to stop and contemplate.

In 2020, the universe gave the whole planet that giant finger. Like it or not, we all had our lives put on hold in some way. Human routines ground to a global standstill for most of the year. Maybe you spent a lot of that time doing things other than meditating on the meaning and purpose of your life (like watching bad Netflix movies). That’s okay. We all need to decompress sometimes.

But chances are good you’ve done at least a little soul-searching during this pandemic. I’m here to encourage you to do some more. In fact, I want you to see 2020 as a bittersweet “gift.” Yes, all of life is a gift, and all years leave their mark on history. But life in 2020 was one of those pivotal spans of time that shifted the trajectory of everyone. It was indeed a traumatic, unignorable pause for the globe.

The good thing about trauma is that we can improve from it. Research into the phenomenon of post-traumatic growth shows us the potential we have to take the trials of life and use them to thrive instead of just suffer. We go through this process naturally as part of the emotional healing process over time, but studies show we can also make a conscious effort to use trauma as a decision point in life.

This means we can see 2020 as a chance to take a deep, cleansing breath on a worldwide scale. It’s an opportunity to hit the reset button on our perceptions of circumstances and choose to sharpen our appreciation of life. This can come in the form of building better relationships, increased altruism, identifying new purpose, greater appreciation of one’s strengths, and more.

Pay Forward Your Fortune

I didn’t lose my job in 2020, I wasn’t afflicted with COVID-19 (to the best of my knowledge), I have a roof over my head, and enough food (and paper products) for my family. I was fortunate enough to not have someone close to me pass away from COVID-19 or other circumstances. To be honest, I’ve found myself feeling something akin to survivor’s guilt. If you’re like me, you’ve probably felt like you should give back to those who weren’t as lucky in 2020.

The good news is, we can channel that guilt into altruistic action. That’s why those of us who have suffered far less shouldn’t be so quick to turn our backs on the potential lessons of 2020. Yes, the events of the year are behind us, but don’t let go of the opportunity to learn from what has happened.

We can take inspiration from those who rose to the challenges of 2020. The heroic mindset is “purpose-built” for times like these. Stories of heroism, whether fictional or ripped from the headlines, serve as the blueprint and inspiration for how to tackle the challenges of the world. The tools of the hero are many: bravery, decisiveness, empathy, risking something for the sake of others.

So, take advantage of your good circumstances and give your time, energy, or maybe even some of the fruits of your financial security to those who didn’t fare as well in 2020. The size of your contributions doesn’t matter. What does matter is the fact that you take action to help?

Time to Put On Your Cape

Things didn’t magically go back to pre-coronavirus “normal” on January 1^st of 2021. This was made starkly clear in light of the still-ongoing struggle with the pandemic, not to mention the violent insurrection at the US Capitol fueled by our continuing national division.

Again, heroism is made for times like these. The heroic mindset has served us well for millennia, and it shows no signs of stopping. As I’ve written before, it stands in opposition to tragic circumstances, misguided people, and intolerant ideologies that seek to divide us.

Your fellow human beings who have suffered in 2020, and continue to struggle in 2021, are looking for a way out of their misery. For those of us who are able, we can be their guides. We can be their heroes. Not for glory or self-aggrandizement, but for the sake of everyone’s well-being and basic human decency.

Every morning when we wake up, we renew this journey of life. Every day we have the chance to decide how we will move through the world. We can choose to allow circumstance to make our tread uncertain, or we can choose to go boldly.

You’ve felt the silent call from within to help those in need. All you need to do now is take action.