Ah, this year is the epitome of what crazy looks like. So much has happened but also so little at the same time. Plans got cancelled, we were forced to change the way we normally go about with our lives, and we faced so many uncertainties along the way.
If we just think about it on the surface, there wasn’t much to be happy about or be grateful for in 2020, it seems like it will go down to be one of the worst years in our lifetime. But wait, is it actually?
Yes, it definitely is the year when bad things happened. When many lives were lost and changed not just because of the pandemic but other calamities, and unfortunate events as well. It was indeed full of fears and anxieties. And yet, it is also when we learned to survive all that and more.
This year has been the year of learning. Learning to be strong when faced with the precariousness of what could happen tomorrow, of learning to adjust to the new normal to keep our loved ones and communities safe, of learning to find our voices to pursue the truth and what is right, and of learning to take things one day at a time because things could change at any time.
Personally, this has been a year of discovery. It has been a journey of discovering what matters most and focusing on what’s keeping me rooted. For everything that has unfolded, I was finally able to keep some things into perspective and realised how important self-care is. It’s not just taking myself out for retail therapy or binge watching tv shows, it’s not just pampering myself, but rather, it is actively protecting my mind space and peace.
Difficult as it was, I learned to detach myself from people and situations that do not contribute to my growth. I learned to be grateful for what I have in the moment as I work towards my goals slowly and quietly, and most importantly, to celebrate my accomplishments on my own and with only the few who are there for me genuinely.
I hope that as we venture into the new year, we can carry each of our experiences and use them in tackling the challenges coming our way. And if there is only one thing to take away from 2020, may it be the realisation that we are capable of rebuilding and hitting reset to jump into the things that we never got to do.
After all, this year has taught us that the future can be very fickle, so we should act while we still have the now, with brave and hopeful hearts.
Heart Bits & Pieces 