2020 is the year that spun our lives upside down with a pandemic, lockdowns, working from home and then spending time away from our families. I would be lying if I didn’t say that 2020 has been difficult and challenging for me mentally. With my final year at uni cut short, summer plans and graduation thrown out the window plus a bleak grad job market 2020 hasn’t exactly lived up to the expectations we all set in 2019. But I believe each year we can learn new things about ourselves regardless of whether things go to plan or not. Rather than doing a wrap of ‘things that made my (insert year)’ like I usually do. So instead I have compiled a shortlist of things that 2020 has taught me.
It’s Okay To Slow Down & Rest
2020 has taught me that I don’t always have to be moving at 100 miles per hour. That its okay to take a step back, slow down and rest. When I completed uni back in May, I felt lost on what I was going to do next and immediately threw myself into internships. It’s safe to say I burnt out real fast and ended up taking August off to rest. So don’t feel guilty for taking time for yourself because 2020 has probably taught us that we need it sometimes.
Everyone Moves At Different Paces
Graduate life has been the MOST confusing and overwhelming time for me. My emotions are very up and down. Sometimes I feel like I am behind when I see so many other people my age working full time, and I put myself down that I only work part-time. It isn’t where I imagined myself to be after graduation, and I have fallen into the trap of comparison far too many times. So 2020 has taught me to remind myself that everyone moves at different paces and that my time will come at exactly the right moment.
Its Okay To Use The Off Switch
With lockdowns and not being able to go out as much as we usually would I have learnt that sometimes it’s okay to use that off switch. To take time away from social media and maybe not reply to all your texts as quickly as you normally would. Spending so much time on our phones and reading the news does as more harm than good sometimes so, I made an effort to stop mindlessly scrolling before I went to bed.
You Can Find Happiness In The Small Things You Do
I learnt to celebrate the little wins I have not to matter how big or small they may be. If you got out of bed, got dressed and made breakfast then celebrate it. I also found time to do things that genuinely made me happy including a TikTok phase in March, reading in my free time or even binge-watching The 100 throughout the summer.
Productivity is NOT a Competition
During the lockdowns, I felt like I saw many other people around me using their time to be as productive as they could be. Some were starting small businesses, doing short courses to upskill, or were doing so much more than me. But I soon learnt that productivity is not a competition and you shouldn’t do something for the sake of it or just because everyone else is doing it. If you need a break, take some time to focus on yourself, that is all the productivity and effort you need to be spending.
Bad Days Are Normal & Your Feelings Are Valid
Finally, I learnt that not every day is going to great or positive. We are going to have bad days especially as the COVID-19 situation is rapidly changing here in the UK. That means tiers changing, and sometimes this can throw off our mood completely. I remember when we went into a lockdown in November, and my mood was all over the place because I just felt tired of the endless circle. I learnt that having bad days or even days where you don’t want to do anything or talk to anyone is normal. Our feelings are valid, and, we should acknowledge them rather than brush them aside.
So there you have it. Six things I learnt in 2020 despite the unprecedented times we have been living in. I don’t think I will be setting many expectations for 2021 and, just like 2020, I will be taking life as it comes. I can only hope that I progress onto a full-time role and continue to learn and grow throughout my 20’s. I am sure we are all anticipating that 2021 will be kinder to us but the truth is we don’t know. All we can do is tackle life head-on and keep holding on to hope that there will be better days ahead…
Nishable Blog 