Top 9 Lessons 2020 Gave Me

I’ve been on Instagram for the past three years, and for the past two, I’ve celebrated my nine most liked posts of the year by using the Top Nine app to create a collage of them.  I love a good picture and I love what’s beyond the picture just as much. So much so, that I will create my own collage if the one generated on the app does not include photos that I think should be highlighted.

When I decided to write this blog, I wanted to include the significance and meaning of the number 9. It’s not just a great number for a collage, according to numerology science, “the energy of the number 9 represents completion, but not finality.” The number 9 has many personality traits including: wise, experienced, spiritual and compassionate.

This has been a very challenging year for all of us, but it’s also provided countless lessons and gems in the midst of loss, chaos and uncertainty. I chose 9 lessons to share, though there are many more, because as I reflected on this year and the wisdom it gave me, I felt the energy of 9 in my spirit. We have the wisdom and strength that 2020 gave us to aid us in this next chapter and now, at the cusp of the completion of this year, I can honestly say I am grateful for these lessons.

Here are my top nine lessons of 2020.

1) Rest and stillness should be normalized

I vividly remember going for a walk a few weeks into quarantine and hearing…nothing. No cars speeding by and the lack of the normal “buzz” of people participating in the daily grind. It was eerie for a moment and then refreshing. Everything slowed down during those months in quarantine and it felt good not to rush and not to have too much to do with not enough time. I’ve now made a commitment to give myself more time to rest, slow down and experience the fullness of stillness.

 2) Resiliency includes breakdown

When I think about being resilient, I think about the bounce back. The upside of resiliency, which is great, but it also includes the downside. Before you bounce back, you breakdown. The breakdown is necessary. It’s where you learn. It’s where you grow. It’s where you shed tears and release pain, frustration and anger. During the breakdowns this year, I released those things and then as I made my way to the upside, I reflected on what my experiences taught me and what I could do with that wisdom.

3) I had many unhealthy distractions in my life

I would’ve never imagined I’d experience a pandemic in my lifetime. But there I was in mid-March driving from store-to-store trying to find toilet tissue and other essential and comfort items for quarantine. Then, there I was at home without my normal things to do, that I realized were also serving as distractions. Shopping, eating, drinking and going out sometimes served as distractions and unhealthy coping mechanisms. This year, I learned to use healthier things to cope and to ask myself more often if what I was doing was a distraction and if it was healthy.

4) Multiple streams of income

One of the words of the year that quickly came about is “pivot.” This was the year of being forced to pivot in all aspects of our lives. With everything being shut down, many businesses closed and people realized they had to use their gifts, talents and abilities to make a living. It was a wake up call for me, to make sure I have multiple streams of income, including those that rely on my specific skillset, that aren’t tied to a company or business that may not able to sustain through an economic downturn. I am excited about the streams I am building because they’re all things I’m passionate about: education, real estate, writing and media.

5) Shit can change quick and you can adjust

Shit changed quick this year. It was scary. It was unexpected. However, it taught me that I can adjust quickly. Not only can I adjust, I will survive and I will thrive.

6) The time is now to live your dreams

I learned not to take people and time for granted. I am an overthinker and have thought myself out of a lot things I’ve wanted to do. Analysis paralysis became a major part of my life, but this year gave me the push I needed to leap out there and live my dreams. I was already on that trajectory, but experiencing a pandemic accelerated it. There was so much loss this year and it taught me that you have to live urgently and use your time wisely. I started my blog in April. I started my Instagram interview series in November and I will continue to pursue every single dream that I am passionate about, now.

7) Feel all the feels

I had many times this year that I cried and I just let myself sob, scream and grieve the loss of people and other things impacted by the pandemic. I started therapy again to help me get through the many changes and challenges this year and it has helped tremendously. Getting through this year taught me that I had to allow myself to feel and work through all the emotions that came with going through a pandemic.

8) Never take in-person human connection for granted

I used to go sit in Starbucks or Panera Bread and write. I used to get together with my family and friends over food, love, laughter and libations often. I prefer in-person connection and after this year, I’ve learned to never take it for granted. I am grateful for video-calling, texting and phone calls. I also can’t wait to gather with my loved ones again like we used to do.

9) You can learn and do a new thing, and do it well

I built my website this year, and it’s lovely. I didn’t think I could do it. I didn’t think I had the right pictures and skill set to make it happen, but once I took the first step, I got everything I needed along the way to bring it to fruition. During quarantine, I had extra time to learn new things and I am so glad I took advantage of that time to learn that I could do a new thing, and do it well.