Happy New Year, everyone.
With COVID-19 joining the “New Year, New Me” train in 2021, I wasn’t particularly keen on making any big statements about what I would be doing in 2021. However, I pick lessons from every moment, apply them to my present and look for how they would impact my future.
That being said, here are ten lessons I learned or relearned in 2020 (in no particular order). Hope this helps someone out there as much as it helps me.
- Accept corrections gracefully. Whoever takes the time to correct you actually cares. Sometimes, this will hurt like hell but keep your head down. If you need okro to swallow that pride you have that won’t let you see clearly, get it.
- Some circumstances will shake you and make you uncomfortable. But they might be what you need to get up and go from where you are to where you should be. See every challenge as an opportunity to grow. It’s tough work breaking out of a pupa’s confines, but if it’s not done, the butterfly will not emerge.
- Give it all. Give everything you’ve got. It might not be enough because we’re human and it can be tough to ‘keep it 100’ sometimes; your mind and body will even go to with you on some occasions, but if in good conscience you’ve done all you could, you’ll sleep easier at night with no regrets. That peace of mind is priceless.
- You will drop the ball at times — at work, with friends, anywhere. It’s human. Accept this fact of life but be graceful to yourself about it. Don’t let your mistakes drown you. Get up and keep going.
- You will lose some arguments, not because you’re wrong but because you’ve learned how to pick your battles and prioritise what matters most.
- Celebrate your successes, no matter how small or insignificant they seem. Those bright spots might be what would keep you hopeful during rough patches.
- If you believe in God, never accept the lie that your mistakes will make him love you any less. You can always go back no matter what. Don’t let your screw-ups stop you from praying, praising, or communing with God. Also, be thankful, no matter what.
- Fear is natural, and trust me, 2020 was one scary year. Pushing forward despite that fear is what real bravery demands. New grounds will call you from your comfort zone, but fear of the unknown might deter you. Don’t let that fear win.
- Don’t stop seeking and acquiring knowledge. You might think swimming is useless when on land till there’s a flood. That ‘useless’ experience might be just what you need when the opportunity arises.
- It’s important to share, even when it’s not convenient. Don’t say you’re doing it for God. Please do it for the person who needs it with the highest degree of humility and don’t wait to be thanked. Also, helping people will make you uncomfortable, especially when you don’t have much. But sometimes you need that discomfort to realise how good you’ve got it even in your own lack, so you’ll never take what you have for granted.
Cheers, and have an excellent 2021.
