2021: Covid Positivity and 2020 Learnings

So 2020 gave me a lot of things to carry into 2021. Being diagnosed COVID positive after a simple family visit comfort check and riding the roller of all symptoms (including out of mind, out of breathe 10 day sleep deprived coughing and fever cycle) has brought me to this place of COVID pneumonia in Fourways Life where I’m trying to put some of what I think I’ve realised into perspective. There’s a lesson from everything that happens in life, my thoughts on those might be jumbled with the pipes and pumps going tin to me right now, but here they are…

·        Your body needs rest. Lockdown V1 destroyed my love for cycling, we were on those trainers for 3 hours per day. I went into December on 300 activities for the year (did I mention I do CrossFit), and here I both thankfully that my body has been in the place where lung-busting shortness of breath was self imposed and unsure when and how badly I want to be there again. Definitely not on an e-bike.

·        The world has its challenges, but it always has been. They change, as this system we are part of fights for balance, last year Davos it was global warming? People and how they approach day to day and each other makes all the difference. The difference is right now we can see it more thanks to the gift of social (and other) media, and for me the challenge we need to all be aware of (thanks good things guy Brent) is the truths we buy into. 2/3rd of our news sources is facebook owned and promoted by people who apparently owned without knowing it (every post doesn’t need a response Karen). So don’t follow negative content, that’s how news sells, check the sources, and if it’s the same angry mob of people you probably wouldn’t want at your braai anyways, you don’t need to respond, forward or think to much about it either. You can also shamelessly unfollow group, people and content that doesn’t add value if like me you cant ditch social media altogether. 

·        And don’t check your phone when you’re getting ready for bed or first thing in the morning, unless its music or an audiobook, maybe. Even when spendings quality time with friends and family we all quickly check our mails and messages, or all through lunch, we could be better here too. Be present. More often a better response is a focused not immediate one anyways.,

·        Don’t be a pushover. There are always people out there with their own agendas, focus on your own stuff, ignore where you can, but stand up for what is right, and yours – boundaries set the tone and without those you are teaching people how they can treat you. If you surround yourself with the right people, its easy to see what it is when things get a little messy as they do and always have.

·        You can make a massive difference, just be focused, and be positive. Do I think all the guys I do like to listen to have it all together. Does John S. is a futurist and leadership thinker whose journey I don’t think was always easy. Did he and others put on a positive face at first, well even if he did that choice I believe would have made the journey easier but they way he and pragmatic thinkers carry the load of their to day appears to me to cut through toxic mess spewed at us daily, deal with what we can the best we can and have faith that the rest of the stuff will take care of itself. This is the year well all need to be appreciate of each other, surround ourselves with positive people (yes the joke would be too easy) and feed that positive. If its not positive or necessary, whats the point.

·        2020 took much from me and those I care about, but it gave us so much too. New skills, new deeper relationships, new perspectives and new appreciations. Lessons I think we all need to learn and we simply our own worst enemy where focused on the manufacturer dramatics of an unhealthy social system we actually don’t need to buy into so much. This year took my father from me and when I think of his story and the things he endured in his time, so much of what is consuming us daily didn’t get his energy (possibly because he would rather whisky with then WhatsApp a friend), and that eye to eye conversation could be a gauge as to when or whether something being said is even marginally as important as being there to hear. Slow down, nurture those human connections.

·        2021 is the year I put my time and focus into positive things.It doesn’t mean I’ll work any less hard, or take less shit. Quite the opposite, I just wont just tolerate it, or put my focus into it. Every day is a gift and if I’m going to do something, in that moment in time I’m going to be all in on that at that time. It’s a skill to learn, but join me, its easier to laugh about trying to get there to not try at all.