New Year from #2MinuteMentor

2020 has been an interesting year. You could attempt define it in a million ways, but it was a challenge set to humanity that dared us to respond.

Life being one of the greatest teachers once again taught us some valuable lessons and I would like to share some of the main take-ways for me personally.

1)    Change is inevitable – As much as we try to build certainty in our existence, life has an uncanny way of flipping things on its head. You are never in total control of things, but we do have the ability to choose the way we respond to change. We can either be the proverbial deer stuck in the headlights or accept change to be the natural order of things.

2)    Growth Mindset – As organizations scrambled over the year to adapt to new market conditions, there was a dire need for individuals to also reinvent themselves. The predictability of life was shattered almost overnight, and this called for people to develop new skills, source alternative means of income and adjust to the demands of this new earth. It is probably not the survival of the fittest as much as it was the survival of those who embraced change the fastest.

3)    Gratitude is the Drug of the World – Happiness was always an internal game, and, in this year, it was important to find a ray of sunshine when sky showered us with gloom. It was essential to put our lives in perspective and pay thanks every day for whatever we have. A simple reflection on our current predicament knowing that our lives could have been horrible worse. It was Mahatma Gandhi who once said ‘I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet.’ I strongly believe that if you are not content with what you currently have, the chances are that you will never be happy with whatever you achieve later in life. Do not wait to be happy tomorrow – Find happiness today.

4)    You do not always meet your goals, but you do meet your standards – Throughout the year I have seen people do the most wonderful things amid lockdown and curfews. This one gentleman ran a full marathon from the confines of his tiny apartment, another group started a virtual music band, while others helped the less fortunate. There were people who identified with themselves as athletes, Samaritans and entrepreneurs. It did not matter whether they were confined to their homes for months on end – these people stood true to their standards and continued with their journey as though nothing happened. While it is great to have aspirational goals, sometimes we veer off course. However, when something is embedded as a lifestyle and imprinted as an identity, you continue more often than not to be true to your standards (Even in a pandemic).

5)    Be Perseverant and Gritty -  2020 would have been the ideal excuse to give up on your goals and settle for a life half lived. On the contrary, if you want to be an outlier and bask in that realm of exceptional, it was hardly the time to quit. Become that phoenix rising from the flames to claim what is rightfully yours. Take on challenges, ride the storm of uncertainty and stand up every time life knocks you down. There is nothing in life called instant gratification. Stay through to the process, learn from your mistakes and understand that your transformation will take place not at the finish line but on your journey.

6)    Stop Complaining and Take Responsibility – When things go wrong, it so easy to blame the weather, the pandemic and everyone around us. The moment we take responsibility over our lives is when we can institute real change. Very often the easiest thing to do is jump on the band wagon and criticize and complain about all our troubles. Some may listen with empathy and agree that our current situation is no fault of our own but venting rarely takes us anywhere. It is far more productive to get off that metaphorical couch and take action to move forward. Take responsibility over your future cos you are its rightful owner, and it belongs no one else.

7)    Positivity is contagious – Surround yourself with people and experiences that get the best out of you. Negativity slowly eats away into your subconscious like an evil cancer that leads you into a dark hole. It is so easy to fall prey at a time when the news and social media floods you with turbulence and tragedy. Find people who are better than you, submerge yourself in experiences that inspire you and transfer your positivity the ones who need it the most.

Have a wonderful year ahead my friends. This is probably the most amazing time to be alive. Do not waste a single minute of your precious gift and while you are here – do not settle for anything less than extraordinary.

Stay Blessed.