As we welcome 2021, we can agree that 2020 has been a challenging one. Faced with so many uncertainties, it might seem hard to find anything good about it. Many people have lost their jobs or have been facing such prospects. Others have been struggling with the psychological issues of being isolated for extended periods of time. The inability to see family and friends has left a mark on many.

Moreover, in some areas, the extremely restrictive measures that prohibited any kind of socialization have left people feeling lonely, alienated, and confused. Since continuous worrying about your and your loved ones’ health has assumed permanent residency in your mind, stress levels have also increased.

However, despite all the evident difficulties, there are many things to be grateful for in 2020. It’s important to remember that now that we are about to sail into the new year, hopeful that things will start to change for the better.

We have a chance to learn to take control of our success.

In times of great stress, people can react in different ways, and there are two most prominent ones. Some, overwhelmed by the hardships, will respond to the circumstances that have presented themselves. Without much planning, they will change the course of their actions, business-wise mostly, according to the current state of affairs. While such flexibility may be perceived as a positive trait, the repeated adjustment to the newly-developed situations may cause more pressure and stress. This way, it’s relatively easy to start focusing on the negative and expecting the worst. This approach may not be the best since your mindset has a significant influence on all aspects of our lives.

We have a chance to learn to take control of our successAchieving success is like a game of chess; you have to plan your every move carefully and consider all possible outcomes and possibilities. Recently my son reacquainted me with the game and can affirm the validity of that statement!

On the other hand, some people refuse to fall into despair and find ways to control their lives and business successes. Rather than reacting to the situations as they happen, they focus on the big picture and consider the most likely scenarios. They plan for future events that are relatively certain. As for the less certain ones, they consider them carefully and create multiple options. As the future unfolds, these people can mitigate any less than beneficial developments. Such an approach allows for even more flexibility in the future leveraging multiple strategies. Consequently, people can assume a more proactive role in an uncertain future.

We have become stronger and more resilient.

In times like these, the adage “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” becomes all the more true. People have natural driving forces guiding them to survival. Therefore, when faced with difficulties, our minds work harder and develop extraordinary and innovative solutions to problems in front of them. This is how we grow and develop. When life is nothing more than smooth sailing, we grow passive. When there is nothing to challenge us, we become lazy.

Furthermore, difficulties force us to fight; they develop personality and teach us valuable life and business lessons. Thus, we should be grateful for all the hardships and heartaches we have encountered throughout our lives. Because of them, we are who we are. Therefore, we should perceive 2020 as a year that has provided us with tremendous personal growth opportunities.

We have found a way to look at the positive.

We have found a way to look at the positive.After all the bad that has happened, we have no other option but to start focusing on the positive. It’s the basic survival skill. We have to find good in everything because the alternative is bleak and morose. Perhaps, for a while, we have allowed our spirits to sink. But this mustn’t persist as that could lead to the point from which the return is not that simple. We must be grateful to be among those capable of looking at the positive, rather than dwelling on the negative and sinking further.

Challenges teach us to find the positive in every situation.

If your business is not doing well, you may have a chance to start anew, reinvent your brand, transform your presence if you will. You may get the opportunity to relocate your office to an entirely new location and enter a new market. Also, you may decide to change your business model altogether. Despite what it may seem, declaring capitulation and letting your company go belly up is the easiest way to go. Admittedly, doing the alternative is tough. But if you manage to persevere, you will reap the benefits in the long run. And it’s the difficulties that have allowed you to do it.

We have learned to appreciate all we have.

Amid the pandemic, we all witness people going through difficult situations, or we may have gone through challenging times ourselves. Many have lost their jobs, and some have even lost their loved ones. Others have had to rethink their business future. Having seen or experienced that makes us appreciate everything we have in our lives all the more. Having people to care about and knowing that there are people who care about us makes life worth living. It is from them that we draw all our strength to push forward. And even though we can’t hug and kiss or even see each other, we have found ways to send our love, show we care, and help each other through rough times. We must also be grateful for everything that keeps us going, be it our jobs, future plans, families, children, pets, or hobbies.

We have learned to appreciate all we have.

 

There are many things to be grateful for in 2020; health and our loved ones are the most important.

 

 

There indeed are many things to be grateful for in 2020.

 

This year has revealed all our strengths and weaknesses. It has been like sailing in a tiny boat during a sea storm. But we have to remember that this little boat has everything we need to prevail and sail into the new year stronger and smarter. That boat has us in it. Our minds are incredible contraptions, and you can find all that you need stashed somewhere inside. If we looked at the challenges and troubles as opportunities, rather than struggles that exist only to get us down, we would learn how to swim and never sink.

 

Please feel free to share with us a story of how you are coping with this pandemic. And, give us a call if you want to discuss ways to make your organization more agile or help you personally navigate this difficult time; we’re only too glad to help.

 

Wishing you all a very safe, healthy, and successful 2021!

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