"LIVING"

Now I know what many of you were probably thinking, much like me, get to 2021 and things will take care of themselves and go back to normal. Wow was I wrong.

I’m not sure if it is the psychological effect of what the calendar new year has on many of our bodies and minds, to regard a new calendar year as a fresh start and new beginnings. A time for resolutions, commitments, and changes. But, the fact of the matter is, even as a non-partisan statement, the world is going to continue to be what it is and many of the things that happen in the world are going to continue to happen.

As victims of circumstance, which we all tend to be in our minds from time to time, how can we change our circumstances in our favor for the betterment of our psychological outlook?

It’s far more than just perspective and I can tell you that. Just referring to perspective and to think that turning the calendar new year to 2021 will correct some of the things that we have all been affected by is unfortunately not true. We, have to be the change that we want to see in our own lives to change our own circumstances, to change all of our psychological responses and perspectives in a positive way.

COVID is going to be here still. There is no telling when that might go away. So, what will you do in the form of “living“ in the midst of the chaos? I’m not suggesting what you all probably think I am, to forget COVID, to be reckless, and to be against the grain to climb your way out of this circumstance. What I’m simply suggesting is to wholeheartedly commit to the adjective of “living.“

2020 affected everybody in some way shape or form. Some of us were affected “differently“ than others. This is by virtue of all of us being in the same storm but being on different boats. Some of our boats are built to endure the storm differently than others. But, that doesn’t make us any weaker. In fact, your comeback may even make you stronger than the next person.

To “live” or “living“ can be described as spending one’s life in a particular way or under particular circumstances.

Believe it or not, in the midst of COVID, at home, out of the house, or in the workplace, you can find a way to “live.“ Yet many of us, much like myself have gone through action paralysis in the form of “living,“ since March 16 or even that fateful day in January when my childhood idol (Kobe) and many great souls passed away.

Even though I’m not a huge proponent of suggesting that a calendar new year is exactly what somebody needs to change, because you should be able to change any day, any time and at any point throughout the calendar year, but maybe 2020 altogether was exactly what we needed to change perspective. A type of change that results in action. Living.

While we all have different definitions of what it means to “live“ and how we live our life in a particular way under our circumstances, I just encourage all of you to get back to “living“ in the manner that makes you happy. It may start with perspective, but it will lead to action. Your thoughts create your beliefs and your beliefs create your actions.

How mindful will you be this year in 2021? The action of living in the present moment. Being mindful means not dwelling on the past, not having angst about the future, but just accepting and living in the chaos now and making the best of it. We all think that was negative circumstances consume us and that we have to stoop to that level to let them get the best of us. What if we got the best of these negative circumstances and were mindful enough to get something out of them to promote growth?

What are your plans? What are your intentions? How are you grow? What are your goals for 2021? Whether you are inside or outside of the house there’s no reason you can’t achieve those things, maybe it’s just in a different way than before. Much like the world has changed forever and will probably never be as we previously knew it, in some way shape or form, maybe the way we do things won’t either. And that’s OK.

May 2020 be a year that we never wish for again, but be a year in the future that we were thankful, for SOME reasons, that it happened; not for the reasons you think… But because they changed us forever and put value on the important things in life. If we have realized anything after 2020 it is that Family, friends, and support should be valued. Additionally, time is short, life is precious, and what we have today is not guaranteed to be a part of our life tomorrow. So, tell those around you that you love them, count your blessings, and just go live.

We can have arguments all day of what line of work is more essential (certain lines of work are valued more to certain people than others, so respect all opinions) than others in this world in the form of jobs (jump out of bed), yet something we can all agree on is that something that is essential in this world is the people and a life filled with socialization. Find a way to be social, even if that is through a computer screen and you are zoom exhausted. Relationships now more than ever are being built stronger, because we are have to find ways to commit, for the sake of our purpose and sanity, ways to connect and to keep the conversation going, rather than the different type of being forced to connect through the life routine of seeing somebody in person.

So for all of you first responders out there, Frontline hospital workers/researchers, teachers, essential workers, and those that have essential work by virtue of providing to their family and their life purpose (which is everybody), I salute each and everyone of you for getting us through this crazy year. I have a love and respect for each and everyone of you for what you call your job or life‘s work. If you are reading this you made it through the most grueling year of many of our life’s. While for many of us we felt like we lost time, why don’t we change that perspective to regard the fact that we were actually given more time, because nothing is guaranteed. For those who were not able to make it to 2021 for unforeseen reasons, or even reasons due to COVID or other forms of death, we vow to carry-on on your legacy as well through our actions to honor you. Thank you for how you have changed each of our lives in the world forever.

We still have a chance to make something of what has changed us. Now, with this chance what will you do with it?

Don’t forget to smile