Wow, 2020 is over. Phew! Yet, think about it, 12 years ago we were all ringing our hands at the end of 2008 as the Great Recession a/k/a the Financial Crisis had decimated the financial and real estate market. It took two years for us to truly begin a recovery. Many lost homes, savings and suicides were at an all-time high. Yet we recovered.
Now, here comes 2020 – our health was attacked! It turns out being a US resident does not keep you from sharing a novel virus with the rest of the world. Anyone could contract this disease and die. There was no cure. We’d never heard of it before and, in true ‘americana’ way, we each approached it differently. Unlike 2012, this year is ending on a high note because, against all odds, we have a vaccine! People are being vaccinated! All this in only ten months!! Hallelujah!
This year we’ve heard the words, resilience… awareness… and grateful bandied about, but have we really internalized them. Have you reached out to friends and family or have you lived in fear of what might happen? Have you tried to connect on-line, have you called more people, have you tried something new – like a 1000-piece puzzle? Are you simply grateful to be alive? Once you’re vaccinated, will you leave your comfort zone?
Being resilient doesn’t mean surviving a disaster and going back to the status quo. Resilience is surviving and thriving in spite of what has happened or is happening. If you think about it, resilience is the real-life version of a superhero’s ability. Self-awareness is something most people take for granted. Knowing exactly how you feel, what your beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses are is all part of self-awareness, but there is more. It’s also how we react to the world around us and what we do to fit in.
Resilience is not just about leaving your comfort zone. It is knowing how far, how much, and when it can stretch. Disciplining ourselves and trying to know ourselves can go a long way in helping us stay strong when push comes to shove. And this year has tested us. Once again, I go to our living Greatest Generation. The past eighty plus years have tested them time and again and they move forward. I posit that the Boomer’s tests are no less large and daunting. Our 10 plus-year war, 2008’s financial crisis, and 2020’s health crisis. I’m thrilled with how we’re doing! Have we been perfect – no – have we been resilient… a resounding and grateful yes!