Reflections On 2020: A Turning Point For Humanity
Clearly, most of us thought that 2020 would be different than in most previous years. The number itself “2020” suggests that something special is in store.
In 2019, when I looked at 2020, I was picturing in my mind something reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick’s iconic 2001 – A Space Odyssey, or its sequel 2010 – The Year We Make Contact.
Basically, I was expecting that 2020 would stand out…
Well, I guess I was right.
2020 will definitely be remembered in history books for many years due to the events that have happened. I’m not going to go over them in detail here, there is plenty of reading on this on the internet.
However, I’m going to take a high-level view to extract 2 ideas that I think are worth knowing and reflecting upon for the future.
In my opinion, how we manage those two will continue to shape and influence 2021 and beyond…
A hallmark of 2020 has been uncertainty. This uncertainty has manifested in the areas of health, social interactions, movement, and the economy.
And this is what we’ve seen…
Ideological & Social Polarisation
A strong polarisation of ideas emerged in the population globally and has been fueled and amplified by the media and the news in the form of an “infodemic”.
This polarisation represents a compensatory mechanism to attempt to regain a sense of clarity, order, and certainty about the current situation and what the future might look like.
With a worldwide potential threat to human survival due to an unknown virus that spread rife across the globe, people seek out clear ideological positions to navigate their way through the uncertainty.
As conflicting views emerged and got louder and louder, people divided themselves into camps, trust eroded, the competition replaced collaboration, and fear, self-doubt, and scarcity spread across the globe.
Taking a step back now, one might wonder whether 2020 was a giant “social experiment” to teach humanity a lesson in humbleness…
Observation #1: When there is great uncertainty on the outside due to conflicting information, rumours, fake news, etc. seeking a sense of clarity and certainty from the outside is futile and a waste of resources.
And it only gets worse as time goes on.
Instead, when chaos runs our outside world, the order will be found in our inside world.
>> Looking inward will provide valuable clarity, confidence, and a sense of control over your world and the way forward to navigate external paradoxes.
Ironically, 2500 years ago, the oracle of Delphi gave us the key to living life fully “Know thyself, love thyself, be thyself”.
It seems to me that 2020 acts as a reminder for many people…
Without a clear sense of self, without a future vision and a purpose to live and make a difference, is there really a reason to stay on this planet?
I hope 2020 provides the impetus for those who haven’t started their self-discovery journey yet to prioritise it, because the next stage of humanity will require people to have clarity on those in order to thrive, succeed and live a meaningful life from the inside out.
Reacting vs Responding
Instead of putting effort into checking facts and developing independent critical thinking by engaging our executive functions as we would normally do; the more primitive brain functions of the limbic system (Amygdala) and the hindbrain have been overly activated this year by fear-mongering, anxiety, panic, and misinformation.
As a consequence, we have reacted rather than responded.
Observation #2: A major struggle to regulate emotions has been observed globally in the population, including among government leaders.
The lack of emotional regulation skills has been easily witnessed on social media, on the news, and in how people have behaved across the globe.
Without building a solid foundation for emotional intelligence and resilience, one wonders what might happen as we enter uncharted territories…
Will acquiring the skills to decode and manage emotions become a priority for people to adapt and thrive in the “new normal” (if we can really speak of a “norm”), or will people continue to plot along and do nothing about it?
Time will tell…
>> If you don’t know how or don’t learn the skills to regulate your emotions and equilibrate your perceptions, your life will be run by external events you have very little control over…
2020 brought to us a few valuable lessons for those who will take the time to unpack the year and reflect!
The Circles of Life
When there is a lot of uncertainty, we instinctively seek bits of information (facts, opinions, stories, or fiction) at all costs to bring a ‘sense of control’ back into our lives.
We look for things we can grasp, things we can make sense of.
Sometimes the things we hold on to work for us, sometimes they don’t…
One way to reduce uncertainty and bring order into the chaos is to distinguish what we can change from what we can’t.
In other words, being clear on what we do has influence over what we do not.
I like to use the analogy of two circles:
- we have the circle of concern (this is the area we don’t have control of), and
- we have the circle of influence (this is the area we have control of).
If we primarily focus on our circle of concern, we often feel powerless, lack control, and at times defeated.
On the other hand, if we focus on our circle of influence, we feel more in control, we can make changes, and we have a totally different outlook on life.
In order to relaunch yourself, your life, your career, and/or business in 2021, the way you focus on your circle of concern and your circle of influence will dramatically impact your results.
Making the most of 2021 and what is coming will depend on how we manage the magnitude of our circle of concern (the things external to us that we care about but have little control over, or little power to change) and our circle of influence (the things we can actually change and have an impact on).
Furthermore, the more these two circles will be in close proximity, the more opportunity we will have to grow, expand, and live a meaningful life making our unique contribution to humanity.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, it is the one that is most adaptable to change.” - Charles Darwin
Clearly, 2020 has been a test of our adaptability…
If there was ever a time to get clear on your path forward and break through what’s been holding you back so you can relaunch yourself, your life, your career, and/or business in 2021 to thrive and build the life that you desire – It's right now!
If you’re ready to go on a self-discovery journey to regain control of your life and be the captain of your ship… Reach out!
Time is of the essence…
In a Nutshell:
With every challenge comes the seed of new opportunities.
2020 has definitely brought its share of challenges, however, it’s up to us to decide whether we will rise to those challenges.
For many, a journey of self-discovery awaits… should they take this opportunity.
If not, rest assured many more hints will come… until they are ready!
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