As most of us have been spending a great deal of time at home lately amid the threat of the coronavirus, it has afforded us the opportunity to stop and reflect -- something we seldom find the time to do in the hustle and bustle of our regular lives.
Perhaps you're now considering finally making a career change you've been mulling for years. Maybe all the sobering talk of recession has you dreaming up ways to save or invest money. Or, spending more time with your partner has brought you closer together -- or driven you further apart -- raising questions about your future on the love front.
Nonetheless, here are four lessons to be learned from these unprecedented times:
1. It's the little things that matter. We get so caught up in trivial matters -- when the next iPhone is coming out, who the neighbor is cheating on his wife with -- that we lose focus of the things in life that truly count.
Spending an extra hour each day playing with your daughter. Finally getting to read that book your uncle gave you before he passed away. These are the kinds of moments that can live in our hearts forever.
While material objects rust or break, special memories endure. We must strive to make the most of this time by doing the things we love with the people we love. Chances are, many of those won't cost a penny.
2. Don't look to jobs for fulfillment. With a few notable exceptions (like working for a charity), you should not rely on your job to make you happy. That's what we have hobbies for.
Given that so many people are being laid off or furloughed right now due to the pandemic, those who are fortunate enough to have jobs should certainly be thankful for them.
But when it comes to employment, there's just too much that remains outside our control. You can lose your job or get a trainwreck for a boss at any moment.
I strongly support liking what you do, but jobs are for putting money on the table -- not for giving you a sense of fulfillment that may be lacking in other areas of your life.
And never feel as though you have to remain loyal to any one employer. If they can sack you at any point, you should feel at liberty to move on to greener pastures if you so desire. Loyalty to one employer is a thing of the past.
3. There are still good people in the world.
Crises bring out the very best in some people. From the medical workers on the front lines who are putting their lives at risk to help infected patients to those making large donations to charities, these individuals are nothing short of true heroes.
4. Life is unpredictable, so make the most of every day you're given.
Who would have thought that 2020 would start out this way?
None of us have experienced something like this COVID-19 outbreak before.
As of this writing, nearly 73,000 people have died around the world -- people who were probably doing just fine a month ago and thought they had many years left to live.
Life is short and fragile. You never know which day will be your last, and you can never be certain as to the last time you'll see a loved one.
So leave no words unsaid. Check up on your loved ones. Tell them you love them. (I'd advise you to give them a big hug, but that might be out of the question in this new reality we're in.)
Leave the past behind you, as there's nothing that can be done about it. Don't stress over the future, as tomorrow -- as many of these victims realized -- is not guaranteed.
Relish the present with every fiber in your being -- whether it means launching your business or learning a new language.
When you feel the urge to complain about something insignificant, think about the people who have lost their lives in recent weeks, and how they would have given anything to be in your shoes right now.
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