We made it.
2020 has come to a close. It was truly a year unlike any of my previous 31 years on this planet. 365 days ago, the Coronavirus was merely confined to China, no one was wearing masks, social distancing wasn’t a thing, and Dr. Fauci wasn’t a household name outside of the medical field.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg was still alive. So was John Lewis. And Kobe Bryant. And Alex Trebek. Chadwick Boseman. Regis Philbin. Sean Connery. Little Richard. Kirk Douglas. Diego Maradona. Eddie Van Halen. Unfortunately, I could write a whole blog about the wonderful and influential celebrities we lost this year.
Many great people. But those aren’t all. The Coronavirus has killed nearly two million around the world, and sadly, that number will continue to rise in 2021. Think about the empty seats at dinner tables and family gatherings.
All caused by a virus that we can’t even see.
You can say what you want about governmental responses around the world. Some countries did well. Some didn’t. Actually, many didn’t. But sitting here and arguing about it isn’t going to bring the daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, wives, husbands, grandmothers, or grandfathers back.
We need to look forward to 2021 with hope for the future. No, COVID isn’t going away any time soon. But we can all do our part to reduce its impact on our future. People and governments can learn from past mistakes and turn them into miracles. As author C.S. Lewis once said, “you can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” The vaccine is here, and so far, it’s working. Science saves lives. It’s proven. Hopefully, with the vaccine and with what we now know about the virus, things can go back to somewhat normal before long.
The upcoming presidency of Joe Biden also gives me hope. It gives me hope for the Coronavirus situation to improve. It gives me hope for the economy. It gives me hope for the millions of unemployed Americans to receive the stimulus money that an imbecile from Kentucky has been keeping from them. It gives me hope for America’s reputation around the world and that people will look to the US as a global leader once again.
On a personal level, I had a good year. I renewed my contract with my main language school and signed on with another so that I could get more classes. I had a blast at summer camp and met kids who changed my life, as well as an extraordinary group of leaders who I am now proud to call friends. I stopped drinking alcohol and made an effort to start exercising. Despite the pandemic, I was able to make things work and continue living in this special city that I call home. I know some really good people who had to cut their dream short and move back to the states.
I did not get COVID in 2020. I know that I am one of the lucky ones, and I thank God every day for that. But I am by no means letting my guard down. I have a few friends and acquaintances who did catch the virus, and their experience was something I would never wish upon anybody. If either of my parents got it, God forbid, they would be in trouble due to their advanced ages. Believe me, not a day has gone by when I haven’t thought of that. Again, this is why we all need to do our best to put this virus to bed. Wear a mask. Socially distance. Listen to what your government tells you to do. It won’t happen overnight, but unlike a few months ago, I do see a faint light at the end of the tunnel.
Alright, enough about COVID. Like our friend C.S. said so eloquently, we need to look to the future. 2021 can’t possibly be worse than 2020, can it? Time for a few New Year’s resolutions…
- Be a nicer person, not just to others, but to myself as well. In 2020, I didn’t do a good enough job with self care. While I think it’s good and noble to put others first, I think that I did that to an extreme level at times and failed to stand my own ground. Doing things for myself will help me to recharge physically, mentally, and emotionally and better prepare me for the day when I can (hopefully) add a few more lessons to my schedule. As for being nicer to others, I believe this is something I generally already do well, but I can always be better. At least that’s what anxiety wants me to think…
- Going off of that, I want to exercise three times a week, eat better, and take vitamins. I made some good progress with this toward the end of the year, but I was sometimes inconsistent and got a little complacent over the holidays. Once the weather gets nicer, I plan to walk a lot and maybe even do some running down the road. I need to lay off the fatty foods and eat more fruits and vegetables…maybe I could eat one fruit or vegetable a day to start? Sorry, thinking out loud. Like I’ve said many times in this space, I’m not getting any younger. There are a lot of people counting on me, and I need to be able to be there for them.
- Look into meditation and yoga. I’ve briefly tried mediation in the past, but it gave me headaches so I stopped. When I did do it, I basically went willy nilly and just went off of what I already knew. However, now, I resolve to research it and make sure I get the most out of it. I want to do the same with yoga. I’m going to do it and do it right.
- Maintaining a positivity journal. I have a journal now, but I seldom use it. When I do write in it, it’s mainly to vent. Not anymore. As we move into 2021, I plan to write at least one journal entry per week, all with at least one positive affirmation. People have told me many a time that I inspire them. Now, it’s my responsibility to inspire myself.
- Reducing my social media time. I love social media, and it’s a great way to keep in touch with family and friends. When the majority of your Facebook friends are on the other side of the Atlantic, it’s a plus. However, I sometimes get myself addicted to it. While social media is an essential tool, there’s no need to be on it 24/7 when time can be spent doing the aforementioned journaling, taking up new hobbies, finding a great new TV show to watch on Netflix, or learning Czech (which I need to do a better job of). Social media can also be very stressful, especially with the pandemic going on. I know this one will be a difficult one for me, but I’ll do everything I can to pull it off.
So there you have it. Five things to get us going on the right foot in 2021. Of course, I’ll be continuing this blog and updating you all on my progress. At the end of the day, all of these resolutions come back to one main, overarching goal–to be the best person, son, brother, uncle, friend, and TEFL teacher that I can possibly be.
Happy 2021, everyone. We made it.
Czeching Out the World of TEFL 