We all thought this was a temporary thing. But here we are. People are already calling this the “COVID era” as if they are reading about it in a history book. But we’re still going through it.
For most of my friends and family, the social distancing and handwashing aren’t that bad. We got used to that stuff quickly. The tough part about this era is that life has changed permanently for many folks.
Rifts are created between people with different beliefs on wearing a mask. Complete industries are swept away and will probably never be the same. The world has truly changed.
In this article, I’m sharing 19 lessons I’ve learned from observing all these changes. Hopefully, these short reminders will make life during this era easier for you. These things surely have helped me a lot.
- It’s hard on everybody
I know your life is hard. But so is the life of your neighbor. That puts us all in the same boat. So go easy on yourself and others. - Nothing is forever
It seems like this will last forever. But everything dies. And so will pandemics. - Accept it as if you chose this
This is the only form of useful lying in the world. Trick yourself into believing you wanted a more tranquil and solitary life. This is a classic Stoic exercise. Simply accept everything that’s outside of your control as something you wanted. Life will be a lot rosier. - Make the best of your time
Accepting circumstances doesn’t mean we give up. Make the best of it. To be clear: Worrying and thinking about stuff that’s outside of your control is NOT a good use of your time. - Take a breather
Literally. Take a moment for yourself and breeeeath…. Aaaah. Yes, that’s the feeling. - Exercise every day
Stay in shape. If you’re not injured or ill, it’s your duty to take care of your body. Never take this lightly. - Get off social media
It’s a waste of your time. “Always?” Pretty much. - Read books
This is a better use of your time. We all have reading lists with hundreds of books on them. And we’re not going to live 200 years. That means you need to make some tough choices. Which books will you read before you die? - Learn new skills
Technology is improving and changing so fast that we’re not aware what’s going on. We just learn it after the fact. But that’s too late. So stay on top of your field and keep learning new skills you need to do good work. - Keep a daily journal
This will probably be one of the weirdest times of our lives. Don’t you want to document this? Even if you never read it again, it’s still worth writing because it makes you a better thinker. - Inspiration comes from within
“I need to go to Paris for inspiration.” Replace Paris with any city or place in the world. Why do we think inspiration comes from the outside? Look inside! - Good food improves your mood
One of the few pleasures that you never get used to. Research new recipes, be creative, and cook food that makes you go, “Hmmmmnn.” - Objects will not make you happy
STOP BUYING CRAP ONLINE! I had to tell myself that after a few too many useless purchases. - More money is not the answer
Look, I’m not going to lie. Having a little bit of money will lighten the load. So start that online business or side-gig you’ve been thinking about. But don’t expect that money will make you happy. It just solves your money problems. Nothing else. - Do work you enjoy
Just because you need to survive, don’t say yes to the first available job you encounter. And also don’t start some kind of soulless online business so you can make a few bucks. Find something you enjoy and pays the bills. - Appreciate what you have
The grass is always greener. We tend to forget. So here’s a reminder: If you’re reading this on your smartphone in the comfort of your house, your life isn’t so bad. - Give back
Do something altruistic. It’s fine to give money to charity. But I’m not talking about that. Talk to your elderly neighbors, hold the door for someone, share your hard-earned lessons with others. Small things that have a positive impact on people. - Change is good
This is a difficult period if your industry got swept away. But remember, change is a part of life. And in the long-term, it’s good. We just don’t see the sunshine when we’re going through a storm. - Stop consuming—Start creating
The world never changed for the better by doing nothing. Right now, our biggest challenge is paralysis by consumption. We’re over-consuming everything: News, food, clothes, entertainment, you name it.
To get through this era, we need more action. So stop sitting there and go create something. Without creation, there’s no progress.
