This past year has been quite different. We’ve had to deal with a global pandemic, a national reckoning on race, a divisive election and so much more. Despite all of the changes and stress, we have made it through. Before we close out 2020 and start looking ahead to next year, we may want to reflect on some of the things we’ve learned this year that have helped us grow into much stronger people. Some of the life lessons I’ve learned in 2020 are:
1. Life is short and good health isn’t guaranteed. As a medical doctor who has been working in the hospital and clinic during the pandemic, this statement has become a reality for me more than I’d like to admit. I’ve diagnosed and treated many patients with Coronavirus. I’ve seen, firsthand, how people who once considered themselves to be fairly healthy have been deeply affected by COVID. Over 300,000 people have died from Coronavirus in America over the last 9 months and that number is steadily climbing. With this reality, I’ve been constantly reminded that a long life with good health is not guaranteed. For those of us fortunate enough to have our health, we must cherish it and make the most of our time here on Earth by doing things we love, pursuing projects we are passionate about, and do our part to make the world a better place.
2. Resilience and adaptability are critical traits for successful people. Many of us have seen our lives change in drastic ways over the past few months. Some of us have witnessed our family members and friends suffer various changes to their health. Others of us have had to witness the trauma of inequality and racial injustice. Some people have had to adapt to changes in their work environment and others have had to cope with a huge halt in the social interactions that were so critical to their mental health. My point? All of us have had to deal with something. Many of these challenges were things we couldn’t have predicted. Despite the unexpected happening, many of us have been quite resilient and adaptable. We are continuing to work, take care of our responsibilities, keep in touch with our families, and be productive members of society. Our ability to handle sudden changes and persevere through difficult times has made us better people and is essential for our continued success going forward.
3. Empathy towards others can go a long way. Along with the obvious challenges many of us faced in 2020, there may have also been a few silent battles we’ve had to overcome as well. Perhaps we had to cope with a job loss, a decrease in income, the end of a friendship, poor performance on an evaluation, or mental health challenges. Many of us have obstacles and disappointments that we may never broadcast publicly. My point? We never know everything other people are going through. Empathy towards and lending grace to people can go a long way. Your kindness may be the thing that brightens someone’s day and gives them hope that they can continue fighting the challenge they may be facing. Your compassion may give them the inspiration they need to keep going.
4. Good money management is an added shield of protection. The pandemic has affected many of us in numerous ways, including financially. Many people suffered a change in income. Those whose salaries were protected may have needed to spend more money on other things in their home or personal lives to cope with the change. Either way, one thing became quite obvious: Some people were better able to deal with the change than others. Some people had jobs that allowed them to save money over time. When the pandemic occurred, they had money available to use to help them handle any increased financial costs. Other people were not so fortunate. While there are a myriad of reasons why one person may have faced more financial challenges than another person, good money management is an added shield of protection for everyone. If you have money saved in your account for a rainy day, when emergencies or financial challenges arise you may not be nearly as inconvenienced and better able to weather the storm.
5. A strong support system can help us overcome the unthinkable. With all the changes we’ve faced in 2020, one thing has become crystal clear: having a strong support system is crucial. Whether it’s family members we love, coworkers we cherish, or friends we can’t live without, we all need someone to lean on and talk to every now and then, especially during times like these. Many of us have been unable to to socialize and live life as we would normally, all while facing health threats and numerous job changes that have tested the limits of our patience and adaptability. In the midst of all of this, it’s essential that we have some type of support. It can be difficult to keep it together at all times and remain positive in the midst of changing circumstances around us. We all need a strong support system to lean on and encourage us along the way.
Tell me, what are some life lessons you’ve learned in 2020?
6 Life Hacks To Start Saving More Money
As a busy young professional who aims to be fiscally responsible and money savvy, I realized I needed to change my habits. Here are 6 habits I changed to save more money:
1. Pre-plan restaurant outings. When I get invited to eat out with friends, I show up a lot more prepared. Instead of getting there and being shocked by the price, I take a look at the menu online before I arrive and come up with a maximum dollar amount I want to spend. If I know I don’t want to spend more than $25, then I’ll think twice before I order another round of drinks or that extra appetizer I know I don’t really need. I spend less money if I set a limit for myself beforehand.
2. Decrease the amount of times I go to the mall. Most people who know me, know that I loveeeeee to shop at Express. They have cute business casual clothes for young professionals and quality dresses for an occasional night out. As a med student I could never seem to resist their sales and if things were magically 40% off, I usually bought up the whole store. Since I knew I couldn’t curb my self-control, I did something even better. I refused to let myself walk by the store. In fact, I decreased trips to the mall altogether. I now only go to the mall once a month for make up and any other personal grooming things. Since my self-control wasn’t the best I had to avoid putting myself in situations that constantly tested my limits.
3. Remove text alerts from clothing stores. If you know me, you know I love a good sale. Getting a sale price for a quality item is something that brings me immense joy. Anytime I got a text alert from one of my favorite stores notifying me of a sale it was hard to resist. When I realized I wanted to start spending less money, I changed this practice. I turned off the text alerts to my phone and send the sale notifications to an email address I didn’t check as often. That way, when I actually needed to buy something from the store, I still had access to valuable coupons, but was no longer inundated with them every couple days via text message.
4. Drink less alcohol. I’m not addicted to any drinks and don’t particularly care for hard liquor, like many young professionals I know, I love wine. Something about a glass of red wine after dinner alleviates my stress and makes me feel like a success. Unfortunately, this craving for wine was costing me a lot of money. Drinks were overpriced at bars and weekly wine bottles were starting to add up. In an effort to spend less money and lower my grocery bill I deceased my wine intake and started drinking less wine
5. Purchase things in cash. A couple years ago I noticed that I spent less money when I purchased things in cash versus when I bought things with a debit or credit card. When I swipe for a payment it can seem a bit passive. There is something about physically seeing the money leave my hands actually makes me want to spend less. Anytime I pay in cash I question whether I really need what I’m about to purchase. With a debit card, I typically don’t have that doubt check system into place.
6. Take advantage of free and low cost entertainment. When I was a med student on a large college campus and even now as a resident in an urban city, there are tons of affordable entertainment options, especially on Friday nights. Instead of paying to go out somewhere, my friends and I decided to go to some of the free things. Our med school college campus had a bowling alley that was free on Fridays. Occasionally, they had art and painting classes that were also free. Sometimes we would even go to sporting men’s football games or women’s gymnastics meets which were relatively affordable as well. During the warmer months, we could rent Kayaks on the lake or do a movie night with popcorn at someone’s home in the winter. Either way, these affordable sources of entertainment were saving me money.
What do you think of these habits? Are there one or two life hacks from above that you could start adopting in your own life?