2020…a year of trials, bliss and chaos. A year where lives were taken and deaths were caused. A year where students were forced to undertake online schools and online exams. A year where protests took place for Black Lives Matter. A year where Joe Biden won over Donald Trump. A year where I saw that everyone was facing the same thing, despite being so different.

I wanted to share my own experience of 2020 and the lessons I learnt. We are taught to learn by venturing out into the world, but this time I learnt some lessons from the comfort of my own home.

So here goes… 20 life lessons I learnt in 2020, a revolutionary year.

Be more accepting of mistakes

As much as perfectionism may make you work your best, it can sometimes be detrimental to your health. Therefore, I would suggest remembering that no one is perfect and everyone commits mistakes and you have to accept and learn from these mistakes. Mentions go to Smile2Jannah who posted a video with Hamza Tzortsis a few years ago and Hamza mentioned something like this.

Create an identity of who you want to be.

This year, I really questioned my goals, ambitions and my purpose in life which is pretty good because it really allows you to carve out your own future. As Tim Han (the CEO of Success Insider) suggested, you should create an identity of who you want to be and then pretend you are that identity.

You don’t need to have an issue to have a story

I remember watching this TED talk from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie saying that she sometimes lied to people saying that she had a terrible childhood as it may sound ‘inspirational’ or because other writers do it, when in reality she had a wonderful childhood. This is to show that you don’t need to come out of a dark past to be successful in the future.

Don’t be afraid to stand out of the crowd.

This year, I stepped out of my comfort zone by creating my own podcast and promoting to people around me. This may have been difficult in the beginning, but now I am happy and thriving in terms of my podcast Alhamdulillah.

You will always get haters.

Speaking of my podcast, I then realised that some people were not very supportive when seeing me create my podcast and doing something a bit out of the ordinary. You just cannot please everyone and there will always be people who may be jealous or insecure about you. You can’t fear hate as if you do, you may regret reaching your deathbed having not accomplished your goals.

Be cautious of strangers

Do not trust strangers blindly, even your best friends, as once upon a time, your best friend was also a stranger. Even your closest friends can leave you. Don’t panic but be aware of what you tell people.

Learn to have fun

Nowadays, it seems that the only way of having fun is by using your phone and scrolling through social media. That may be one form of entertainment, but there are so many other forms of entertainment to check out, such as playing games, chatting to your family and friends, exercising and even organisation.

Have other extracurriculars

This year, I really broadened my horizons and introduced some extra-curriculars into my life such as my podcasts and my Instagram pages ‘@surobiscribbles’ and ‘@thechatlibrary’. Again, this helped build my brand, kept me busy and helped me to have something to do alongside academia.

Don’t be a passive reactor, be a creator.

Another lesson from Tim Han that I learnt is to not just depend on your emotions based on your environment and current circumstances, but instead take control of your thoughts and almost have a strong mindset to determine your emotions based on what you want your brain to think. You control your brain, not the other way round.

When uncertain, list out the pros and cons.

There may be some decisions you have to take in your life, and I realised that you may need to put your thoughts in pen to paper. If you want to make a decision, make a ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ list or a ‘for’ and ‘against’ table and list out all the factors. This helps you to see exactly your thoughts in front of you.

Everyone fakes it till they make it.

Everyone who you see is faking it till they make it. So do the same. 

Learn to forgive yourself.

In Islam, it says to not let guilt eat you up. Forgive yourself for any mistakes you have made in the past. Seek Allah’s forgiveness. And then just move on. This can make you feel quite peaceful. If you are finding it hard to see the positives and forgive yourself, speak to someone and get help.

You are not missing out on anything in life.

Do not ever think you are missing out on something in life. For example, if you have taken the decision to study instead of party with good intentions, just believe in Allah’s plan. Don’t think you are missing out on anything in life.

Accept yourself unconditionally.

Self-acceptance is vital. This was also mentioned in one of my favourite books so far which is known as ‘You Are A Badass’ by Jen Sincero. Self-acceptance helps with self-belief and self-love too.

Life is short, simple and sweet.

Life can have many obstacles. But, also, life is not that hard. If you live with the mindset that life is extremely hard, then it will be hard. Always believe that life can be beautiful and everyone is trying to make the most of it despite their problems. 

Always thank God.

As soon as you lose gratitude, it can impact everything. Please do stay grateful and thank God for everything you do. An example of this is when one of my posts in ‘@thechatlibrary’ Instagram page was liked by ‘@salamgirlpodcast’ who are two quite famous podcasters. Also, they reposted one of my posts in ‘@surobiscribbles’ on their story. I thank Allah for that.

Consume positive content.

This year, there was a lot of negativity in the news and people going through hardship. However, you must ensure you do not get consumed in it, however hard it may be. Listen to motivational videos, read self-help books and stay with positive people.

Have a good support system.

Speaking of positive people, you need to have a good support system especially if you are a teenager going through a lot or someone who is quite busy. These people can be there to help and support you and obviously, return the favour. Being giving really makes you feel better.

Don’t be ruled by the ego.

The ego is sometimes one of the biggest enemies for humans. If someone attacks you, you may immediately feel like you have to respond something back or gain revenge. Just relax. Don’t take anything personally.

Emotions are a temporary state of mind.

Remember that if you are going through a low day, your anger, frustration, nerves or sadness is temporary. Similarly, if you just achieved something, that happiness, thrill or excitement will not last forever. You need to remember that life moves and life is too short not to enjoy it.

These were some of the lessons I learnt this year. These are my personal lessons, and if you have any lessons that you learnt, comment down below.

Please check out my other articles!

Thank you so much for reading, and have a lovely day!