The years 2020 and 2021 seems to have whizzed past in a blur of scrambling confusion and mind-numbing waiting.
From talking to a number of people I know, some have successfully transitioned to new work scopes, business markets, even careers in different industries.
Others I know are still figuring their paths forward and not sure what to do next.
I suppose I'm somewhere in between - I've formed a rough plan to go on and I'm exploring avenues and work relationships to bring it to pass.
I'm definitely not a success transition story. Yet.
But I strongly believe that I'll get there.
If you are in a similar situation, I'd be glad to swap stories and learn about what worked for you. If you like, I'd be happy to share what worked for me, too.
Going Through a Tough Time Doesn't Mean That You are a Failure
2020 was, obviously, a bit of a curveball. Some of us responded very well to it, rolling with the punches, adapting accordingly, and are coming up on top.
Most of us, however, were reeling from the surprise and many of us are still trying to claw our way through and make sense of the bewilderment and chaos.
I’m quite willing to admit that I’m closer to the latter than the former.
I had made some rather far-forward-looking plans (after a long time of planning and putting the pieces together) and put them into action at the end of 2019, in preparation for a 2020 that would surpass my previous year by leaps and bounds.
The global slowdown was tremendously detrimental to my plans.
It took me a few months before I even came to terms with what was happening. It was only then that I started to take my original plans apart and tried to see where things can be changed.
As of this moment, they still aren’t fully-formed yet. But I'm definitely getting closer to what I sense that I'm meant to do.
I’m not at 100%.
And I think that’s ok.
Some of us take longer to adjust and adapt. The important thing is that we eventually move forward or at least take steps to move forward.
We don’t all have to listen to the ‘motivational gurus’ and make all of our time 'useful and productive'. It’s perfectly alright to take time to recover and piece things together before moving on again.
The Final Month of 2020 - A Month of Renewal?
So here we finally are, in the last month of a tumultuous year. Based on everything that has happened so far, it isn’t hard to imagine that many people are either still reeling or just starting to get back on their feet. Of course, there are some of us who have managed to turn crisis into opportunity.
Wherever we may be in the midst of all this, it’s probably worth planning for the year ahead, and the ones after that.
Certainly, the virus isn’t going to up and leave just because it’s 2021.
However, we cannot let it dictate the rest of our lives.
It may have left an indelible mark on us, but we are an adaptable species.
Somehow, we will rebuild and restore, recalibrate and reconnect, restart and renew.
After all, it is through difficult times that strength and resilience emerges.
Let us embody this and help others around us forge that better future.
One Singaporean's Thoughts on the USA Presidential Elections 2020
As a Singaporean who has never set foot on American soil, it’s essentially impossible for me to truly understand the deepest issues that affect the country and its people.
That said, it is certainly possible to have formed views and opinions, from talking to people, watching videos made by Americans as well as about Americans, and so on.
So, this is that: An opinion piece. It’s not a scientific dissertation or a research paper. Take it as such.
I like to look at the culture of a place and people, much more than individuals.
My view is that America is culturally extroverted. It wants to be known, to be seen, and it values visibility and outward expression.
You can see this in the movies that they make, the songs that they write, the celebrities that they put on pedestals.
You can also see it in the way that they conduct themselves on any platforms that make them visible - Internet forums, television / videos, social media, and so on.
You are also able to see this in the companies that they build, the practices that they uphold, and the language that they use.
Their heroes are robust, confident, and quick to move into action or speak.
And because they emphasise outward expression so heavily, they imprint (some would say impose) their culture on other countries. And they do it with now-predictable methods and fervour.
Singapore is one of these countries. Of the East and South-East Asian countries, we are, doubtlessly, the most Americanised. Many here would say ‘Westernised’, but I find this to be a far less accurate term.
We see the seeping in on Americanised values - a fair number of which are deeply opposed to our East and South-East Asian ones. I don’t see this as a good thing, but that’s a story for another time.
Because of its culture, it’s no wonder that they are easily swayed by charismatic talkers and strongly-opinionated rebels. These are the traits that they value!
And, of course, of the 2 candidates in the upcoming USA Presidential Elections 2020, one of them truly embodies this set of traits.
As much as many all over the world ridicule and poke fun at the incumbent president, there are many in and outside of America who are passionate supporters.
In case you’re wondering, I’m not one of them. I’m not a fan of his fast-talking, word-flipping ways, and I find his views on science very perplexing. That said, there is no doubt that he is a charismatic man, polarising though he may be.
I’ve said this on many occasions to people that I discuss politics with: Better the evil you know than the evil you don’t.
At the end of the day, the incumbent president is known to speak his mind, without caring about what others think.
Some say that this is dangerous - especially considering he is in such a position of authority.
But this is something that many Americans value. As do I. Political correctness is both a pain and a recipe for weakness of thought and emotion.
And here’s the thing: Because he constantly speaks his mind, we are privy to his thoughts, and that he isn’t going to bother to come up with elaborate lies and deep cover-ups. The people around him may do that, but he’s hardly the kind of person who goes covert. He LIKES attention and undercover operations don’t seem to be his thing.
You have to admit that there’s a certain honesty about that - a rare trait amongst politicians. And I appreciate that.
I have no dog in this fight, and I don’t care if you agree or not. My prediction is simple:
Donald Trump will remain President of the USA after 2020.
Picture from The Boston Globe - https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/04/07/metro/shortest-presidential-election-ever/
And our lives will go on as they always have.