5 things we learned in 2020

December 31, 2020
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Cover image: Vincent Bassil

2020 has definitely been one of the most challenging years.

As we are a few days away from its end, we look back at what this year has brought, or should we say: what this year has taken?

In the midst of it all, and even when everything came to a halt and nothing seemed to work, this year taught us lessons that we will never forget.

We gathered these answers from followers of the pack and we have restructured them into 5 things this year has taught us:

1. Patience – Stop taking things for granted.

Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we are waiting.
Joyce Meyer

Never have we witnessed the term ‘Forces Majeures’ as much as this year. Major Forces disrupted events happening across the globe. Weddings, anniversaries, exhibitions, trips, expos, jobs, meetings even family dinners have been cancelled this year. We certainly learned how to deal with those ‘forces majeures’, how to work around them and most importantly know that we don’t always have to have it our way!

Vicent Bassil, Charbel Sattouf, Nabih Achkar & Boutros Abi Ramia

2. Gratitude

This year empowered us on two different levels of gratitude:
Gratitude of the past and gratitude of the present. These two levels are inextricably interwoven and are a completely natural process to everyone.
We learned to show gratitude of what we used to take for granted in the past, but more importantly we have learned to show gratitude on a daily basis to things happening in the present. We were more aware of our daily patterns, lifestyle and activities. This year taught us to be mindful about the present, about the moments we live right now.

3. Adapt

If you feel that life is not on your side, try another one.

Every day going by this year reminded us that we need to adapt. We need to change our paradigms, shift our perspectives and attitudes in order to keep moving forward. We learned that problem solving means having an elastic mind that is willing to go into different directions to thrive and survive.

4. How to say No

You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage pleasantly, smilingly, and non-apologetically – to say no to other things.
And the way to do that is by having a bigger yes burning inside.
Stephen Covey

We learned to say No the hard way this year. We said No because we couldn’t at the beginning. But soon enough we realized, that saying No means having different priorities than our immediate surrounding. And more importantly, we learned that it is important to have our own priorities, and that is it okay to follow these priorities without feeling the obligation to conform to the mold.

5. Together is better

The biggest lessons of them all is the unity we have all experienced. Moments of success, solidarity, support, donations and progress. It has never been a secret that working together can help us achieve more, but this year gave us no choice but to work together, to merge our forces to advance the greater cause.