If 2020 wasn’t your year, it’s okay

The stress of 2020 has taken a toll on our productivity levels. Photo courtesy NBC.com

2020 has been one of the most unpredicted years we’ve experienced. From dealing with COVID-19, racial and social injustice, and deciding the future of democracy for the country, there is no wonder several people didn’t have much of a choice than to fall into a state of uncertainty and, in many cases, depression. 

Today’s society expects so much out of individuals and shames those for not being productive enough or not working hard enough. For one, I can attest to the harsh realities of today’s society, seeing as though I was through a minor state of depression a few months ago. 

COVID-19 has taken the lives of over 250,000 citizens this year. I dealt with a family loss due to COVID-19. It hit the hardest because it was my uncle, and he had respiratory and underlying conditions, and unfortunately, he found out a short time before his passing. I then went into a state of depression because of online learning and personal situations.

 I also had to move out for a certain amount of time to stay with my aunt and uncle because of COVID-19 and having a part-time job that entitles me to work closely with customers; I had to be at a distance not potentially to infect my 88-year old grandmother.

According to fas.org, the country’s unemployment has gone up 6.9% since the start of the virus in October, “The unemployment rate peaked at an unprecedented level, not seen since data collection started in 1948, in April 2020 (14.7%) before declining to a still-elevated level in October (6.9%).”

COVID-19 wasn’t the only controversial topic in 2020. 

The country has gone through racial and social injustice this year, primarily impacting the Black community. From dealing with the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, the country has been continuously in an uproar, more now than ever. 

Witnessing these events happen, it’s possible to result in becoming overwhelmed not accomplish the goals that we had planned, but that’s okay. We put so much pressure on ourselves to be successful and achieve our goals within a specific time frame. But seeing how this year has been with people losing their jobs, their loved ones, and in some instances their homes, we should change the narrative society has created. 

Hustle Culture plays an essential part in today’s society. We are pressured to believe that we need to achieve our goals at a specific time in our life. Our society is in need of empathy for the challenges this year has created.