by Thato Mokhothu-Ramohlanka
If there is one thing we can all agree on it is that the year 2020 has been challenging. With many countries around the world going through protracted government induced lockdown periods, businesses, relationships, and our personal wellbeing have been put under immense pressure. As the global economy slowly reemerges from the constraints brought about by the lockdown, our resilience and fortitude will continue to be tested well into next year.
Unfortunately, there is very little that can be done to repair some of the damage that has been done by the Covid-19 pandemic. With increased job losses and businesses that have been forced to close down, the overwhelming effects of the pandemic will result in many people having to start afresh. However, as the year comes to an end, we need to look back at our experiences and accept our failures in order to move on to the next chapters in our lives.
As tempting as it is to dwell on what could have been, this is the time for all of us to be realistic and ask ourselves a few questions: What are the situations that we could have handled better? Are there any opportunities that we could have taken advantage of? How far are we on our personal development journey? What are some of the goals that we have been neglecting? Are there any key relationships that need to be mended? Ultimately, after considering all these factors, it is important to ask ourselves how we need to rebuild ourselves.
These questions will help us to become accountable for the role that we continue to play in the trajectory of our lives, even if we were living through volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous times. The responsibility that we have for our actions and reactions to the external environment does not cease with the intensity of its stressors. People often struggle with accountability because of a combination of pride, cognitive biases, mental models, and conditioning. Due to these deeply entrenched factors, it is easier to deflect the responsibility onto something or someone else because it eases the negative feelings that are caused by the reality of our own shortcomings.
What all of us need to do as the year comes to an end is take stock of where we are in our lives and understand the role that we have played in getting there. The idea is not to discourage ourselves or focus on the weaknesses as this can affect our mental health. Our approach has to be one of complete honesty and forgiveness – both of ourselves and those who have played a role in creating the undesired parts of our lives. As we assess, rebuild, and slowly become bold enough to look ahead and create new visions of ourselves, it is very important to surround ourselves with people who will hold us accountable and ensure that we continue to strive for greater heights towards the ideal self.
Thato Mokhothu-Ramohlanka is the founding director of MR Consulting which offers legal and management consulting services to SMMEs. She graduated with degrees in Psychology, Sociology, Marketing Management and Law from the University of Cape Town and the National University of Lesotho. Thato is a member of the Global Shapers (Maseru Hub), a global non profit organization founded by the world economic forum that seeks to uplift the youth through various educational projects. She is passionate about young people and uses her writing to uplift and motivate them through their various challenges.
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