2020 is Off To A Rough Start

Going into 2020, we all had an idea of how it would go. “Got that 2020 vision” was December’s catchphrase, so we expected this year to be a change from the depressing last few years.

Well, we’re off to a bumpy start to say the least.

Three days into the year, good ol’ President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Iran to world-war highs by ordering an assassination on an Iranian military leader.

Republican senators refuse to be objective in Trump’s impeachment trial. This moment in history is historical, though. A president is going through an impeachment trial, and sometimes we don’t realize the scale of what is happening in the United States. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle renounced their royal duties and moved to Canada — though that may only be a concern if you’re British or Canadian.

Then, a never-before-seen illness, the novel coronavirus, killed over a hundred in China and is slowly spreading.

The Trump administration rolled back water pollution protections and raised the threshold for legal immigration. 

Kobe Bryant, basketball legend, and his daughter Gianna died tragically in a helicopter crash. 

No matter who you are, the news of Kobe’s death was shocking. Deaths happen every day, but it’s not often that someone of such global relevance leaves this world.

While we may have never met these people, whether it’s an athlete, a politician or a musician, people in the limelight leave an impact.

If you’re one of those people who “doesn’t get” the reaction to celebrity deaths, think of it this way:

Kobe influenced athletes to work harder to achieve their goals, Prince and Michael Jackson influenced decade’s worth of musicians. You don’t have to establish a mutual connection with someone for them to be a part of your life.

But enough about that.

This is the point when people give up on having a good year, but you can’t give up now. There are 11 months left in 2020. Sure, the political situation is crazy, but you can vote in the primaries and elections. Yes, people die, and it hurts more when it’s someone you’ve looked up to, but their legacy isn’t lost. 

If you lose faith in the world, society or yourself, then it will stay that way. If you keep your head up, good things will come solely because of the positive energy you bring.

Positivity attracts and begets positivity, so keep your head high, friend.