Why Taking Your Time Won’t Hurt in 2021
Shit’s been crazy!
Let’s not downplay the freakishly amazing luck that has gotten us this far, despite a raging killer virus that has ended more than 400,000 lives and destabilized the functionality of millions of households in America.
And no, the measly $600 stimulus check from the federal government that took months and months of maddening negotiations will not be sufficient enough to minimize the damage done to the job market and ailing economy.
Many jobless Americans, who never imagined they would be dependent on unemployment benefits that prematurely ran out, just as the new year was upon us, are understandably morose about relentless destitution that can’t be overpowered by glaring signs that the worst is yet to come.
Yes, I was one of the hopefuls about a year ago, who was faithful about making a brand new decade the prophetic testimony it needed to be for the endorsement of my long-awaited return to professional life, after an almost three-year hiatus.
I literally ran away from my demons while residing in the City of Angels, and headed back to the temperate climate of the East Coast with the mandate of discarding bad habits, exacerbated by disillusionment from aging out of a system that wasn’t recognizable.
I loved being a writer, and purposefully quit corporate America to concentrate on the glowing opportunities that I truly believed would manifest the dreams of doing what I’m best at, with proper compensation that could end the nightmare of working day jobs to fund my passion.
The year 2017 made it became clear that media-at-large was shifting towards the recycling bin of content optimization, thanks to the horrendous model of The Huffington Post — now HuffPost — that tasked its editors to poach for winning material at all the usual places, for reposting on the unsightly platform of overpopulated jargon.
This method of content mismanagement drastically diminished the honorable station of writers, who pen from the heart and deserve not be shortchanged with payment from the invaluable “exposure” that problematic brands relied heavily on, for budgetary reasons, and the addiction to weaponizing esteemed reputations at the expense of those who can’t afford to be reasonably demanding.
At the time, it seemed completely fair to walk away from it all, and take the time to settle my body and soul in a nurturing environment that allows the resharpening of tools, and spiritual recovery from life’s blows, that can knock out the ability to rise from the ashes.
When you’re in a certain age bracket, the loss of a year can feel like a setback that lasted five years, and that’s what the emptiness of 2020 has wrought with the abruptness of highly-anticipated itineraries that were supposed to be implemented for reactivation of a second wind.
I grew tired of observing and “liking” mind-blowing announcements of worthier counterparts and noted competitors in my trolling folder, and made the decision to get off my flattened ass and give 2020 a run for its money.
Of course, we all know how those great expectations played out.
In the meantime you have shamers, who come in all forms, from annoying influencers to revered celebs, who swear that hustlers make the very best of daunting situations because they’re outfitted with bullet-proof attributes, that set them far apart from natural born losers, who do nothing but complain and sulk about what they’re too lazy to fix.
Similar to the mindset of privileged snobs, who have utilized oppressive mechanisms to amass their ultra-wealthy statuses, tone-deaf politicians don’t hold back their disdain for the poor and poorer, who were berated for not climbing out of the depths of financial despair, after a handful of months, pocketing the extra $600 in unemployment benefits.
They say you know what’s real, when your back is against the wall, and defenses down to the ground, without the available lifeline to latch onto because of an unprecedented national health crisis that mandates self-isolation and social distancing for survivors.
The death toll from the gross negligence of a rogue administration under the strain of a former Murderer-in-Chief, also includes lives lost from broken hearts that are irreparable. They stopped beating while the victim was technically able to breath freely, but the obstruction from mental disarray has led to fatalities in solitude.
It’s hard not to be stunned at the miracle of our fragile existence, purposefully greeting 2021 with cautious optimism and modestly decorated vision boards, in accordance with victims who are presently weathering the after shocks of a traumatic period in history, that has left formerly sturdy foundations in shambles.
As they say — the pressure is on!
Social media will never let you forget how much better others are faring with book announcements that are too many to keep track of, and the diligent words of wisdom, tagging along old tweets that have finally been manifested, thanks to glowing endorsements from places that matter.
As someone who easily gets overwhelmed when falling behind an ambitious schedule, the wrath of 2020 has disciplined my nerves into accepting what can’t be revised by focusing on what’s controllable.
So I’m committed to taking my time in 2021.
Given what we’ve been through on a global scale with plenty more on the way, despite advances with the distribution of approved vaccines, and the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, that certifies the grand return of law and order — it’s safe to say that we’ve earned the right to be self-indulgent.
Celebs and brand ambassadors sure didn’t hold back in 2020, when it came to blatantly showcasing their immunity to widespread suffering and rising death toll, with assistance from popular platforms, that are built to withstand the scorching audacity of blessed citizens, who are desperate to share images of rented islands for milestone birthdays, and glitzy affairs that defiantly go against CDC guidelines.
For those of us who have exhaustively surveyed the wreckage of desolation and immovable debris, the earnest wishes for 2021 is solely contingent on when the new definition of normalcy is commonplace, and we are granted entry into an evolved society that’s ready to host mutually beneficial transactions.
Staying in hustle mode, when the roof above your head is in danger of being savagely torn away, while bank accounts rot from neglect, requires a certain level of steadfastness that’s almost impossible to maintain while a global pandemic continues to do its worst to secure the upper hand.
It’s not about throwing up hands in the air, but rather the practice in patience and endurance that translates to taking it one day time, without wasting away.
2021 arrives with the promise that it won’t hurt a bit to embrace your assigned journey with the understanding that regardless of how long it will take to curate a triumphant comeback, as long as you remain on course, and damn the distractions of social media’s best and brightest — you may have the chance to rediscover your purpose.
Shit’s been crazy!
But if we can emerge from the rubble of what has surely been the worst presidency of our lifetimes, and the life-altering ramifications of a deadly virus, we can’t help but believe that time will be on our side, if we make the pledge not to waste any of it.
