By Huma Mahmood
Lockdown taught me a lot. About what matters and what doesn’t. The months were long, and the challenges never seemed to stop.
I used to think that we had time. Time to build, time to think and time to waste. But we don’t. We really don’t. I learnt to bring a level of urgency to everything I do. From the small details, to the bigger ones.
Before lockdown, it was easy to be the passenger. To let go of steering the direction of your life. To sit back and wait for everything to come to you. I realised a few months in that I had to take back control, only of what I can.
Lockdown was and is tough love. It was the door which needed to close in order to see what we really were avoiding, to see the mess that we co-created.
Each day I would ask myself: “Is this what I want?”
Most of the time, the answer would be no.
The second question I asked was: “What am I going to do about it?”
So, I got up and made the changes that I needed to that day. Even if they were uncomfortable. Even if they were scary.
I didn’t see the progress at first. I didn’t feel the change. I was impatient. I had to wait. This was the second lesson – patience.
Lockdown was a huge dose of truth. There was no sugar-coating, so I won’t do the same here.
Short and sweet. Here are the rest:
- Get over yourself. The world owes you nothing. If there is anything you want to create or have then you need to be the one to make it a reality.
- There is no space for other people’s opinions. Everyone judges, it’s up to you which one you give power to.
- Make no your favourite word. Life is short. The value of time is beyond any number we could imagine. If it isn’t important to you, then it’s not worth your time.
- You will die. I will die. This is the only thing that we can guarantee. So what do you want to leave behind? What story will you write? Be that. Create that.
- Pain is inevitable but suffering is a choice. Play with the cards that life hands you. No matter what they are.
Guest Writer: Huma Mahmood has also written for the Soulhub Journal The Collective ‘Following Fear: An Exploration of Life’.
2 Comments
David
December 9, 2020 at 2:47 pmVery good points, I imagine that most people on their death bed would think, “If only”, but by then it’s too late. Sometimes people can’t do some of this stuff because it will cause hurt to somebody else, that has to be taken into account.
Soulhub
December 9, 2020 at 5:51 pmThanks for your comments David. We’ll reply as Soulhub, not as Huma, as she’s the guest writer – but you’re right. And to be thinking about what you want at 22 like she is, is great. To ask ourselves the questions now, and not leave it until it’s too late. And to be conscious of the impact on others too. But often it can also be a gift in the long run for others. Sometimes!!