At the start of 2020, I was one of the guys screaming 2020 is going to be my year and to tell you the truth it was. In the midst of everything happening I somehow managed to have my best year to date.
But it’s difficult typing that because I’m well aware for many, 2020 was a tough year. We were hit with COVID-19, which robbed us of loved ones and brought the economy to its knees. We saw a racial divide, unlike anything we have seen before, and the lockdown tested all of our mental health limits.
But despite the trials and tribulations, if you take a long hard look at the year you had, I’m sure you can find some positives. By design, I normally focus on the negatives, I could have nine things that could go right and I would focus on the one thing that went wrong. But I’ve been trying to shift out of that mindset, and this blog is part of that shift.
In this post, I will summarise some personal wins for me in 2020. I hope that you can reflect on your year, take some positives from it, and carry that energy into 2021.
My Family Defeated Coronavirus
I touched on this a little bit in my mini testimony but didn’t highlight the seriousness of the matter. Around April at the peak of the coronavirus pandemic, my mum, aunt and I got seriously ill. At first, I was in denial that it was COVID-19 but as time went on it was clear what we were battling. I remember going for a run, and struggling to breathe, I managed to get home but couldn’t move for the rest of the day. My mum and aunty were bed-bound throughout the whole period.
There was a point I really thought I was going to lose my Mum and Aunt, the fear that hit me was unlike anything I’ve felt before. They were on the verge of going to the hospital, which at the time felt like a death sentence, the news was filled with stories of people going to the hospital and not returning. So we decided to take care of them at home, my older cousin had them drinking herbal teas, we made them take vitamin C and paracetamol, and after a while, they both made full recoveries. Those two are my angels, so them making full recoveries was the greatest win.
Losing my job….setback for a bigger comeback
In addition to catching COVID-19, my contract came to an abrupt end due to the effects of the lockdown, I was blindsided and scared, I thought there was no way I would find a new role in the current climate, but somehow I found another contract that lasted for a couple of months and when that ended the company that let me go rehired me. I’m making it sound simple but if you knew how everything fell into place you wouldn’t believe it.
Starting a foundation
So while catching COVID-19 and losing my job, alongside a group of 150 others we decided to start a foundation. The principle is based on love and giving, basically supporting each other when tough times arise. Imagine a family saving together, to ensure that no one is left behind. This was prior to the announcement of the lockdown and before the BLM protests but the timing couldn’t have been any better. At the time of this post, we have raised over £5,000 and reinvested over half to help brothers. This is probably the win I am most proud, because to see a group of to unite to support people they barely know is amazing, but then to also see how the money is going directly to help others is something else. It’s still in its infancy but I’m excited to see what God will do.
Discovered the root cause of my Ulcers…I’m Gluten intolerant
Those close to me know that for years I have been suffering from mouth ulcers, I’m talking as far back as primary school. The pain level was immense and would often last for months. It’s affected my personal life and my career. Till this day, some think I’m rude or anti-social when the truth is it was just too painful to talk. I had started believing it would be something I would have to live with. But it changed in 2020, I finally took an allergy test, friends and family had been telling me to take it for years, but I just didn’t believe it would help. But that allergy test was a game-changer, I found out I’m allergic to gluten and I had some serious gut issues, which indicated I could have a condition called celiac disease (self-diagnosis). But the moment I cut out gluten and started taking the probiotics the ulcers have gone and not returned, this is the longest I’ve been ulcer free and it’s amazing! Special shout out to RB & FT for encouraging me to take the test.
A quick getaway to Dubai
In a year where flights were being cancelled, closed borders, and you need to perfectly time your COVID-19 test to be allowed entry into a country, going on holiday definitely felt like a win. It started as a random conversation with a friend, and the next thing you know 4 of us were on a flight to Dubai. The trip offered the opportunity to just relax and be thankful. It reenergerised me for 2021.
Copped a crib, as a contractor in the pandemic.
I will probably elaborate more on this in another post, but at the top of 2020 I was having a conversation with a close friend, and he gave me some harsh words about my priorities out of love. I was annoyed but understood he was right, I then later reconnected with another friend who told me I was playing games. I felt God was sending me signs so I decided to listen. I started looking for a house, throughout the entire process it felt like Gods favour was on me, the mortgage process is supposed to be extra difficult for self-employed people, but mine was smooth, I didn’t have to pay stamp duty, and got the house £10,000 less than it was originally sold for. The house was sold, but the previous buyer lost their job due to COVID and unfortunately had to pull out. I was able to put 15% down and got a house that has everything I asked for. Everything happened in his time, and I’m happy it happened this way.
With 2020 now done, I have gained and grown greatly as a man eager to flush out my weaknesses and build my purposeful character. I’ve had to be more honest and vulnerable and learn to appreciate the skills I always knew were latent in me and as a result, my life has gone on for the better, I want to be a great source of encouragement and example to those around me – fight a good fight, take up noble causes.
My advice set your hopes high and let God’s grace be your ultimate security.
What were your wins? Let’s be great all 2021.