The Best Lesson From 2020

Are you an accidental learner? Unconsciously adopting an accent or gestures of another country once returning home? Finding yourself using idiosyncrasies of your parents that you swore you'd never do? As the Progressive Insurance commercial says, "we can't keep you from becoming your parents," but we can guide you to some smarter, more purposeful choices. Here's your chance to sign up for a new curriculum.

If you have kids, know kids or have ever been a kid, you know that they "do as you do" not as you say. From the earliest age we are unconsciously - but voraciously - learning. Not because we "set our minds to it" but because our minds simply set us on the path of imitation and internalization.

I've been thinking about what I've unconsciously internalized over the past months. Despite writing about hope, I catch myself becoming more cynical on different topics. I know my friends are my lifeline, but I have settled into a solitary routine without reaching out and connecting the way that I encourage others to.

Like most of us, I assume these daily patterns won't be forever, but I'm starting to worry about what I'm passively learning about the new normal. Without the structure my "before" life offered, I'm finding it easy to drift mentally and relationally.

We will be learning lessons from 2020 for years, and even decades to come. But we don't have to wait to do the most powerful learning with 2020 hindsight. We are all learning something in this profound, historical moment, whether we realize it or not. Choosing a curriculum that provides structure and community for growth is the alternative to a resigned acceptance of a "new normal" that isn't what we want.

Our newly released "Surviving and Thriving Together" curriculum definitely gives you ways to be a more purposeful learner. The original 40 Days email series has been turned into a free course on our JourneyLEAD portal, adding new videos and pdf downloads, exercises and journal pages to the original messages.

Whether you're new to the series, or revisiting valuable insights, the Surviving and Thriving Together modules help you:

1) Find your sources of stability and strength

2) Understand how you are actually experiencing crisis

3) Identify mind traps that are limiting your learning

4) Gain wisdom from the lessons of loss and grief

5) Build a new crisis tool kit for practical, daily habits

6) Envision what new possibilities await you

A few months ago I asked you to imagine yourself in 2021, wondering what the most important lessons of 2020 would be for you. That we are stronger than we knew? More broken than we realized? That what we thought was the "worst" is, in fact, not? That joy can catch us when we least expect it?

We're not in control of exactly how those "life lessons" play out, but you can turn the trajectory of your learning toward growth and insight rather than passivity and resignation.

I'm hoping the Surviving and Thriving community can be part of the journey for you. 

Be well - Anne

p.s. Don't forget to share this blog post with your community and invite them to join!