Coming out of our COVID-19 cage, we should carry lessons into the rest of our life.
Your health matters
Strangely, many people treat their temporary possessions: cars, phones, and Airpods better than their irreplaceable body.
People pump premium fuel but shove in junk to fuel their bodies.
COVID-19 preys on those with preexisting conditions, such as those with Type 1 diabetes, asthma, and liver disease.
Obesity was the most prevalent underlying condition for 59 percent of adults ages 18 to 49 in one March COVID-19 study, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
For most people, COVID-19 isn’t a death sentence. But unhealthy habits, advanced age, and already done damage increases the severity of the disease.
How you care for your body is a life or death decision. Changing ourselves is hard, but nothing easy is worth it.
Self-care will most likely determine the length and quality of your life, and whether you meet your grandchildren.
Be present when you’re with others
For the U.S., March 2020 will live in infamy, the new 9/11. “Where were you when COVID-19 hit?”
The disease ripped through the country and threw many into dark despair. Over 26 million people in the United States lost their jobs.
There’s never been a time where humans need each other more. Engage in deep and civil conversations.
When we spent time with others before COVID-19, many people truly didn’t give each other full attention.
We should change that going forward.
Financial realism
The COVID-19 economic shutdown probably dropped your spending habits.
Now you know how little money you truly need to live, barring some necessities, including gas.
In terms of behavioral economics, your anchoring bias shifted.
Think about infomercials that offer a product for $49.99. Then they slash the price to $19.95, which seems like a deal because of your price anchor.
“BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE,” Billy Mays used to say on OxiClean commercials as he threw in other products to convince viewers to pick up their phone.
COVID-19 could shock people’s perceptions of wealth.
If you make above $32,400 per year, congratulations; you’re in the top one percent of income earners on earth.
Here’s a map of median household income by country in 2020, ranging from the United States at $43,585 to Madagascar at $1,013.
That’s PER YEAR.
Those who travel to third-world countries know how many people live on less than $1 per day. They’ve shifted their anchoring bias of true wealth and what matters.
In the United States, one must earn $421,926 to reach the top one percent of income earners.
Many people overspend to try to gain happiness. They finance furniture. They take out seven-year car loans on $40,000 vehicles.
Items don’t bring happiness. Your relationships with others do.
Make your mark
How we spend our time and money paints a picture of who we are and what we value.
Work will consume the majority of our life–about 90,000 hours. But about 70 percent of people are dissatisfied with their current job.
Work isn’t just a means to pay bills. It’s your legacy. Your work defines your image.
That’s why it’s essential you find fulfilling work, a calling for which you wake up each morning knowing that you’re making a difference.
If you don’t know what career you want, consider what you want to be remembered for after you die.