2021, let good deeds be done!

As we ring in the new year, I (like many others I'm sure) are wondering if by ringing in a new year, we can ring in a new year completely unlike the weird and scary year that 2020 was. 2020 was surreal and completely different than any other that I have lived. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there were many strange and scary years that happened before my birth. But 2020 was different somehow. It felt like at any moment, things could come crashing down around you. And I don't know about you, but life sure felt like it came crashing down around me. From covid scares to quarantine, from losses to cars being broken into, from car accidents and brain injuries; life still goes on, even in 2020.

And we did it. 2020 is over. We survived. And we should be proud of that. So despite everything, despite the fear and chaos that 2020 brought to this world, we have to figure out a way to keep living. And I think the way to keep living is by showing love, specifically towards others. The single most certain thing that I learned throughout 2020 was that even when my own life was falling apart, one way that I was able to cope was through looking at how I could help others. I had many opportunities to be selfless and help others.

So, how can you do it? I know, I know what you're thinking, what can I do, I'm just one person. Well, in fact, there are many things you can do that seem so small but can really make an impact. Let's talk about them.

1. Hold open a door for someone else.

This is something that can seem so small, but it really makes a difference. Not only is it the polite thing to do, but sometimes it can really make a difference for someone who may be having a bad day. And bonus, it usually starts a chain reaction. When others see you doing it, usually they do the same for the next person. Another bonus, it only takes a few seconds of your time.

2. Return your cart.

Another small thing that makes a big difference in a few ways. First, it saves the time of the workers. As someone who worked at a grocery store through the first few months of the pandemic, something this small can make a big difference. It saves them the time of having to chase down carts all over the parking lot. The workers have to bring in carts rain or shine, so the least you can do is return your cart to the stall. Another way is that it saves someone else from potential damage to their car. Think about it, how would you feel if someone left a cart behind and it damaged your car? Taking a few extra seconds to return your cart can make a big difference.

3. Pick up your trash.

Pick up your trash, whether from your table at the fast-food restaurant or by choosing to actually throw away your trash rather than throwing it out of your window. This also doesn't actually take that much time out of your day, and it helps to keep our planet beautiful.

4. Offer words of encouragement.

Whether telling a friend that they are doing a good job and that you are proud of them or just saying a genuine thank you to your barista, you can make a difference. Look, 2020 has been hard on everyone, and taking a few seconds or minutes out of your day to make some else feel good can change their entire day and bonus! I've found that it makes you feel good too.

5. Smile!

A simple smile can change everything. I know that smiling is difficult nowadays with all the mask rules, but even a nod or a wave in someone's direction can let them know that people care. When people smile at me, it makes me feel good, and it helps me to see that there are still good things in the world, yes, even through 2020.

6. Self-Care.

These are some small things you can do to help others, and there are big ones too. However, before you can do any of that you have to make sure you're okay too. I heard a quote from a tv show recently that basically said that when the plane crashes, you have to put your own mask on first before you help put on others' masks. 2020 has been rough, but we survived. However, we have to make sure we take care of ourselves too.

2020 was in a simple word: difficult. I went through a lot, and while I never got sick (Thank God), I went through more than I thought I could ever handle. But I did. I got through it somehow. And I think that the things that got me through were how others and I interacted. I got to see how people really are through the pandemic. Someone broke into my car, and yet, my friends and family came together to help me. Someone very close to me was involved in a car accident and got a brain injury, yet he's out of the hospital and is healing. My anxiety got worse than ever resulting in several panic attacks, yet my friends and teachers came together to help me through and are helping me find resources. Everywhere I turn, every bad situation I've seen has been made better through the actions of others. As we ring in the new year, I pray that you will see that we are all still human and begin to treat each other as such. Here's to a new year and a new attitude of putting others first.