As the COVID-19 death toll rises, it seems like it’s getting harder and harder to focus on the positives. Millions of people fear for their lives, while millions more fear for their income, livelihood, and savings. Unemployment has reached a record level as businesses struggle to keep their doors open during the quarantine.
While all of this paints a rather grim picture for the United States and the rest of the world, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Governments and private researchers are working tirelessly to develop a vaccine and minimize the human and economic costs. More importantly, there are some positive lessons that COVID-19 has taught us about ourselves and the world over the past few months.
So, let’s take a look at the top 5 (positive) takeaways from COVID-19:
Healthcare Workers Are Heroes
If you personally know a doctor, nurse, EMT, or another kind of healthcare worker, this is probably not news to you. However, for the rest of us, COVID-19 has shed light on the fact that healthcare workers face unbelievable circumstances every day. The physical and emotional toll of handling hundreds of COVID-19 patients on a daily basis is staggering.
Nonetheless, these workers get up every morning and do their job. They save countless lives and help keep our society from collapsing in on itself. They deserve our praise and admiration (at the very least).
Social Distancing Has Brought Us Closer Together
At first, it seemed like social distancing would inevitably lead to complete isolation and even widespread mental health issues. Fortunately, technology allows us to stay in touch with our loved ones, and that’s exactly what everyone has done.
In fact, being stuck at home has given many people a new appreciation for their family, friends, and even neighbors. Nowadays, people are more inclined to reach out to the ones they care about the most. They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder and COVID-19 has proven this little saying to be very true.
Creativity Abounds
Whether you enjoy making funny Youtube videos, painting landscapes, or journaling, the COVID-19 quarantine has given people’s creativity time to flourish. When separated from their jobs and regular activities, people tend to find creative outlets to pass the time.
This has led millions of people to discover talents and interests they never knew they had.
In addition to art and creative hobbies, people have also found creative ways to add a little positivity to the world. For example, many people take to their windows to clap for healthcare workers around the world, while others work tirelessly to produce homemade facemasks for their community.
These are just a few examples of how COVID-19 has helped us find and nurture our creativity.
Data Is Our Friend
In recent years, data breaches made people skeptical of governments and private companies collecting our information. Americans value their privacy, so having our private data shared with unknown entities is a little scary.
While this is still a real concern, data sharing has also proven to be a huge asset during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Thanks to the interconnected nature of the global community, experts have been able to track the spread of COVID-19 with unprecedented precision. Though there are still many areas for improvement, data sharing has allowed us to know where the latest Coronavirus hotspots are so that they can be isolated as quickly as possible.
In the end, data will end up saving thousands (maybe even millions) of lives.
We Can Live Full Lives With Less
Between reduced incomes, business closures, and scarcity of certain goods, people are having to live with a lot less these days. The Coronavirus threw us all a curveball, especially when it comes to financial planning, but it has also shown us how to set priorities in our lives.
Sometimes, our material goals make us lose sight of what’s really important. Thanks to COVID-19, many of us can now see that we don’t really need that new big screen TV or fancy sports car. We just need to live in comfort and happiness. As long as we have what we need to take care of ourselves and our loved ones, what else really matters?
If you could benefit from a financial coach that can help you find balance and ease some of the anxiety in your financial life, we should talk! Click here to schedule a 30-minute (virtual) conversation today!
We can discuss your unique situation so that you can learn more about Waller Financial and determine if we’re a good match.