Five Personal Revelations from the 2020 Lockdowns

The 2020 lockdowns altered lives in unprecedented ways. Many don’t like to talk about it, many probably wish they could forget about it, but the thing is that I do and I can’t— nearly four years have passed but I still have the post-traumatic stress from the lockdowns, I can’t just drop it. 

For many, including myself, it was a period of intense reflection and unexpected change. How we chose to live our lives after became a point of no return, good or bad. 

Here are five profound ways these lockdowns reshaped my perspective on society, my professional career, and general outlook on life as a whole. 

Seeking Freedom 

The lockdowns forced me to reevaluate my living situation, pushing me to leave my home for a place that held a greater respect for individual freedom across the country. This decision wasn’t just about seeking less restrictive COVID-19 policies but about finding a community that aligned more closely with my values of personal freedom and responsibility. 

This move was a physical and ideological journey towards a life where personal liberties were more deeply respected. My friends back home didn’t understand, but to them, it was a forgive and forget situation, thinking that just because the government did something bad once, they obviously wouldn’t do it again. 

This mindset among them and others in our community was enough to let me know that should another pandemic occur, they’d let local officials abuse us again as much as they did the first time. 

Corporate Compliance and Personal Impact 

During the lockdowns, I witnessed firsthand how quickly corporations could bend to government mandates, often at the expense of their employees’ well-being. This realization was disheartening but eye-opening, underscoring the impersonal nature of corporate decision-making when faced with government pressure. 

If you’re reading this and you refused to take experimental medical procedures, you probably were threatened to have your job ripped from you, or worse, they just did it anyway. 

Facing a similar situation, that moment challenged me to think critically about the entities I support and work for, and their alignment with my values, especially in times of crisis. 

The True Value of Community 

Isolation during the lockdowns made me acutely aware of the importance of my personal circle. It compelled me to forge stronger, more reliable connections with friends, family, and neighbors.

These relationships proved essential, providing mutual support in a time of widespread uncertainty. The experience reinforced the idea that community resilience is as crucial as individual resilience, highlighting the strength of truly dependable relationships. 

Self-Reliance in a Dependent Society 

The disruption to daily life during the lockdowns exposed just how dependent modern society has become on systems and infrastructures like supermarkets, public transport, and global supply chains. 

This dependency motivated me to cultivate greater self-reliance. From growing my own food to learning basic repair skills, I embraced practices that lessened my reliance on external systems, enhancing my resilience against future disruptions. 

One thing to note is that I didn’t cut my own hair— had I done that I might as well have gone bald. Some things you have to leave to the experts. 

Reaffirming My Commitment to Liberty 

Perhaps most significantly, the lockdowns prompted me to deeply question and ultimately reaffirm my commitment to personal liberty and autonomy. 

They challenged me to consider the lengths I was willing to go to defend these principles, both in my personal life and professional decisions. As a business owner and entrepreneur, I have one rule I will stand by no matter what— I don’t do business with businesses that victimized their work force or abused a crisis for personal gain. 

This introspection led to a clearer understanding of my values and the sacrifices I was prepared to make to uphold them. 

What Say You? 

The 2020 lockdowns were more than just a temporary interruption of daily life; they were a catalyst for profound personal growth and reflection, at least for me. They challenged my assumptions, tested my values, and reshaped my approach to living and working. 

As we move forward, these lessons remain with me—integral to how I navigate the future, prioritize relationships, and engage with society at large. The lockdowns didn’t just change where I live and how I work—they changed who I am. 

So the question remains; what about you?