4 Ways COVID-19 Caused Us To Refocus And What I Learned In the Process

This year’s end would be two long years since the COVID-19 pandemic has been on planet earth. Yet still the pandemic and its horror rages. Some people are still trying to figure out where 2019 went, and we are almost to 2022.

As of the writing of this article, there have been 242 Million total cases and 4.92 Million deaths worldwide. In Jamaica, where I live, the latest statistics show over 87,000 total cases and over 2,000 deaths. [1]

I thought recently about how much I learned in that period of time and how my mind had shifted to things of greater importance.

Family and faith is vital

The family unit, God mentioned, is an essential part of our daily lives (Genesis 2:23-25, Matthew 19:3-15). It is from there that we know who we are, gain social skills and then start to envision our future.

The test of a family many times comes not from good and prosperous times but when it gets difficult. The coronavirus has sent its test and we are still enduring despite the challenges.

Faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13) are pieces of a puzzle that binds community together.

I believe this generation will have many brilliant stories to tell that will resonate through time.

There are more than one ways to meet, learn and work

Everything shifted to a digital method to reduce spread of the virus. Everything! Work, school, church, organizational meetings, family get-togethers and even movie nights were done online.

Since I was both digitally inclined and had leadership roles in many of those areas of life, I was taken into a flurry of activity. From morning Zoom meetings to evening and weekend training sessions. From Whatsapp group discussions to live streams. You name it I did it.

Both work and school will never be the same again! I imagine that moving forward work-from-home or a blended format of it will become the norm. Technology has assisted us to really stay together and get many things going despite the season.

Resilience cannot be taught solely by theory, but it’s important

As the world grappled to learn more about the virus and how it spread, we were taught a vivid lesson in resilience. We could do nothing much except separate, socially distance ourselves, wear masks, keep sanitized, and pray.

Now doctors have gotten better at helping those with the illness, there are vaccines to improve prevention and even antiviral drugs.

However, the shock of it and how our lives were shifted remains. Many still fight with grief and loneliness from loss of loved ones. There are frustrations from loss or reduced income and right now school communities strive to continue to try to get children still learning and gaining skills.

Resilience and knowing how to adapt is important in life. Many times it is learned though not from theory or hearing someone’s story, but by going through it and applying some strategies for yourself.

You gain knowledge from experience. You unfortunately gain experience from failures. Sometimes many of them. Stay faithful that your results and positive outcomes will eventually come after your multiple failed attempts in life.

I am capable of more than I can imagine.
…and so are you!

When the pandemic started to pick up steam again in Jamaica with increased lockdowns in April-May 2021, I decided on birthing a project that I had thought of before. It seemed the best thing to do.

Having gone through anxiety and depression in my 20s, and getting over it, I had been on a wielding path to strengthen my resolve mentally and emotionally.

I am unable to state categorically, but since that time I must have devoured hundreds of hours of videos, audios and reading material on mental illness, positivity and wellness.

My life at this point had intersected so that while I had over 6 years in digital marketing experience, and years of science-based tertiary education, I had also started to train as an elder with my denomination with the intention to become a lay-pastor.

So I created “The Overcomers Series” to talk about some issues in live streams online. Big up to all those who joined me on the journey! I had people from the Caribbean, North America, Africa and even the Middle east connect with me. The Overcomers Series can still be viewed in a Facebook Series online on my business page.

It was almost as if I was made to combine my science/evidence-based knowledge, digital and marketing experience and theology understanding into what eventually came to be.

It reminded me that we are many times unique creations but very much alike. Similar issues to contend with and so precious to be able to work things out better together. There can still be unity in diversity.


I imagine that you also have dreams, and projects that you think about all the time.

Pray about it! Seek some mentorship if possible. Both don’t let your dreams die.

COVID-19 reminded me that I have so much to learn, so much to give and so much to do and become.