This isn’t the post I thought I’d be publishing today, but I think it’s the one that I should. Today is day four of South Africa’s mandatory 21-day lockdown. When I created my goals for 2020 three months ago, the world looked vastly different than it does now.

I try not to see this as an obstacle, but as a learning opportunity. Sometimes in life, we encounter obstacles that are beyond our control. You can’t always control your circumstances, but you can control how you react to them.

Right now, people across the world are experiencing very different circumstances. The fact that you’re reading this means you probably have it better than a lot of people and that’s at least something to be thankful for.

Nevertheless, it’s easy to feel frustrated with the current state of affairs. However, it is of utmost importance that we do whatever we can to curb the spread of COVID-19. The best thing you can do during this time is to just stay home for an extended period of time, difficult as that may be for some. The World Health Organization also offers this advice to the public.

While you’re at home, take a look at what you had set out to accomplish this year. Which of those goals are still applicable? You can find body weight exercises online that can help you reach your physical goals. You can also read e-books or do some online courses to upskill yourself. There are a lot of options.

It feels like the world has hit the pause button for a little while, but that doesn’t mean that you have to hit pause on your personal growth and development. I almost let that happen to me.

I hope that by reading this, you’re inspired to take another look at your plans for this year. Feel free to get in touch with me on Twitter. Let me know what you’re going to be focusing on while the world is fighting this pandemic.