2020 REFLECTIONS � CREATING RAINBOWS IN A STORM BY NICOL DAVID

Hello from my little writing desk where I�m enjoying the first few weeks of the new year at home. Perhaps because 2020 seems to have just passed us in a flash, 2021 was welcomed with a lot less fanfare than before. As I sit down to make my new year resolutions, I can�t help but look back on the past year and what it has taught me.

All of the initial goals we set for ourselves last January flew out the window in March because the pandemic halted each and every plan! With everything being so uncertain, I soon realised that I needed to find ways to regain my balance emotionally and mentally.

I started by continuing my healthy habits, such as working out or cooking at home, to establish a normal routine. I kept to a good training regime that incorporated both cardio and weight sessions to stay strong and fit and slept the necessary hours so that my body and mind would not feel agitated.

Trying new things may have seemed crazy and daunting during the pandemic, but it gave me hope and a goal to work towards. I believe that having a goal in life helps us focus so that we don�t get distracted as easily by our surroundings.

If anything, being apart from other people has also taught me how connected we are! I would never have imagined I would use Zoom so much in my life, but it has been a great platform for me to share my motivational talks with corporations and NGOs back in Malaysia. Even thousands of kilometres apart, I could still connect with people from all over the world and share my story and experiences from what I�ve learnt from my squash career.

Finally, I discovered the importance of being more compassionate, to those closest to me and also those around me. I made more time to connect with my family back home and friends all around the world, as we all did our part and bunkered down at our respective homes together.

I believe that 2020 threw us a challenge to face head-on, to rediscover and regroup ourselves, let go what we do not need and appreciate what we have. Despite feeling like time has stopped in 2020, it has also been a year where we grew as individuals and as a community and become a better version of ourselves in 2021 � it certainly was for me. As a difficult year ends, we have emerged stronger and more prepared for any challenges that come our way in 2021 and the years that follow.