Winter 2020

Refresh

“2020 man…”

For a while, it felt like this was all anyone could muster when talking about this year. We have seen some hard times over the last 12 months: from COVID, terror attacks, and police brutality - to extreme racism, the conflict in the Middle East, and other political-related crimes against humanity and nature. It has been an unfathomable few years, let alone 2020 itself.

Nevertheless, it seems as if the clouds over the last four years or so are starting to split apart and give way to the sunlight. During November particularly, I think it is fair to say that many of us took a deep breath of relief as we felt the ripples of change start to move around us.

Therefore I think 2020, despite being branded as ‘The Worst Year Ever’, has actually taught us the very definition of resilience and vision, as we have overcome and achieved some really amazing things:

Joe Biden officially won the 59th quadrennial presidential election 2020, in one of the most suspenseful and emotional elections, possibly to date. Biden scooped up the largest share of the popular vote against an incumbent since 1932 and raked in the highest voter turnout since 1900. Each ticket received more than 73 million votes, surpassing Barack Obama's record of 69.5 million in 2008.
2020 has been designated as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife by the World Health Organisation, in honour and acknowledgement of their responses and hard work during COVID-19.
Three black children: Ramarni, Anala, and Alannah have been identified as having the highest IQs ever in the world – higher than Einstein and Stephen Hawking!!
Jeffrey Epstein’s long-time alleged accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, was arrested for child sex-trafficking charges. In result, a giant paedophile ring has started to be identified and dismantled.
The world witnessed one of the largest protests in recent history in support of #BlackLivesMatter, after the tragic murder of George Floyd.
The most diverse team in history for the top communication roles in the White House have been chosen – that being an all-female team, where four of which are women of colour.
The disgraced Harvey Weinstein was convicted of his sexual crimes earlier this year, with the verdict celebrated far and wide as a monumental moment for the #MeToo movement, as well as initiating the exposure of rape culture across wider dimensions of society.
Rap music and entertainment icons such as Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Janelle Monáe, Celaviedimai, Jasmine Brown, and Jorja Smith have torn across the scene, dominating the floor in demanding black and female equality and empowerment – and done beautifully so!
We’ve learnt about the dark side of social media, which has birthed the movement encouraging people to #DeleteFacebook, as feelings of violation and betrayal fester between our online clicks.
Mother Nature and our mental states have been getting some well-needed respite in the face of COVID-19 lockdowns.
We have revolutionised the way we work, realising that we don’t need to trek an hour or so into the office. That we can operate just as effectively from the comfort of our own homes - allowing us greater comfort and free time, plus lowering our carbon footprints and money we’d have to otherwise spend travelling etc.

These examples of change and positivity shows that no matter how stark or fixed our situation might feel, we the people, really do have the power to make a difference and decide how we wish to live. We need to be proud and reflect on how this year we, as a collective, decided to unsubscribe from various outdated, pervasive, male-white-washed narratives regarding how we should live, think and feel. That we decided to no longer be pacified by habit and dumb acceptance of things “just being the way they are”. Instead, we chose to identify and cast out hate and discrimination - to no longer turn a blind eye just because it feels uncomfortable to stand against something. We chose to embrace change and self-improvement, to no longer be held back by the toxic tyranny of fascist attitudes and values, no matter how subtle or outright. We learnt how to be comfortable in having more liberal values, and knowing that that doesn’t make us “snowflakes” - it just means that we care, are self-aware, have progressive thought and can visualise a life beyond the parameters of gender-roles and cultural/racial divisions, that were superimposed onto us by political agendas and social constructionism throughout time and history. We started to question our “norms” and became woke…

We WOKE up and realised that life is about living and choice, freedom and love - that we can only achieve these great things by starting on the relationships with ourselves and each other. That free-thought and caring beyond capitalism or political power-play isn’t radical thinking, but necessary for the next step in our evolution.

The road is long and the dust of the past is still thick in the air around us, but we are at the starting line. We are at the beginning edge of stepping into a new world: a fair, honest, green, and accepting world - free from division and selfishness. Nevertheless, we mustn’t release the pressure; as we may have won the battle, but are yet to win the war. We must keep reminding ourselves of these new values and progressive vision and live accordingly every day. To keep focused on the education and information out there to increase our knowledge and awareness to further improve ourselves, our relationships, society and environment.

Over this next wintery season and beyond, I urge you to be mindful of the negativity and inequalities we have been fighting against and explore some of the resources we have put together below (not sponsored) to assist you in expanding new thought and ideas, so to further contribute towards crafting a more positive future for us all to enjoy

Knowledge is power, and that power comes from you. Share yours with the world.

Got some of your own great resources? Send them to us at theroompsy@outlook.com to be added to this list!

Podcast: ‘Russel Brand: Under The Skin’

Podcast: ‘The Disclosure Podcast’

YouTube channel: ‘Vishuddha Das’

Podcast: ‘All in the Mind’

Book: ‘The Body Keeps Score’

Book: ‘Psychology for Sustainability’

Web: ‘Black Lives Matter’

Movement: ‘Extinction Rebellion’

Docudrama: ‘The Social Dilemma’

Streaming service for everything spiritual, esoteric, universal, historical, profound etc.: ‘Gaia’