The COVID-19 pandemic forced all of us to attend to new information and learn new things. One key to thriving after the COVID-19 pandemic is learning new skills, processing new information, and being proud of the accomplishment. Look at 2020 job openings because they may be totally different than what you expect. The Covid-19 pandemic made it easier to transition to automated retail services, work online, and really think about what is best for you and your family.

Cognitive Resilience Training

Resilience, or swift recovery from stress, a major illness, or a loss, may begin with positive affirmations, good nutrition, exercise, and eight hours of sleep every night. If you feel anxious and constantly think depressing thoughts, you need to focus on your strengths, your values, and positive changes in your life. Think about the things and people that you make you happy or feel better. Deliberately attend to positive thoughts, do stress reduction exercises, and read daily devotionals, daily quotes, or interesting rather than stressful or upsetting articles.

Look for the Silver Lining in COVID-19 Pandemic

The silver lining in the COVID-19 pandemic is everything from the weight you lost while you were worried, in the food line, or trying to help your children with distance learning to the new skills you developed or polished while you were staying at home. Look at all the changes during 2020. Can you really get all your vitamins, supplements, and household goods delivered from the newly automated Walmart and other retail stores? Where are the upcoming new job openings for 2020 and beyond?

Try Something Entirely Different

Well let's see, soon we'll all be 3D shopping online through 5g wireless technology. Cybersecurity may be the upcoming field that promises the most opportunities for advancement. Call your local workforce development office that may train you for a specific job opening. Your workforce development office may be able to give you a job and training to do the job with or without a bonus to take the job and stay with the company for an extended period of time. Take a test to qualify for new renewable energy, finance, or Department of Labor jobs.

Turn a Hobby Into a New Source of Income

Sitting at home during the COVID-19 pandemic is the time to research your family tree, lose weight, or learn new ways to draw, paint, or write and get paid for it. You may discover that your talent is valuable and feel proud of your accomplishments. Sell some of your clothes that you wore twice, your books that you already read, or the extra watch that you got for Christmas on eBay or Amazon.com. When the pessimist says hundreds won't help, I need thousands, apply your resilience training, your old mint set could be worth ten thousand dollars.

Ask for Professional Help

You don't necessarily need professional help, but ask for it anyway. Nothing ventured is nothing gained. If you're an unemployed veteran, or you were barely making it financially and you lost your job, cybersecurity may be the perfect career for you. Ask what and where the openings are and ask for training to emerge from the pandemic better off financially than you went into it.

Improve Relationships or Really Connect with Family and Friends

Strong positive connections with friends and loved ones offers not only support, positive feelings, and happiness. You need to make the conversations meaningful, and expand your support network to include people with common interests or church members. Strive for meaningful days every day that benefit others, accomplishes a task, or improves your financial condition.

Returning to Positive Affirmations

Returning to your resilience training, enter your thoughts in a daily journal along with positive thoughts or affirmation of things you do well. Replace your negative thoughts with positive thoughts and consciously improve what is negative or lacking in your life. You may even identify patterns of behavior that you can change. If you want to improve your relationship with your husband who is suddenly angry and possibly started drinking, change patterns of behavior and find something that interests him that he will really enjoy doing.

Good habits may be quickly developed, and they take practice. You can't do it all by yourself so be open to new ideas, involve significant others, and make new friends through your common interests. Three-D paint may be good preparation for 3-D 5g automated retail applications. Maybe your new found skills will be in demand.