Overwhelmed

The world is on fire - literally and figuratively. There is so much shit going on in the world right now, I honestly won’t blame anyone for not being able to stay up to date with the next biggest headline. I’ll be real with you, I’m still trying to educate myself and catch up with all the news constantly going through our feeds every single day. People all over the world will have many labels for how they’d describe 2020. Hands down no matter what, this pandemic and everything that comes with it - will take the cake for years to come. It’s safe to say that this pandemic has quite literally changed the way we live in a matter of days. However, with that being said, instead of labeling the last 9 months as “the year of COVID.” I’m going to label 2020 as The Year of Being Overwhelmed.

As the pandemic has basically taken over our lives, I can’t deny that so many other things have happened this year that have impacted me in one way or another (and you reading this as well). I remember one night, my friend Ryder and I stayed up for almost over 24 hours staying on top of the riots happening in Washington and all the craziness online surrounding it. We read countless updates about rumors going around about protesters being kidnapped or killed. Now mind you, this was during the peak of the civil unrest that stemmed from George Floyd’s murder where footage of insane police brutality was uncovered, so it wouldn’t have been a surprise if those rumors had been proven to be true. I remember scouring through the SnapChat map searching for evidence that people were safe, but the eerie scenery that people posted on their story did not help my conscience. I saw numerous posts of dark nights, littered streets and only the sounds of sirens in the background to remind me that people were indeed in the area still. Streets were empty. It wasn’t until the next day that of course, we found out that those protesters were okay but the sheer and utter fact that something like that could have happened just blew my mind. I couldn’t believe this was real life, it was all very much something we would’ve read about in history class.

That little story was just from ONE DAY of the entire year! There were so many other stories that I have but honestly if I were to share all these stories this blog would go on forever. With the pandemic being a big part of 2020, I feel it is only right to acknowledge a lot of the realities that a lot people around the world are collectively experiencing this season. People are losing their jobs, careers are being put on hold, and college is basically a gamble at this point. In addition, a lot of people are grieving for their loved ones, unveiling the not so hidden police brutality, and dealing with corporate disrespect.

Overwhelmed: the best word to describe this year. Despite all that, there is still a silver lining. 2020 does come to an end. You may read this and think “my problems won’t end just because the year does.” You’re absolutely right. But the year coming to an end should show us that just as days simply pass, so can we. Just as each day starts/ends like clock work, we as people can also reset. Regardless of our lives being put on pause, I believe that if we can fight our way out of this situation - we will come out stronger than ever before. If you go on social media you’ll probably find nightmare stories but on the same note you’ll also find stories of people who have discovered themselves. New hobbies, new interests, new career paths, more knowledge, or those who have finally started appreciating the lives they have.

2020 may be the year of feeling overwhelmed but 2021 is the year of rebirth. You can choose to cry over spilled milk and no one will blame you because this year was a nasty one. But if you want to get a head start, if you want to be a shining beacon of hope to those struggling, grab 2020 by the balls and start growing now. If it’s not for anyone else, do it for yourself. It only takes a tiny spark to blaze a fire. Fuel (or refuel) your passion. Break out of your own self given mold and go against the grain.

The world will continue to spin despite what is going on right now. I’ve already heard the countless doubts that even continuing to pursue this brand during a pandemic is crazy. But you know you what? I am reminded every day what inspired this brand - this movement in the first place. You. I know without a shadow of a doubt, that I’ll walk amongst many Giantz in 2021. Can’t wait to meet you. Until then, I won’t talk about this pandemic in our blogs for the rest of the year. Stay hopeful, stay hungry, and as always, stay GIANT.