“Pandemic Flashback: The State of Our World 5 Years Onward” By Sasha Laghonh, Founder of Sasha Talks

Credit: Sasha Laghonh, Pandemic Flashback | Photograph: J. Jacobson

It was exactly five years ago when the above picture was taken during the onset of the pandemic during lockdowns. I recall being driven during my essential travel to assess an environment where employees would learn whether they could continue working from their assigned locations or not. Some of their fates were already sealed as we were only navigating through phase one of lockdowns. Some geographies in the world, including the United States, incurred few to several phases of lockdowns determined by the biostatistics impacting those specific populations. In five years, so much has changed in terms of how most individuals engage with their lifestyle and career choices.

Some aspects of the pandemic exposed the pre-existing realities of life in a flash. The pandemic didn’t cause many of these problems — it only amplified them during constraints imposed upon people in societies for extended periods of time. During moments of such uncertainty, it became clear — our mobility, mental health and discipline were tested to their core. Everyone coped differently to remain afloat when the vital way of congregating became online. Others gravitated towards indulgent activities that encouraged consumerism to peak among various industries including technology, food and beverage, fashion, etc.

Our human resilience would reveal how well we could navigate the mind over matter principle when livelihoods, wellness and relationships were evolving fast. Only mindful and responsible behaviors would nurture the longevity rate of decisions we made, including those we inherited. It was a clear reminder that nothing remains permanent in life. People grow, for better or worse, regardless of whether there’s a global pandemic dominating one’s life or not.

The laws of nature didn’t change, survival remained and remains the prerequisite to cultivating any form of success.

A percentage of personal relationships that were already struggling hit a boiling point when individuals were ready to call it quits. This welcomed a new challenge due to the limited avenues available to resolve differences under the same roof when everyone was confined to making the best of the situation. Business and non-commercial members confessed their discoveries of work spouses, non-negotiable behaviors while working remote, financial issues due to hidden addictions, love children, mysterious hobbies breaching trust and the list goes on.

Similarly, organizations that were managing themselves well prior to the pandemic were better able to maneuver their operations thus their workforce through those turbulent times. The businesses that went bankrupt were already on the track to eventually go bankrupt — the pandemic only fast tracked it. There was nothing to mourn there. Poor managers and leaders were quickly exposed because every business was fending for its survival, despite its size and reputation in the marketplace. It was a lesson for many to learn not to take time and resources for granted because there will always be variables outside of human control that can eradicate one’s organizational health within weeks if not months. The pandemic’s arrival was humbling for some while remaining an afterthought for dismissive minds thinking their humanity can override mother nature’s predicament.

Not all discoveries were bad. The pandemic also delivered an opportunity for people to connect, without excuses, to come together under the same roof introducing them to what ‘being still’ meant. It meant acknowledging one’s loved ones through a real-time connection without phone screens. It was a welcoming holistic way of making memories by listening to what was going on in one another’s lives.

‘Being still’ also challenged people to sit still with their thoughts. When the world came to a temporary halt, the human mind still continued to manifest its desires, luring energy to be channeled through activities. Stillness provided a moment for individuals to immerse in creative ways to continue living while it felt parts of the world were on a forced time out.

Much of the population was solely anchored to their basic essentials of living while the noise of the virtual world played in the background. Social media use exploded on cell phones and computers as the daily COVID briefings became a situational cultural norm. As the lockdown requirements softened over the years, there were still some major cities in the world adhering to post pandemic measures well into early 2023.

How people live and work has significantly transformed in recent times. It’s the byproduct of individuals and organizations reflecting upon their needs by integrating some innovation alongside humanity to improve the quality of life around us. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become prominent among the virtual community leading people to fear (artificial fear, in my opinion) the demise of their identities in the social and professional workspaces.

Change is the name of the game — it’s how we’ve all come to this juncture in our paths, voluntarily or otherwise. These societal shifts may not be everyone’s cup of tea when the old times were more comforting for our psyches. On the upside, there’s always something new to learn that can help us become better. Like any tool in life, it’s up to us to decide whether it’s an asset or a liability. This is dictated by who we are and our values. This requires trust and knowing oneself well to not let the most precious moments of life slip away.

No matter what happens in life, one thing still rings true … life goes on.


Meet Our Contributor — Sasha Laghonh
Sasha is the Founder of Sasha Talks, an educational and entertainment platform that integrates professional and self development into nurturing meaningful outcomes. She serves as a Senior Advisor to C-Suite executives and entrepreneurs among multiple industries. As a speaker, broadcaster and author, she partners alongside global clients to capitalize upon their talent and resources.