The 1 Reason Every Millennial Should Use Nelson Mandela’s Wisdom To Thrive During the Pandemic

“It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.” Poem recited by Nelson Mandela

Some words to live by … But during the last 18 months, it occurred to me that we (i) never really understood this poem.

Freedom prevailed

Millennials were always used to experiencing the world freely. With the rise of Internet and social networks, it becomes easy to talk and have access to most people on Earth. Meeting new people in your area was simple.: you just had to attend social events, parties, clubs, …

With most passports, you were able to travel to nearly every single country. Using little money compared to older generations. On top of that locals would often welcome you with open arms, seeing that you respect them and their traditions.

Only time and money were compulsories. With those you can do whatever and be whenever you want. Only few exceptions existed …

As a result, we became accustomed to freedom and his universe of possibilities. That’s why we, Millennials, got hit so hard during the Pandemic.

When priority shifted from freedom to security

In the early of 2020, concern rose after the diffusion of pictures and videos showing COVID outbreak in China. At start people (I included) overlooked it. But when COVID arrived in our countries through plane passengers, everybody panicked.

The government have decreed full lockdowns and safety mesures with mandatory masks and hands hygiene. The latter didn’t shocked me seeing what i saw working at Hospitals.

More than a year, COVID still continue to affect us. To put some perspective : with more than 7.5 billions human, 4.2 millions death represent 0,056 % of Mankind. Considering the numbers are accurate.

One could argue that it was the governments restrictions that helped prevent a heavier toll. Most likely but maybe not … Anyway, that’s not the point.

What really scared us

Back then, we started to realize that the rules have changed : we no longer owned our future. We were forced to comply to government’s decisions. Which were a good thing for stopping the COVID’s spreading but have terrible impacts for us. Illusions were broken : we weren’t the decision makers anymore.

In fact, government’s agendas are different from ours. They are subjected to voters and want to be elected again most times. So they have to seduce all people by giving them a sense of safeness and seduce future electors.

Mainly what it meant, was to protect older generations, by sacrificing the economy and younger one’s future. With various way such as mass money printing, some bankruptcies, …

Even if old people didn’t want to: my own grandmother told me that she would rather face bombings again than future lockdowns.

We faced various feelings :

• Uncertainty : The future doesn’t seem so bright and we have no idea when this will stop
• Loneliness : We aren’t able to see people as much (or at all during lockdowns)
• Despair : We have to undergo government decisions

With constraints Creativity and Growth flourish

The point isn’t, by no means, to compare lockdowns with what Nelson Mandela had to experience. But rather to see if some lessons can be learned from him.

Free your mind

While he was behind the bars, Mandela had a lot a time to reflect on his thoughts. Thinking was the only thing he was free to do.

If you aren’t able to move around and do things like you used to, why not use that time to think ? Maybe it’s this project you have postpone for a while, maybe it’s this job opportunity or this business you wanted to start.

By using your mind, you’ll feel an instant satisfaction and sense of freedom you were looking for the past few months.

Think locally

While he was incarcerated, Nelson Mandela read whatever books he could get his hands on.

Instead of focusing of what is outside your control, it’s more productive to do activities that are within your reach.

Why not take this chance to visit your country ? I am sure that there is a lot of nice places you have never been. Maybe even more beautiful than the foreign spots you already have been.

You could also focus on local events, as small as they are. This could be a good moment to form deeper bonds with your community.

Develop a new skill

The suffering he had and the growth he made during jail time, were probably what made Nelson Mandela a greater leader.

You have the occasion to learn a new skill. Something the future you is going to be grateful for. And who knows what benefits you will reap from it ? A carrier change, a potential source of income, new people you met online and offline, …

The point is to become resilient and see this trouble times as an opportunity for growth in order to become you a better version of yourself. When this Pandemic will be over (or controlled), you will be glad the old you, found a way to improved.

This is not a new way of thinking : it can be traced back to Antiquity. A philosophy emerged, called Stoicism as a way to live a happy life and grow using the obstacles you found along the way. I found great insights in this readings and i am confident it’ll be identical for you as well.

“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength” Marcus Aurelius

Thank you for reading !