What does 2020 mean to an event photographer and film production company in Dubai like ours? 2020 was a major setback for several businesses and individuals. It was a year that made the world stop. It can mean disaster to some yet maybe to some, it was an opportunity to pause and assess their lives.
If you have read one of our earlier posts about our new home, you would know the opportunity which opened to us at the beginning of the year. 2020 started as a promising year then everything changed when the city where we have been living for more than 15 years has been affected by the pandemic. After almost a year, thousands are still getting infected in UAE even with the vaccine available. New restrictions have been implemented in Dubai to curb the rise of infections. The end is still not in sight. But was 2020 a bad year?
Here are some good things from 2020 we are very grateful for:
Time to reflect and appreciate the people and things we have
Many have lost their jobs or have closed businesses but if you have your family and you are healthy, you should be thankful. We also came close to closing our business and losing our team. But thankfully, almost all of our team members stayed that is why we appreciate them. Appreciate your health. Appreciate the friends and family who stick by you. We also appreciate the clients who kept trusting us. Here is a short showreel of our projects in 2020
Allowed us to assess what is essential
During the pandemic, we lost all our savings and we had to downgrade our home from a 3 bedroom to a small 2 bedroom apartment. We cut back on entertainment and we kept our meals to basic. The fear of getting infected also kept us from eating out. We realized that there are many things we spend money on that are not essential.
Taught us resilience and improvisation
If we moped around and cried over what we lost, we wouldn’t be here. There were days that we found it hard to get up in the mornings. However, resilience and self-motivation was the only way to pull through and pivot.
When we covered the Special Olympics in 2019, we got inspired by the athletes who were considered “disabled” yet their will was stronger, and their drive to overcome their challenges was inspiring. Telling that event story was a blessing to us
Grow spiritually
On a personal note, I spent more time in prayer during those months when we had no projects and we had several requests for refunds. Bringing my worries to God gave me peace and knowing that He is greater than our problems made me confident that there is nothing I should fear about the future. The pandemic helped me grow closer to God. I hope the same for you.
So what does 2020 mean to an event photographer and film production company in Dubai like us? It means that problems and challenges will always come our way but we need to hold on to a God who is bigger and stronger. And we need to look at it at a different perspective. You may not see the sun behind the dark clouds but it doesn’t mean it is no longer there.
No matter what 2020 brought you, we hope you were able to find the silver lining. There is a lesson in every storm. Remember that you are responsible for your happiness. Own your story this 2021.
And if you are a business getting back up from the rubble or a new start-up, your story matters to us. We would love to tell your story and be part of your journey. Contact us.
