One of our company values here at Shocklogic is ‘Be kinder than necessary, because everyone is fighting some kind of battle’. As we come to the end of what has been an unquestionably difficult year, this idea has perhaps never been more relevant. Rarely in our history have individual battles been so constant and universal, reaching to every corner of the globe. 

Most of us won’t be sad to say goodbye to 2020, but at Shocklogic, we believe in focusing on the positive and finding value in adversity. We asked some of our team members to tell us about the positive things they’ve experienced this past year, and the answers we received are even more heartwarming and uplifting than we could have imagined. They are truly a lesson in gratitude.

In fact, our team shared so many brilliant vibes with us that we’ve had to create a two-part series. Here in Part 1, we hear from William, Samuel, and Natalia.

William Jose Villalobos, Business Development Coordinator

In your opinion, what has been the best part of the year?
“On a personal level, the best part of the year for me was when I got to see my daughter. She lives in another city, and the pandemic kept us apart for 9 whole months. Finally getting to spend time with her again was very healing for my soul. On a professional level, the best moment was when a client used the word ‘heroes’ to describe the Shocklogic team after a big, successful virtual event. The challenges created by the pandemic have created an enormous amount of stress, but feeling so genuinely appreciated in that moment made everything seem worth it.”

What have you learned this year?
“I’ve always known that we have a very special team at Shocklogic, but this year I learned the full extent of that. This is the most adaptable, versatile, kind, and caring group of people I have ever worked with. Everyone has had their resilience tested this year, and I think we all learned that we are capable of so much more than we realised. I’ve also gained a better understanding of my own priorities and learned how to better organise my life so that I can maximise the things that are important to me, like spending time with my daughter.”

Is there anything that happened this year that you can say you’re grateful for?
“I’m grateful for simply having made it through this year and for everything I’ve learned along the way. I’m so grateful for all the amazing people in my life, both personally and professionally. I’m going to make a point of thanking each and every one of them for their support and care this holiday season.”

If you could describe this year in one word, what would it be?
“Blessed.” 

Samuel Peña, Marketing Associate

In your opinion, what has been the best part of the year?
Everything about this year has taken me beyond my comfort zone, and that has made me grow as a person. At the beginning of 2020, I was in college and living with my parents. Now, I’ve graduated, live on my own, and have a great job at Shocklogic, so my life has had a big upgrade! It’s been such a challenging year for so many reasons, but the fact that it has pushed me has had a really positive impact on my life overall. 

What have you learned this year?
I’ve learned that we can’t predict what’s going to happen; things can change in an instant, and we need to be able to adapt quickly and stay flexible. I’ve always been the type of person who likes to feel in control of my life and who makes very precise plans, but this year has taught me that I can handle the unexpected much better than I thought. Life flows in it’s own way, and I’ve learned that I can flow, too.

Is there anything that happened this year that you can say you’re grateful for?
I’m grateful for the changes that have happened in my life, because ‘change’ is really just another word for ‘opportunity’. This year has been full of opportunities, and I’m ready for a thousand more! 

If you could describe this year in one word, what would it be?
Change.

Natalia Calcetero, Junior Business Development Associate

In your opinion, what has been the best part of the year?
I had the chance to travel a little bit around France, and it really recharged my batteries and felt like it gave me a break from the whole situation. Also, it’s been a gift to work for Shocklogic this year. My life didn’t fall apart, and it was a relatively smooth transition from the normal life that I was used to. I felt supported, like I fit in, was part of the family, and could talk to anybody.

What have you learned this year?
On a professional level, I’ve learned that communication is the key to everything. I’ve learned how to improve my own communication, to be more precise and communicate things in the right way, with compassion, love, understanding, and flexibility. This has helped a lot in my personal life, too. It’s so important to remember that you never know what the other person is going through. I think I’ve also learned to be more patient. It was a difficult time to learn that, but this year basically forced me to hurry up and be more patient!

Is there anything that happened this year that you can say you’re grateful for?
I’m more grateful than ever before to simply be alive and healthy, and that my family are healthy, too. I’m thankful for learning how important it is to communicate feelings and tell people when we miss them and appreciate them. And I’ve become much more appreciative of life’s small pleasures.

If you could describe this year in one word, what would it be?
Opportunity.

That’s it for today, but our magnificent team has more gratitude to share with you, so stay tuned for Part 2 of this series! 

Written by Angie Harms, Copywriter/Proofreader