For my clients, myself and my family, 2020 has offered a patchwork quilt of emotions, most of them painfully negative, the vast majority of which we could never have predicted as we rang in the new year. If I extrapolate my findings, we are a jittery, anxious, depressed, pre- and post-traumatic populace, white-knuckling through the upcoming fourth quarter.

Fourth quarters are weird. Without them, the undefeated Bears would be winless. Fourth quarters suggest heightened excitement, winners, losers, and eventually, an expired clock. 

Many of us are thinking of 2020 this way. We’re breaking it down into sanity-stabilizing, digestible chunks. My personal countdown clock works in weeks, but for many of my clients, conditioned by defunct school calendars or fiscal years, quarters feel like a more natural delineation.

And here we are, quarter three is over. And continuing with a potentially exhausting sports analogy, our team is down, by a lot. We are tragically losing the battle against COVID-19, due to some poor play early in the first, but criminally poor coaching throughout. 

In fact, $750 says this is the guy’s last season. 

Despite some strong momentum early, we are making minimal progress with racial equity, mask-wearing, the future of the Supreme Court, women’s rights, our standing on the world stage, and political decorum. 

We’re being assholes to each other on Facebook too. 

And we all know this particular fourth quarter carries a giant elephant (pardon the unintended pun) in the room on November 3rd. No matter who wins that day, and I’m done guessing, millions of Americans will be wildly upset and disappointed, will feel unheard and underrepresented. And possibly, will be drawn toward a violent reaction. 

The fourth quarter looks rough.

So, how do we manage our fourth quarter, knowing it may be the toughest thus far?

I have a few thoughts.

First, do your part and vote. Make your voice heard. And don’t believe your vote doesn’t count. In this election, in any state, any vote could make a difference. Don’t listen to anyone who says differently. 

Second, stay informed. Learn what you need to know, about the virus and what you can do to stem the spread, about the election and the fallout, and what you can do down-ballot. Hit up Twitter, the paper, and a news channel for a few. 

Third, step away from all of it, a lot. Read, listen to music, take a run. 

Fourth, talk to people, especially young people. This is where I’m finding hope and joy, laughter and inspiration. 

Live. Let some of this quarter be good. This is how I’ve personally been surviving so far, and how I intend to continue. The key is to maintain hope, a commodity 2020 is serially robbing us of with each passing day. 

This quarter is part of your life, and remember, a new game starts as soon as the ball drops. 

Of course, the end of 2020 will prove to be arbitrary. It represents the end of none of this. Every challenge we’re confronted with will remain with us. Some may even amplify. We’re going to need some feel-good and momentum heading into 2021.

So here’s to a safe, fulfilling, productive and loving fourth quarter for you. Let’s see if we can’t work together, take care of each other, think beyond ourselves. 

We’re losing, and badly. We are a terrible bet. But it’s our fourth quarter, and anything can happen. 

Fourth quarters are weird. They can change the whole game.

Let’s go for the win.