I had hoped this would never happen, but I've already seen some friends of friends either get reduced hours or get some contracting gigs revoked. Hiring freezes aren't yet in place, but I know they're on some companies' radars.

I still hope this trend diminishes (and it might!), but if it doesn't, we should all be there for our friends—if it becomes anything like the 2008 recession, we will probably all have at least one close friend or coworker lose their livelihood.

While things like a small gift won't turn around someone's life, the gesture of being there for another person, and the knowing that someone is not alone, is priceless.

Especially as we are all shutting ourselves in (at least in most parts of the world), please make an effort to reach out to those you know. Let's be open to our family, friends, and co-workers and make sure nobody feels alone!