We're already half way into 2020, probably the strangest year in my whole 26 so far, 6 months that we'll look back on where it seemed that we had done nothing and yet so much had happened. We entered lockdown in the UK on Monday March 23rd, a whole 12 weeks ago since I'm writing this! What has happened over the last 12 weeks have been things that we thought might never happen in a whole decade, never mind 3 months. We've battled a global pandemic, panic bought toilet roll until the shelves were bare, baked banana bread for every relative, friend and neighbour, witnessed one of the most powerful civil right movements in history, became a nation of DIY professionals, clean freaks and online shoppers (admittedly I didn't need lockdown to fuel my shopping habits but many others did). We've read books that we've had sat on our shelves for years, pulled Jigsaw puzzles and video games down from the forgotten corners of the attic and ultimately, had a lot more time on our hands to stop and think.
Looking back on the last 12 weeks I've realised that lockdown has taught me a lot, and I'm sure so many others feel the same. Isn't it amazing how sometimes even in the darkest times we can find the brightest light?
Here are some of the things that I've learnt, but I'd love to hear yours in the comments.
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to seize the day
I've never been the most go-getting of people. Yes, I would say that I'm ambitious and will go after my goals, but often the path leading to that point is paved with a whole lot of anxiety, overthinking, self-doubt, and good old worry! We're all guilty of putting things off, "I'll do it someday", but do we ever actually get it done? Some of us will, some of us won't. Lockdown has taught me that we need to stop putting things off because we just don't know when tomorrow might not be an option.
Take this blog for example; for years I've had my boyfriend Gavin take countless snaps of me in my favourite outfits, "planning" to use them in a blog someday and thanks to lockdown, I realised that life is too short to let all those little pot holes of panic on my path to publishing 'amberroselorimer.com' continue slowing me down and tripping me up. So, I finally did it and it's brought me so much joy already! And you can do it too, whatever it may be. Stop letting that little voice of doubt in the back of your mind hold you back from making your dreams a reality. Make someday, today!
To be grateful
Gratitude is one of the simplest emotions we can feel; you can literally find it anywhere, it all just depends on your perspective.
You come across a field full of dandelions, what do you see? Hundreds of weeds? Or hundreds of wishes?
There are already so many things for which I should always be grateful, but over the last 12 weeks, I have found so many more; watching dolphins jumping in the bay from my kitchen window, the support system I have around me, heck I'm even grateful for Paul the Postie who continues to deliver my Zara parcels! It seems wrong, but I can't help but be grateful for this time in itself. Please know that I am by no means grateful for the loss of loved ones, heartbreak and utter disaster that COVID-19 has brought about, but I think many people will agree that a lot of us were doing too much; be it travelling, working, indulging or consuming. Having this down time in lockdown has allowed us to do things we may not have done otherwise, like spending time with our significant others or reading a bedtime story to your kids, which we often don't get to enjoy with our usual routines. We've had time to catch our breath, and so has the planet. I don't think I've ever appreciated the luscious green trees and blossoming blooms of Spring, quite as much as I have this year and for that I am grateful. It's the little things that are the most important and we must remember that.
As cheesy as it sounds, a little mindfulness technique that can be really effective, especially on those days where you are struggling to stay positive, is when you're lying in bed about to go to sleep, think of three things that you are grateful for on that day. Trust me, you won't struggle to think of them.
that location isn't always key
If there's one thing we should all take away from lockdown it is just how capable we are to both adapt and succeed. When we come together and put our minds to something, there really is no stopping us and no end to our abilities. Gyms may be closed, but has this stopped people from working out? Absolutely not! Instead we've converted our spare rooms, patios and gardens into home workout spaces motivated by daily workout routines from local sport centres and coaches streamed live to our mobiles, laptops and TV's through whatever the preferred social channel. And when we move those yoga mats and kettle bells to one side at 9am, well the spare room miraculously converts into our new home offices and we're ready for a day of emails and zoom calls sporadically dotted between loads of washing and emptying the dishwasher. We have proved that we no longer need to be confined to our office walls in order to get our work done, and that's something that I think will now very much become part of our "new normal" because at the end of the day, as long as the work gets done, who cares where you did it from.
A holiday abroad is usually the highlight of mine, and I'm sure many others', May / June, however this year going abroad has been pushed to the back of so many minds. Luckily, we've recently experienced some of the best Spring weather that we've seen in years, so pack your picnic and head to the park or beach, the thing to remember is; when that sun shines, you could literally be anywhere!
To stay connected
Although we all want to play the part of the independent, "I got this", individual, it is in times like these that we realise just how important it is to have support around us. Never has it been as easy as it is now to stay connected and keep in touch with each other. I can't keep count of how many FaceTime dinners I've had with my parents (or the parts of their foreheads or arms that I could actually see) whilst I've been at home on my own in lockdown! Not to mention, the Nation's new found love for a Zoom quiz night, drinks with the girls or anything and everything else that keeps you entertained. Now is not the time to go it alone, now is the time for togetherness. If you're struggling, pick up the phone and call whoever will help to make you feel better, the chances are it will make their day a whole lot better too! Reconnect with old friends or use this time to make new ones. Just because you may feel stuck with nowhere to go physically, the world is at your fingertips, so you need not be stuck mentally.
to be kind to ourselves
It is very easy at all times, but now in particular, to compare ourselves to others. It's so important that we take care of our mental health as much as we would our physical health and comparison can affect your mind as much as tonsillitis affects your throat. It's OK if you're not doing OK. It's OK if you're not doing a home workout every morning. It's OK if you're not getting out of your joggers even every other day. It's certainly OK if you've binge watched the entirety of the Netflix must watch list and it's even OK if you're taking a daily afternoon nap. What's right for some people, won't be right for others. Accept that. Don't beat yourself up about it.
Like everything motivation comes in waves, for some the waves are high and strong and seem like they'll never stop rolling, for others the waves come intermittently between calm, still seas. We're all different. One thing that's become clear with the shift to working from home, is the importance of switching off. I know it can be hard; you're in the middle of something and just want it done and out of the way, or just need to send one more email... but what you need is to draw a line on the working day, at whatever time that may be, and stick to it. Switch the computer off, down tools and zone out. Then you can begin to relax; pour a glass of wine, run a bath, play with the kids or watch more Netflix, however you find solace, make sure that you do and keep being kind to yourself.
