With many of us in lockdown due to Coronavirus, it's safe to say the past few months have been a bit of a weird time. Going into this, something I didn't expect was being in lockdown to teach me so many life lessons. Although it's been an uncertain, scary time, for me (who luckily hasn't been directly impacted by the virus beyond lockdown), the staying home, and slowing down part, has been sort of cathartic. I've found beyond those random general knowledge questions we all suddenly know from our Friday night Zoom quizzes, I've learned a fair amount.
So here are some things I've learnt during lockdown:
-You don't always have to be productive:
When lockdown was first announced, I wrote this blogpost of my lockdown goals, and to put it simply - it went to shit. With the pandemic going on, alongside personal things, I didn't always feel like being productive. After weeks of struggling to push against that, I decided to lean into it. I let myself rest. I played The Sims, at first I felt guilty because I felt I should have been putting that time elsewhere, and then I realised I was playing because it's fun, and just because time isn't necessarily spent in the most productive way, that doesn't mean it's wasted. Enjoyment is not a waste of time.
- Nature is healing
I went on a lot of walks during lockdown - I walked the route I'd normally take to get to the bus stop, which used to feel like a chore and I realised it's nice to be out in the fresh air, even if it's just to end up back at home. I explored the area I live more than ever before, discovered fields of flowers and took in views I've never seen before, which are a stone's throw from my house. I'd return home from my walks, and I feel more peaceful and grounded than I did before I stepped outside.
- Good friends will stay good friends without constant contact:
When this all began, I found myself worried about the implications on my friendships - not being able to see someone can have its effects on relationships, however, it didn't take long to realise that the friendships I have are good ones, and they will still be there when this is all over. Of course, we used technology to aid staying in touch - but there was an awareness that the conversation didn't have to be constant, as we all need to live beyond our phones and laptops too
- You should accept when you feel low:
We can't feel good 100% of the time, and as much as I understand the importance of a positive mindset (I have blog posts on that here and here), and avoiding a negative spiral - feelings are human and we are allowed to feel them. Sometimes trying so hard to be positive when you're feeling low can be counter-productive because we end up feeling worse due to the guilt of it not working when you're trying to force a positive feeling. Sometimes it's good to wallow, to cry it all out. Holding onto negative emotion is a recipe for disaster.
- You can figure things out as you go along:
Something I ended up doing in lockdown, was creating my Etsy store. It wasn't planned, it just sort of happened - more on that in this blog post. As a natural planner, it was terrifying to launch right into something without months of calculating all the details, but it felt right so I just went for it. I didn't have it all figured out, instead I made things up as I went along, as it's working out pretty well. If I had spent months planning it, there a chance that I would have given up before I began. Sometimes I think all you need to do is start, you can figure out the rest of the stuff as you go.
- You already have valuable skills:
Continuing on with lessons which came from my Etsy store venture, something else it taught me is that you already have so many skills, that you maybe just forgot about. It wasn't until I created my Etsy store, that I realised being able to sew and make quality products is a valuable skill. As is using a camera to take decent pictures to show off my products. Sometimes I think we sell ourselves a bit short and forget about all the great things we can already do.
- You don't have to see someone in person to connect, but there is something special about the human touch:
For me, lockdown meant months without seeing my boyfriend or friends - but I've not felt disconnected from my social circle if anything the opposite. Not being able to see friends has made us creative and encouraged us to reach out and make sure we're keeping contact when in ordinary life we might just wait until the next time we see each other to catch up. I'm not a very touchy person, so it did come as a surprise to me, over the past few months something I've found myself missing, is physical contact with my friends - a simple hug goodbye, walking with arms linked, the brush of hands during conversations - those things can't be replaced on Zoom.
- Getting dressed and getting ready changes how you feel, and those things should be done for you.
At the start of lockdown, I lived in my PJs and inturn felt pretty slobby and unproductive. My good days have been those that I spent time in the morning, thinking about what I want to wear and have let my appearance reflect how I wanted to feel.
- Working out is good for the mind:
Something which has been a constant for me in lockdown is working out, and I'm not your typical gym bunny (I've never been to one in my life actually) (you can read more about my on/off relationship with exercise here). But during lockdown, I've been doing Zoom workouts with @laurenalicefitness and it's paid off. I've always felt more positive and productive on the days I've worked out. It's also added structure to the endless days at home, plus my body is looking, and feeling better than ever
- It takes the smallest things to make things special:
Dates nights don't have to include going to fancy restaurants, putting a little more effort into cooking, setting the table nicely and lighting a candle can make what would be you standard dinner at home special. You can celebrate from your living room with the right music. Add fairy lights, some snacks and a blanket and there is even magic in watching a bit of tv.
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