For me, lockdown has been a bit of a roller coaster. When things were first shutting down I was a little frustrated with it all, I’m certainly guilty of underestimating how long things would last.
I do believe in any situation there are silver linings and in times of challenge it’s more important than ever to recognise them. These past few months have been the first time in a while the world has slowed down… ORR maybe you see it as having been halted to an immediate stop entirely.
I started lockdown with a pretty long to do list but pretty quickly realised that I wasn’t going to be super productive during this time, and that that’s ok (I wrote another blog on that if you’re interested). Actually, this slower pace has given me and I’m sure many of us an opportunity for new discovery or even rediscovery to appreciate world around us.
Now it feels like we are closer to the end than the start, maybe it’s a good time to think about those silver linings, the positives from lockdown, the lessons we’ve learnt.
What have you learnt? I’ll go first….
1. Spending time with others is KEY to my happiness
I’ve been able to reconnect with people from the past, and have spoken more often to people I would sometimes go weeks or months without chatting to… that has been pretty amazing!
While I will continue stay online to keep connected with those living further away, I’ve gained a newfound appreciation for in person get togethers. As restrictions have been lifting, I’ve loved meeting up for socially distanced picnics and walks. While the urge to give my best friends a big hug is hard to resist, the fact I can look them in the eye and laugh is something I’ve treasured.
Making more time in my life to be with the people I love is something I plan to prioritise post lockdown.
2a. Exercise is what you make of it + I have some pretty fantastic clients
Exercise is what you make of it, and it comes in many different forms. You can get a workout in anywhere, with anything, in any size room.
For months I’ve been delivering all forms of training virtually, using Zoom. I’ve had clients doing lateral raises with cans of spaghetti, squats with bags of rice, lunges on a public balcony and russian twists with a bottle of gin. Others have used nothing but their bodyweight. The gym is a great place, filled with so much equipment I love and I can’t wait to get back there, but this period of forced change has shown how much we can accomplish when we put out mind to it and get creative.
For some avid gym goers, exercise intensity may have dropped, for others it’s actually gone up. People have turned to talking long walks to keep active and get outdoors and is it just me or have others seen so more runners than ever about? Whether I missed them before or they’re new to running, it’s been great to see (as long as they run around me).
How great is that? Seeing people finding ways to be active, and actually enjoy it. I certainly hope that can continue as facilities start to open up.
2b. Walking is pretty amazing!
Continuing on from above, walks for me deserve their own bit of appreciation. Like many, the daily walks have been a real blessing, a chance to stretch my legs, get some air and clear my head. I’ve always loved to walk but I’ve been able to rediscover just how much I enjoy walking, exploring new places on foot going nowhere in particular.
Rain or shine, I would and still go out. I play some music or listen to a podcast and take slow walk. I change up where I walk and enjoy the sun on my shoulders or listen to the patter of rain on my brolly.
3. I think I quite like cooking (who knew)
I’ve never been much of a chef. I’m a creature of habit and enjoy the same foods day in, day out. That might not change BUT I have certainly been getting a little more creative. Out of necessity I began clearing out the freezer and panty and found things I bought, froze and forgot about. I’ve enjoyed cooking up some simple meal ideas, learning a little more about spices and enjoying food for what it is. I made some bad food, been a little over generous on the spices and had to do a lot of scrubbing on a burnt pan. But I enjoyed every minute of it.
I’m actually considering taking a cooking class to learn a little more. If anyone knows of a decent Birmingham based course, let me know!
4. Showing gratitude matters
The gratitude to essential workers is pretty obvious; the fact that these people have had to carry the burden on their shoulders, continually risking themselves this whole time has been incredible. It’s been heart warming to see rainbows, pained signs and flags, not to forget the weekly claps to show appreciation. The teddy bears placed in the windows and food collection services for those hit hard are just a few other examples of communities coming together.
Then there’s the smaller side of gratitude, moments for the individual. When we aren’t living out our ‘normal’ routines, when we can’t do anything big or go anywhere new the small things that make us smile should be appreciated. The daily walks we have to stretch our legs, the reconnection to family and friends on zoom, the sunshine we were spoilt with, the time to read the book we forgot about or to finally de-clutter that room we avoided.
Take a moment to go over the past few months. Try to think of 3 things you can take away, memories you will treasure, and moments of real laughter. Accomplishes small or large. Without judgement write them down in a journal or a blank piece of paper. You might be surprised what you end up thinking about.
….
When I started to realise how nice it was to slow down, I did my best to enjoy it. I didn’t force myself out of bed; I didn’t finish all the books on my shelf I said I would. Sure through it all I’ve still worked and been relatively productive. I’ve kept up client PT, carried on teaching weekly classes, finished a few online courses and updated some dates admin files. I also sat on the sofa or lounged on the bed watching Netflix or Disney!
