This week with the new information from the Government on easing lockdown restrictions I thought I would write a quick roundup of what I've learnt throughout the past 2 months. It's no surprise it's been a weird change of pace for most people and I only hope that everyone has managed to use the time to stay motivated and determined to keep the things that make life normal; it's not easy, as I've found, but I'm proud that I have managed to get a routine going in getting productive work done and staying as on track as possible.
The first thing I've learnt though hasn't been about me. I've learnt just how much people can be struggling as well as how much people care about others. It can sometimes be hard to see those that might not be feeling the greatest in everyday life- everyone has somewhere to be or something to do no-one really takes a step back until the days done, I've learnt that being able to step back, even for a few minutes can open up the world surrounding you to those caring for other people and to those who might just want someone to talk to. If anyone wants someone to talk to- I'm all ears!
The next ones a little too obvious but I miss "doing things." 6 weeks ago, only a few days into lockdown, I tweeted about the small things I'd been missing, and 6 weeks on- I'm stilling missing them. The "doing things" I'm missing are simple, coffee dates with friends, drinks with friends, my friends, Manchester in general (I decided to isolate back home) and so eventually, when everything goes back to normal I'll be stockpiling the small things and treasuring them; I'll never take a coffee for granted again.
While saying I miss these things, I've also spend lockdown doing new and returning activities. For starters, theres this blog! If I'm totally honest, without the global pandemic, I probably wouldn't have kept this blog up (let alone start it back up again), it was something I thought about starting way back in September and up until a few weeks ago a total of 1 post made it up, so the second time round has proved more successful. I believe I'm writing these posts for myself more than I am for other people, even though I have advice posts, they come from me and can help me when I need it, after all they are tailored to my personality. I've been writing these posts as a 'relaxing' task that I can write about anything and everything I want, I'm taking this into the post-lockdown era that awaits.
In terms of returning activities, I'm reading! By this I mean I'm reading something that isn't PR and Marketing related or in the form of a journal article. Growing up I was always reading, I would be reading constantly buying any and every book I could get my hands on, I remember as a kid being obsessed with the rainbow magic books and must've read most if not all fo them. However, now I'm older I've found it hard to dig into a really good book, I think with all the technology surrounding me, I can get easily distracted. So I've started to find a niche of books that I'd be interested in actually reading. From my current reading pile, it's safe to say that my interest in true crime documentaries has poured into my reading interests and murder mysteries seems to be a hit. I'm focused on trying to carry on reading once life gets back to normal so if anyone has any good book recommendations (murder mystery or not) I appreciate it!
To wrap up this roundup of what lockdown has taught (or retaught) me, one of the most important things I've learnt during the past 2 months is fun. Before anyone makes assumptions, I do know how to have fun, but I think every-time we have fun now it has to be cool, or at least look cool; it has to be posted onto social media and sometimes, it can feel like you're only having 'fun' to show the people online.
I get the feeling that people are always wanted to out do each other and so doing things you enjoy becomes a game on who can enjoy it the most, and who can do the most exciting or fun thing. Lockdown has destroyed this for me- I'm glad, the mindset I've just described sounds horrible, and it's only looking back now that I realise what I was thinking. Being stuck in doors for 2 moths has taught me that fun can be anything and between uni work, marketing courses, blog post writing, reading and sunbathing I've been able to enjoy myself with the little things. I've been able to live without so much we think is normal and needed over the past 8 weeks but I wouldn't of made it to this point, in this mindset without the little things.
Comentarios