Pandemic Opportunities

Hey, hi, hello
Salut, ciao, shalom

My goodness. What a time it is on Earth right now, huh. So with life on a global lockdown, I thought I'd shed some light into how I'm handling things/interpreting life (or COVID-19 as we now recognise our life, as is)

The UK has entered its fourth week of lockdown & it is feeling bloody tough, and this is coming from someone who is comfortable with and enjoys their own company! I am "semi-isolating," meaning I'm working most of the week. My ward has four positive cases, so went into isolation, which meant PPE, indeed. I work with the elderly community for some of my time, so I'm aware of their vulnerability & risk. The coinciding Easter/annual leave has meant I've had nearly a week at home..and I have to admit, it has sent me almost insane. It's so very easy to get lost in worry and stress in these times of uncertainly, and that's what's been getting me into a panic- mostly about the future (not a rarity for me but I'm hyper attuned to it) and not just my future, but as a collective. This pandemic is a tragedy, in terms of both the loss of lives and collateral damage.

Lets be honest here, the position we're in is potentially risky for mental health, depending on how you approach it. Somehow, we have to stay connected to the big picture, stay centred and grounded.
So how can we thrive during the ongoing time? How can we gain and learn something, rather than dwelling on the losses- I'll be honest, I'm beginning to struggle. This has all been necessary of course, but for many, it's a big adjustment & worry, in terms of the wider economic impact. I'm empathetic towards every person on the frontline, but I'm also feeling much compassion towards the substantial uncertainty about the impact on people’s lives and livelihoods (which covers a wide range of issues)

As it has just been Easter, we have had to celebrate indoors. We've had glorious sunshine, which I took advantage of, but on the Sunday, I believe, I felt somewhat deflated. No energy to do a fat lot. Made use of the garden, but tv too*
    I did talk to friends in the evening, but productivity levels were loooww. So going back to above paragraph, I know that my anxiety is triggered big time. We have to give ourselves a lot of love. I've found going to the supermarket difficult if I'm honest; I understand the protocol, the reasoning, physical distancing my words, but I am impatient. If you know me, you know. So yeah, I've had to learn to slow things down.
What is the new paradigm here? Will we have a revived appreciation of the outdoors and life's simple pleasures? Will we realise the benefits to human connection and camaraderie...I hope so. April is calling for us to look within; shake up your routine and look at new ways of thinking. Consider what your personal roadmap looks like & what needs to change or stay exactly as is- relationship, career, dynamics etc. Are there people in your life that you could do without, platforms that no longer serve you. Perhaps there is a missed opportunity you could seek back ? Now is the time to think about what is the world ready for, what do we wish to change..collectively and individually.

Having this "time off" is definitely not a vacation. No-one takes a holiday quarantined in their house, right!? People of the more introverted personality still value time outdoors, hugely, to protect their MH. So, set an intent, a goal, objective and use time & structure to think about progress and get that to-do list done! We need to look forward as human beings. When we stay stuck in the mud, that's where depression seeps in.

Having our freedom, liberties, the outdoors and general activities taken away certainly opens your eyes to the precious time we do have. Take away the distractions..technology/social media. This time we have demands structure [I AM AIMING THIS AT MYSELF TOO] Consider a dopamine detox for a few days a week. Abstain from those enjoyable, yet addictive habits. For many of us these days, that'll be social media, tv, alcohol, overeating. Let your brain rewire and take time to concentrate on responsibilities, reading, studying, exercise. You'll find that you'll be far more motivated when you teach yourself that before you get that hit of dopamine, you need to work for it first. Associate the work with the reward and you'll be more likely to repeat the work so you know you can get the dopamine rush!

If we actively engage with reality with discipline, we can commit to pushing outside of our comfort zones occasionally. For example, complete tasks you've been putting off doing around the house or level up on personal development. It can be tricky to stick to a routine currently, so free online courses maintain a good structure at weekends perhaps, particularly if you're interested in gaining a new job or new skills to apply in your field

Finally, lets face it, we can't be "in the zone" 24/7, and our wellbeing isn't a marathon. It shifts and improves all the time. Now more than ever, we need to feel calm, so think of the little things...For me, de-cluttering/spring cleaning, meditation/soothing ASMR, light lavender incense, have an "in house salon" [bath, nails, shave, blowdry hair]

Woah, I apologise if this got a bit heavy. I just want my readers to have the knowledge that there is definitely more than Netflix to do during this really confusing, sad, odd time. Not that I'm saying it's bad; we all binge watch as it's often needed, but it will drain you like an energy vampire- we don't need added toxicity! *as noted
This said, I don't have Netflix so I don't get to see Tiger King. Spare a thought for me, ha. Re-runs of True Blood is my chosen vice ;-)

I hope Easter has been a joyous one, even with the difficulties we are all faced with. Remember, when we get back to some normality, we must seek to continue some kind've path to enlightenment to connection and becoming present. Really present.