The coronavirus pandemic has gripped the world and flipped it upside down. By now, this story has been played out to most nations where people have been in lockdown for several weeks now. Our social normality has now been disrupted by social distancing and we’ve had to harshly adapt within a matter of days.
This surreal situation has been a legally enforced invitation to do what we have been meaning to do for too long – slow down, reconnect and focus on what is important. We find ourselves with nothing to do – no social events, no work obligations and we’ve all had no other choice but to stop and reflect.
This big ‘reset’ came with no warning and little knowledge on what to expect, but we believe in the long run this is a positive thing and we’re going to explain why.
The importance of friends, family and community
We realise the importance of our loved ones, friends, and people who live in our local and wider community. Strengthening those family connections and taking this opportunity to spend quality time with loved ones. We appreciate our NHS workers, key workers, transportation drivers and shop keepers now more than ever.
This newfound sense of appreciation will allow us to enhance our relationships when our world goes back to normal, which we believe will result in less negativity and resistance globally. It is our choice how we use this time and we believe it’s a perfect invitation to work on our mental health, relationships and surrender to the ‘we must always be busy’ mentality.
Having an outdoor space
This is a privilege, let us tell you! For many countries, such as Spain and Italy who have an enforced lockdown so strict the public have been stripped of their ability to do any outdoor activity. Imagine the feeling of being confined to a small apartment with zero outdoor space for over 6 weeks… and counting.
The simple acts we took for granted like a walk in the park, any type of nature and fresh air will only be appreciated more when we all come out of this unprecedented period. A sense of gratitude for everyday norms will be awakened within us- something that a global pandemic had to teach us. Let’s take the positives out of this, if we choose to look at things this way, we can only grow stronger and take positivity with us as we go back to our everyday lives.
A really good meal
We’re no longer running out the house with no breakfast with nothing but a coffee in hand, only to jump on an overcrowded train to the office. We’ve said goodbye to our rushed midday meal deal lunches or quick takeaway dinners to save time and bring convenience- no, no, no! Meals are now an event, a wonderful part of our day where we have time to plan and get creative. Food is one of life’s absolute pleasures and we have now been handed the time to enjoy it- what a blessing in disguise!
Our health
Our bodies are hard-working machines, designed to fight off infection and disease. Given the current circumstances, there’s never been such an emphasis on our immune systems, staying in optimum health and doing so by choosing what foods to eat to keep us feeling great and out of the doctors’ office.
Take charge of your mental health! Maintaining a positive attitude is key. Research has shown that when we experience positive emotions we increase our immunity, stabilise our blood pressure and we’re able to think clearly. Every dark cloud has a silver lining and we are now in charge of making this situation as positive as possible. We have the choice to come out of this pandemic mentally stronger! Try and find a routine that works for you, concentrate on what motivates you, makes you feel good and you’ll find a way to keep it going.
Focusing on yourself
With life pretty much on hold – we’ve now all had time to reorganise our priorities and learn how to reconnect with ourselves. You now want to give your energy to things of value, invest precious time into what matters and finally do the things you’ve been too busy to do. It’s time to challenge yourself, realign those goals, learn new things and move into a new headspace.
We believe that when we’re allowed back outside into the big wide world again, we’re going to appreciate all the littlest things, things we once took for granted. So we challenge you to go ahead and ask yourself, how will your life be changing after the lockdown has lifted?
