Since the UK went into lockdown, the narrative has gone from “Ugh I miss doing this” to “Mmmmm look at what I’m doing now“. Slowly but surely, I’ve allowed myself a glimmer of hope that we will one day be able to go out normally, when lockdown ends.
This time has made me pause. You know when someone tells you to take a deep breath in, and just before you exhale there’s this moment where your breath hangs in the air? That’s what this lockdown has been. The air feels stiller, and even the light feels like it’s at a standstill sometimes.
When lockdown ends, what parts of normal are worth returning to?
I’ve started to think about the things I want to do when lockdown ends. That ended up being a really long list of things (inspired by Dolly Alderton). Ultimately, I realised I wanted to do was change the way that I behave, interact and live, because I know that we can’t keep going the way the way we used to. After all, where your attention goes, your energy follows.
After all, where your attention goes, your energy follows.
So I want to pay more attention and spend my energy more in:
- Having way, way, way, less screen time and actually lifting my head more to observe and be curious
- Engaging in quality over quantity when I spend time with myself or with others
- Being braver, in speaking up for what I believe in
- Doing less multi–tasking: I want to devote my energy and purpose to each task
- Giving my time and love more freely.
TLDR: I’m going to stop taking life at speed, and actually slow down to enjoy it fully, and I’m going to start now!
The power of lists: Make your post-lockdown list
I think it’s a brilliant thing to write a list of things you can’t wait to go out and do again when this is over. I’ve made my own list, and it’s made me really appreciative of things that I used to take for granted…
- Going to a cinema and enjoying all the adverts before the movie starts
- Taking my time in supermarkets while grocery shopping deciding which brand of pasta you could buy because there are so many to choose from
- Exploring farmer markets and wanting to try everything
- Trying all the food samples in Whole Foods and trying to find the most bougie thing they sell
- The breath of “fresh” air when you come out of the Underground during rush hour.
Practicing gratitude when things are good
Why is it that it always takes something bad to happen for us to appreciate things in life? We’re constantly told to practice gratitude and be grateful for what we have, but sometimes the hand we’re dealt with really sucks. In situations like that, it’s hard to be grateful and hearing ‘oh but at least you have xyz‘ just isn’t helpful. Practicing gratitude when things are good, could be how we teach ourselves appreciation
How do you reconcile practicing gratitude, in a tough situation? I’m going to read some more and share my thoughts maybe in a new post soon. Let me know what your thoughts are on gratitude.
In the meantime: what’s on your list of things you can’t wait to do when we come out of lockdown? More importantly, have you paused to think about how you’d like to live differently?
– Q 🌱
What Would Queenie Do? 