If we were having a (virtual) coffee date, I'd tell you...
It’s felt like a long time since I’ve sat down and written a blog post like this, but gosh, if there was ever time for a proper catch up it’s now, right?
So let me start by asking: how are you? Like, really, how are you? The last few weeks have been pretty crazy, and I hope that wherever you’re reading this, you’re doing okay.
I think I’ve felt just about every emotion it’s possible for a human to feel in the past months, but I feel like I’m finally getting my head around everything and finding a good lockdown routine - we started isolating a little earlier due to my husband having a temperature, and so we’ve had a good three weeks or so now to adjust.
Anyway, grab a cuppa and let’s catch up. If we were having a coffee date (anyone else hankering for a really good flat white?!), these are the things I’d be telling you…
That I’m actually kind of enjoying some aspects of lockdown
Of course, I miss my family and friends intensely, but there are some parts of our current situation that I’m actually kind of enjoying. It’s so nice to have my husband around all the time, to be able to eat lunch together or have a chit-chat in the kitchen, and I love that we’re making time for a walk together each evening.
Plus, it’s felt good to have some time to just relax and do nice things around the house without feeling the pressure to get up and out. Sitting and doing a jigsaw while listening to records, picking up some craft projects that had long been cast aside and taking the time to try some new recipes are all things that have been bringing me a lot of joy.
This experience has really made me realise that I’ve been craving a slower pace of life for a little while, and now I’ve had the opportunity to experience it (albeit under less than ideal circumstances), I’m determined to be more intentional with my time when life gets back to normal.
That I’m struggling to concentrate on reading right now
I really thought that I’d be racing through books at the moment, but ever since this whole situation started I’ve found it hard to concentrate. I’m hoping that this won’t last forever and that the pile of books at the side of my bed will soon be shown the attention they deserve, but until then, does anyone have any recommendations for pacey books with happy endings?
And if anyone else in the same boat, let me remind you that it’s totally okay to do whatever you need right now. If that looks like forgoing your reading time to binge watch Tiger King on Netflix (surely I’m not the only one?!) then nobody is judging.
That I’ve been putting together a bucket list of things I want to do once this is all over
I saw this idea on Instagram, and I think it was meant for kids, but I’ve adopted it anyway! Every time I have a hankering for a certain experience or activity, I write it on a slip of paper and put it on a jar. Then once life returns to normality, I’m going to work my way through the list and appreciate each and every single thing so much more than I would have done before.
So far in my jar I’ve got swimming at our local baths, going to the cinema, enjoying a pint at our favourite pub, and driving out to the Dales for a walk. All things that would have felt pretty average or routine before, but now feel like the most exciting thing since sliced bread!
That journaling has been my saviour throughout all of this
I’ve been in the habit of sitting down and writing morning pages each day for a couple of months now, but never has putting pen to paper felt more valuable to me than right now. Starting my day by getting all of my thoughts down on the page has been so cathartic, and it’s helped me to realise where I was falling into old ways of thinking or triggering previous limiting beliefs.
If you’ve never been big into journaling before, I’d really recommend giving it a go. All you need is a notebook and a pen, and I find stream of consciousness writing to be the most insightful at the moment - basically just writing down anything that comes to mind. It’s great for helping you to sort through what’s going on in your head, and if nothing else, it will be interesting to have this time recorded to look back on in the future.
So now, tell me, what’s been going on for you recently? How are you feeling? What’s been getting you through?
