It’s been a year now since we started enduring lockdowns, quarantine and social distancing and it doesn’t get easier, but we do become more resilient. That resilience has so much to do with the unwavering human spirit and how all year we worked to create more positivity in our day to day lives. How we turned to self-care when we needed it most and how we connected to each other in any way we could to get through this together.  

Making room for positivity and leaning into the new opportunities lockdown gave so many of us, is how we have come to know a new way of life and potentially how we have learned more about ourselves in the process. If we look at what lockdown really is and change our perspective a bit, we notice that it’s a pause. It’s a step away from the hustle of life and the chance to get grounded again on what matters most. It’s an opportunity to slow down; enough to smell the roses and treat ourselves for all the hard would we’ve done. 

A way to remain positive in this time away from loved ones and normality is to make a list of all the little things you want to do and to start doing them. We all have a mental list in our heads of things we want to do or try but we couldn’t because we told ourselves that work took up too much of our time. You now have the perfect excuse to learn a new hobby, take a course on something you have been intrigued to learn about or find new ways of connecting to yourself. This time also affords you more time to exercise. Yoga and meditation can serve as a great tool for mindfulness and peace as we navigate these darker times but if you want more of a kick, fitness classes are going virtual, so pick your favorite workout session and go. This is also a really good chance for you to rest and to never feel guilty doing so. Sleep in a little more or take as many naps as you need to feel restored with energy, especially if you’re working from home. You now have the time to do it all, but don’t get trapped into guilt. We are all just trying to manage and you’re not alone.

There is so much abundance to lockdowns whether you’re working from home or on furlough. If we adjusted our mindset to see how powerful this time is for us, we could clearly see how much room there is for growth. We now have time to give our bodies and our minds a breather. We have extra time to start manifesting dreams and getting out of heads with creative crafts. 

Try practicing gratitude for this pause in your life and fill up your day with your favorite activities. There’s not right way to handle lockdown, as long as you’re doing what’s best for you.