As we go through one of the strangest times of our generation, we often wonder what future generations will make of the pandemic, how they will view our actions, our loss and our development as a result. Each week in the UK, our restrictions are easing and while there is a welcome relief in the return to some form of normality, we wonder, what did we learn and what will we take away from these last few months?
There have been tough times, we can't deny that, but we will take many lessons and positives from this time. Here are just a few....
1. One of the biggest blessings of the last few months is that it has given us time to reflect. We often hear the saying ‘be careful what you wish for’ and it is certainly true! Before lockdown, Folk It were is a transitional period and wanted time to work on our new workbook - the Universe was listening and certainly delivered! More than that though it gave us time to reflect on our lives, how balanced or in some respects out of balance we had become. Juggling the demands of a business, family, friends and our own need for downtime can be tricky, and so often our own needs can get lost at the bottom of the pile. Being in lockdown gave us the opportunity to ask ourselves what we wanted to take out of our lives and indeed what we wanted to add more of moving forward.
2. It taught us the importance of routine and communication. Wow, those first few weeks were certainly tough. The adjustment of living with family members again gave us a lack of structure that we had gotten so used to. Our lives went from busy and varied to Groundhog Day very quickly and we knew we had to do something. Living together, we quickly created a routine, a schedule of household duties, tasks, and activities not only that we needed to complete but also ones that we wanted to do together. It gave us a purpose, a focus when we had been previously been floating around. We went from individuals with our own differing to-do lists to a team. Although it wasn’t all sunshine and roses as you can imagine, it certainly made our journey through lockdown a little smoother! Now we are relocating to a new office, our Magic Whiteboards are up in the new space and are all ready to record our routines and to-do lists! (As you can see we have a long way to go until this new space is finished! It needs more work and we can’t wait to show you when it’s complete).
3. We relished our alone time so much more. We were blessed to be quarantined with family and was grateful for that time to reconnect as a family. However, being unable to live our lives as we normally would, going in to the workplace or visiting friends, we developed a deeper appreciation for the time we chose to spend alone.
4. Exercise became our best friend. Running, walking, yoga.... anything that would get us moving. We initially missed our classes at our gym, but quickly realised that there are so many ways to stay active at home, it was a great time to try something new. We found new routes to run, walk and explore. We tried new classes on YouTube. We realised that maybe we didn’t need that gym membership anymore.
5. We craved a creative outlet. Like so many others, we found ourselves turning to creativity throughout the day to give us a lift. This included painting (including this NHS doodle heart), but it also included cooking and baking, decorating and writing. It was no surprise that there was so much demand on DIY stores throughout lockdown. Yes, it was a way to keep busy, but we also realised that it was healing too. Taking time to paint, to try a new recipe, to write in our journal, all gave us the opportunities to express ourselves and time to process everything that was going on in the outside world and our reactions to it.
There is a lot to be said for an outlet - creative or otherwise, in directing our energies and calming our minds. By painting/baking/exercising our way through lockdown we focused our worry, our discontent, our fear and did something positive. We learnt that even when we felt least like creating in the kitchen or painting flowers, that’s when we needed to create the most. During these last few months, we realised how easy it is to brush off these kinds of activities as frivolous or unnecessary, yet they are the most necessary activities for our mental and physical health and wellbeing, and they have been a constant feature in our daily routine since.
What do you feel that you have learned during lockdown? What insights have you gained about yourself over the last few months? Let us know in the comments, we would love to hear from you.
Until next time x