“We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.”
Starting off with a quote from Harrison Ford! Not too shabby hey!
It strikes me that there is change afoot. Of course, here in the UK change is everywhere. It’s in the blossom on the trees and the lambs in the fields. Nature is springing back into life, and as our days get longer there’s a heady anticipation of getting ‘back to normal’ with the promise of being able to see friends, eating out at a restaurant and enjoying the things we never knew we would miss so much when they were taken away.
As the restrictions are lifted there are some things you’ll be glad of, no doubt. Like being able to ‘just’ work without having to homeschool at the same time. Or having a natter with someone in the office as you make your cuppa (because, office gos). Maybe it’s the thought of going on holiday that’s getting you excited – oh for a change of scenery!
But are you really ready to go back to ‘normal’? Was normal really so great? I wouldn’t dream of suggesting that it’s been easy, but has this crisis really been all bad? Have you thought about the things that you might have enjoyed about it? Like being able to relax at the weekends without having a million social engagements booked in. Or getting those jobs done around the house that you never had time for before. Perhaps you’ve got more disposable income as the costs of travelling to work have disappeared. It might feel a bit odd to think there are some positives to come out of the crisis, particularly since for so many it’s been an awful time. But what if the scale of the change we’ve been through is an opportunity of epic proportions that we’re never going to get again?
What if this is the second chance that you’ve been waiting for? The time to acknowledge you’re not where you thought you’d be in your life right now, and to do something about it? Or maybe that’s exactly what you’ve been doing, but now things are opening up you’re not sure how to sustain everything you’ve learned about what works for you. We don’t have to choose ‘back to normal’ or what we have now. We’re not the same people we were before the crisis, so why assume we can slot back into anything? Right now, you’re at the end of at least a year of reacting. You don’t have to react anymore. What will you choose to do instead?
If, like me, you know there is potential for good and meaningful change to come from all this you might want to try the activity below out. It’s going to help you really get to grips with what’s worked for you and what you want to leave behind, and commit to making it so.
And, if like me, you have grand plans for getting ‘out of lockdown ready’ (how excited was I when my hairdresser called to book an appointment?!), you might want to keep an eye out for my yet to be named lockdown reset focusing on getting you emotionally ready for life post lockdown. More on that coming soon!
First, try this:
- Get yourself nice and comfortable somewhere that you can be uninterrupted for 30 mins or so. Create a nice environment for reflection, this is your time to pause. With some paper and a pen to hand, take a few deep breaths in and out and let your breathing fall into a natural rhythm, knowing that there is nothing to do or to fix.
- Reflect back on the last year and, without judgement, write down whatever comes to mind in response to the following questions:
What am I proud of? What have I done well that I’ve not acknowledged before?
When have I felt most content and at peace?
What has made me happy?
In those moments, what is it that’s had the biggest positive influence on my wellbeing?
What am I most worried about losing once lockdown ends?
- When you’re happy that you have expressed everything that needs to be expressed in writing, look back over what you have written and notice themes that are emerging. What is it telling you about what you need to keep hold of, to move forward?
- Knowing that you’re a woman of your word, and that you’d never break a promise, what are you willing to promise to yourself that you will do, let go of, or keep hold of as you emerge from lockdown? Turn this into an action statement e.g. “I will leave the office at 5pm every evening to continue attending my yoga sessions.”
- Keep your promise.
Do share how this goes for you on my socials, or why not join my Facebook Community (link below) and let us know in there?