Leaving Lockdown
Barely one of my scheduled coaching appointments has gone according to plan this last fortnight. Be that that clients have got muddled, double booked or I have made a ridiculous oversight myself, it’s fair to say we are all metaphorically walking through mental treacle. In fact, I sent someone very dear to me to an appointment an hour and a half early and they had to work from a dog cafe in the rain. They were incredibly fair about it while I berated myself for an entire day on how I could get something so simple so very wrong.
So, what is going on? Have we all woken up with half of our brain cells missing or are we exhausted from reassuring our friends, reassuring our family and reassuring ourselves that normal life will resume shortly when we just get around the next bend?
There is no doubt about it that this has been tough. Massive highs: treasured friendships have been strengthened, discovering self or a new purpose all coupled with massive lows; feeling disconnected, feeling lost and feeling out of control or worried about the uncertainty of the future. Lockdown has been tough on everyone and not one story alike.
So as rules and guidelines change, we are beginning to emerge from our hideaways a little bit bruised and battered and certainly changed forever. How do we begin to adapt and what are we adapting to?
Well, before we go on, I want to remind you to give yourself full permission to feel whatever you are feeling at this space and time. It could be that you have been made redundant. It could be you’ve lost loved ones in the crisis. It could be you’ve suffered deep depression and are unsure how to dig yourself out again. All those feelings are valid and yours alone to feel however you wish. However, for those amongst us that are just feeling a bit unsure I would invite you to look at the last four months and identify what DID work for you?
Did you feel better for not having to keep up with the school mums? Did you feel better for not having the commute into central London or did you feel better for not entertaining that frenemy every month or so? Notice what energies you are leaving behind and solemnly swear to yourself that these new discoveries are little lockdown victories and toy love yourself enough to keep them up.
Then ask yourself what didn’t work. Was it the disconnect from loved ones? Was it the lack of routine or has the pause given you a chance to consider the direction of your life. Do you need a new challenge? Notice what is coming up so that whatever works or doesn’t you can make a conscious decision in creating healthy habits moving forward.
We are living in strange times where not only global change is needed but individual change. Now we must individually do the work to access what this brave new world looks like for us.
We don’t know what’s around the corner, you don’t need me to tell you that. But what I would like to remind you of is that this pause can be such a positive thing and we can all identify at least one things that has worked for us. Try it, you’ll find one, and then another, and then suddenly an uncertain future doesn’t seem so bad. You’ve got this far, you can keep going, I know that you can. You’ve got this!