As lockdown eases in the UK, it’s likely we’re all keen to move forward and never ever look back on the last year of our lives. Understandable.
Something remarkable that we’ve seen with many of our clients is the adaptability and resilience of people.
However, before you dive into the enjoyment of life returning to a semblance of normality, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the lessons you could very usefully take from the challenge we’ve all faced during lockdown.
The things that really matter
If there’s a silver lining of covid, it’s that it’s thrown what really matters in life into harsh relief. When life slows down, it’s as if we’re able to zoom in on the beautiful, seemingly insignificant, small moments. Maybe you’ve been able to catch and appreciate these moments more?
Check in with yourself what your priorities and values were before this year – have they shifted now?
If you were living fast and missing a lot of the good stuff, maybe you benefited from slowing down and can set an intention to keep sight of that lesson.
The people you’ve missed
I’m sure I’m not alone in having found the isolation of lockdown and the separation from family and friends the most challenging part.
Most of us probably never considered the idea that our access to the people we love could be restricted, especially not for such a significant period of time. It’s easy to take the people in our life for granted, so I encourage you to hold the memory of this year close enough that it reminds you to appreciate every moment with the people you’ve missed so much the past year.
Perhaps the experience of this year will also serve to mend broken bridges in our personal life, giving us the perspective that life really can be too short and we might not always have the opportunity to be together.
The habits you’ve formed
Something remarkable that we’ve seen with many of our clients is the adaptability and resilience of people.
In order to safeguard mental and physical wellbeing, there are probably practices you’ve adopted and habits you’ve formed which have benefited you enormously. How can you make sure you don’t let those slide into distant memory when our lives return to normal?
We’ve all had to work so hard to simply be ok during lockdown, so imagine how much more powerful the effect of those habits you’ve created will be when the mundanity and stress we’ve been experiencing is significantly reduced?
The things you missed less than you expected
Finally, I’m sure we’ve all been surprised by things we expected to miss dreadfully and have realised we could happily do without.
Maybe you didn’t miss the gym as much as you thought and prefer your running and hiking? Maybe you focus better working from home and would rather have flexible working hours? Maybe eating out every day was hurting your wallet and health and you’ve realised you’d rather cook for yourself?
Whatever it is, notice it so you can consciously adjust your behaviour going forward.
Here’s hoping that we’ll be living in a more conscious society coming out the other side of lockdown. As individuals we can do our bit by taking time for this important reflection and intention setting. Collectively, maybe we can ensure that this wasn’t all for nothing.
Going back to work and feeling like your team and your business’s direction needs a much needed re-boot and refresher? A Well & Truly facilitated workshop could be exactly what you need.
