Lockdown or slowdown

It’s been a funny few months hasn’t it. For most people there have been problems and difficulties of some kind. Some have found they’ve had good days and less good days. For many these have been especially challenging or tragic times for different reasons from loss of a loved one to work or money worries. At the same time, taking these particularly challenging situations aside, the way we look at what’s happening can make a big difference.

When Covid 19  was at its worst, newspapers and online news bulletins were full of attention grabbing headlines. That’s their job right; to sell papers and get you to read their articles. Some people, feeling the relentless stream of alarming news updates was just too overwhelming, chose to stop reading them. Others, myself included, chose how much and how often they saw this information – too much information and more correctly, too much negative information quite simply being too much.

Perspective matters

Lockdown was one word the journalists loved to use. Try substituting the word slowdown for lockdown and you get quite different connotations. For many who’d been on a hamster’s wheel of constantly rushing around, this slower pace could have been welcome if it wasn’t for the circumstances. Remember the Danish word Hygge that the world went crazy over. Covid aside, here was our chance – although this cozied up, slower, more together pace of life doesn’t sell papers! (At the same time I appreciate that some, having found this time busier than ever, would be thinking Slowdown, What Slowdown). 

Whilst the next few months may continue to be tough for many, from what I’ve picked up from working with clients during this time, from our own family experience and from chats with others, there are quite a lot of silver linings in the recent Covid cloud. Here are ten (in no particular order) for starters – you’ll likely have a few more you can think of.

So a little reminder here to be aware of the importance of the words you use. Lockdown over slowdown. Uncomfortable over stressed out. Can you feel your blood pressure rise on just reading the latter? Remember our brain has to interpret a word as we read it.

Negative self-talk

From teens as young as age 11 to outwardly confident parents or professionals, the following type comments are familiar to me:

• A more leisurely pace in the mornings (from bed to work in record time!).
• Anything goes for work wear – smart top and joggers for Zoom video calls otherwise chill wear (pj’s counting as chill wear!).
• The real over perfect look. Wild hair, big roots and for the first few weeks at least, feeling it was ok.
• Parents having more time with their children (a double edged sort when trying to work I appreciate).
• Home workouts. My online yoga!
• More people out on the streets – have our local streets ever been so busy? And the resulting cleaner air.
• Less chauffeuring & children out walking with their friends (did they ever walk before!). Ditto the cleaner air.
• Amazing community spirit whether food shopping for the elderly to food bank organisation for those in need.
• Genuine appreciation for those – often overlooked and seriously underappreciated – whose work we depend on.
• Realising what’s important to us. For many, the simpler things in life: good health, family, friends, nature…and food! (let’s not forget toilet roll!)

If you’ve had an especially tough time over recent months, take extra good care of yourself and sending much love.

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‘Today be grateful for the cosy little moments in life’ 

My wellbeing coaching and conversational hypnotherapy has gone fully online over the last few months with clients finding it working really well. If you, or someone you know, has been struggling and finding it difficult to cope in recent months, do get in touch for a free confidential initial chat. 

Photo courtesy of Roberto Nixon from pexels.com