Wow, what a way to start the year! Glad to see the back of 2020? Did you have your fingers crossed that 2021 was going to be better? The end of C***d once and for all! But 4 days in and lockdown 3!
How do we feel about it?
Well, I don’t know about you but I feel a bit numb, philosophical even. I think deep down we probably all realized it was coming.
November lockdown got me so angry! Angry that they were making choices about how I could live my life, choices that would affect my business. Angry that what they were doing was going to impact so many other people’s lives!
Winter is a time that already has such a negative impact on people, the isolation, the loneliness, mental health, SAD’s! The whole pandemic has already taken such a massive toll on mental health, suicides rising at an alarming rate and here we were, decisions being made that were going to light the touchpaper of an even bigger problem.
This time it is not anger burning in me but compassion and quiet determination.
Determination to learn from this!
Determination to grow through this.
Determination to look for opportunity.
How are we going to get through this – by rebuilding a sense of community! When we disagree about how bad things are, whether the MSM is selling us the truth or lies, whether we will have the vaccine or not, all it does is divide us. It creates anger, loneliness, isolation – it divides families and friends.
There is enough of that just by being in lockdown!
Let’s lay down our differences and fight for one cause, the cause of coming together as communities. Look back to the war, community was everything, they became like great big families.
How did we lose this?
Televisions, cars, working mothers, supermarkets, internet, mobile phones?
It is in our power to change it. You may be surrounded by high fences intended to bring privacy, maybe you have never spoken to your neighbours much. Each day you come out of your house, get into the car and go about your day. You come home, get out of the car, into your home, your sanctuary from the world. Then there are social media platforms, it has become a place where we all spend so much time, communicate with many but actually, it can all be so lonely, soulless and isolating.
Change starts with me, with us! Next time you step outside your door don’t jump straight into your car, look around, is there anyone in the street?
Call hello.
Ask how they are.
Do they need anything while we are out?
Stop and have a conversation.
During lockdown 1 we knocked on doors along our street, we created a WhatsApp group. Not everyone joined but many did and we started to become a community again, checking up on each other, asking if anyone needed anything from the shops. Of course, we all stood on our doorsteps and clapped the NHS, we had street parties for VE Day and remembered the fallen.
Across the country there were similar stories but how is it now?
Did it last?
Have we became wrapped up in our lives again, rushing to work, the shops, to school?
Let’s stop, regroup, evaluate, ask ourselves what is important.
When you are struggling, lonely, feeling isolated wouldn’t it be great to shout over to your neighbour…. ”fancy a cuppa”. Someone to stop and chat to, break the loneliness even just for 10 minutes.
What can we do in the middle of winter? Well let’s get creative!
Of course ultimately you need to look after you first, maybe we can look at that another time.
But part of looking after you is connection, we are naturally sociable creatures, created to belong to a tribe.
Modern society has stripped this away and mental health concerns are at an all time high.
Let’s turn the tide!
Make choices to be sociable.
Chose to connect with neighbours.
Lay down differences of opinion.
Disconnect from social media for a period of time each day.
Winter is a time when nature strips back and puts down deeper roots, lets take a leaf out of its book and begin to breath again!
Please, please don’t isolate yourself, reach out and build that community, and together we can get through this.