Just about everywhere the conversation of how to come out of lockdown, how to resume our routines and get back to “normal” is happening, and whilst we are all figuring out what that looks like for each of us, here are my hopes for what we leave in “pre COVID”
#1 – Not Making Time for the Ones We Love
There is always time to spend with loved ones and appreciate their presence in our lives. If there is one thing this period has taught us is that life is indeed short, that we can experience unexpected and sudden loss of the ones we love and that we can be separated from those we cherish most. So now and going forward, when prioritising our schedules and our lives, let’s remember the time that we wished we could get back and put making memories first, and sharing laughs at the top of the list, and reaching out, connecting and saying what we need them to hear a regular and prominent feature in our daily plans.
#2 – Old Definitions of What It Means to be Productive
Definitely throwing the old and outdated “pre COVID” definition of productive out with the trash. Yes! Being at home has taught us to reframe productivity, that being busy and accomplishing it all is not the measure of time well spent, our worth or value, nor is it the measure of our capabilities or our resilience or competence. What this period has shown us is that we can be productive at being whole, at self care and validation and being well, that we can be effective and industrious at attending to all aspects of ourselves. We can be productive at accepting, honouring and being ourselves!
#3 – Ignoring What Our Bodies Need
There have been a lot of “pre COVID” neglected bodies. And no I am not talking about fitness and whether you were working out before or during this time. I am talking about ignoring what our bodies need and what they are telling us. Our bodies speak to us and for many of us, we did not have the space or time to listen before now. Spending this extended period with ourselves, has brought to the fore these needs. Many of us experienced an awareness of our physical reactions to our circumstances and where and how we have been carrying our thoughts, feelings, anxiety and fears throughout. For some that looked like fatigue, tension or aches and for others a need to exert energy and find release. Whatever it looked and felt like to you, your body spoke to you and I am looking forward to continuing to listen and leaving the neglect in the past.
#4 – Not Honouring Rest & Downtime
We have been conditioned that being on the go and constantly trying to get ahead, is the norm. That the more busy we are the more we have going on, is the more meaningful our lives and place therein is. I am happy to bust that myth going forward, that working hard is a badge of honour to carry around and those who don’t work to exhaustion and at the cost of their health and happiness are slackers. No thanks! This period has taught us the important of rest, the whole world took a pause and some downtime. And while it was “forced” many of us had to learn the lesson of slowing down and to honour the space that created. It helped us get the physical rest we needed, for our bodies to catch up with us and charge. But more importantly it afforded us the space to give our minds a rest and set a pace that could process and cope, and beyond that then hope and create, dream and inspire.
#5 – Not Stopping to Smell the ….
Related to rest, but not quite the same, so giving it its own space in this article. In addition to slowing down and giving ourselves the space to rest and recharge, we also had the opportunity to appreciate the things and people in our lives that we rush past on our way to “productivityville” (yes I made that up). There are many things and experiences in our lives the we take for granted and don’t take the time to really see, or smell or…feel. Our quest to progress and success (at whatever) can have a numbing effect on our senses when it comes to the life we are living now, moment to moment and these can then “pass us by”. Adopting a pace and an ease to my daily life that allows me to take in and appreciate the abundance of experiences and interactions and gifts that this life has to offer is definitely how I wish to model the way for myself and for my children going forward.
What are the things that YOU hope won’t go back to “normal”? I’d love to know.
Thank you for letting me share mine with you and I hope that this is helpful to you today and that something in here resonates with you.
Look out for next week’s post and remember to like or comment below so I will know if this article reached you.
XO
Elle
Providence 