By JBayleyWrites 

Last March saw our first national lockdown come into force and thus came the beginning of what would be a very strange and difficult twelve months of the unknown and the unfamiliar. As we come back round to March once again and approach that one year mark, now just might be the perfect time to reflect on how we felt this time last year and with that what we have learnt and what we can take from our initial lockdown mindset.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Although for many, this past year has felt like somewhat of a standstill, so much has changed and probably without even noticing, you have too. As far as I am aware there is no pause button on life, (if there is- please point me in the right direction) and at first glance you may think this has been an empty year of very little substance, but perhaps you should look a little closer. Would you have usually gone on as many walks, enjoyed and explored your area as much as you have done since the lockdown? For the majority of us, the answer is probably not, yet something as easy as that has managed to somehow make this all more bearable.

While it has become somewhat comical that the majority of us never expected we would have to endure lockdown life for this long, there may be an important message to take from how we first approached lockdown. Two weeks off school, a little break, a half term for more than just the little ones. That was how many of us looked at the situation, something temporary and not at all terrifying. As we slowed down, went on walks, baked our banana bread, and binged Tiger King, there was an element of serenity to be found in our homes.

If we can recapture and hold onto that hope as well as the enjoyment which we were able to derive from even the simplest of pleasures such as baking, binging or even just those daily walks, then we may all be that bit happier.

The possibility of a summer unlike the last, in all of the best ways, rekindles the optimism that was still strong last March. So nearly a year on, no matter how worn down you might be feeling, these reminders of hope should be welcomed and could be just what we all need.

But for now, there is still time for you to cherish and even romanticise aspects of these lockdowns before ‘normal’ life resumes again and we will once more be swept up in the hustle and bustle of it all with far less time for binging and baking.

RELATED: Don’t give up and don’t give in: How to prioritise your mental health post lockdown

While many of us may have begun this year with goals and new year’s resolutions, if we learnt anything from the turbulent year of 2020 which we just left behind, it is that sometimes you just have to take things one day at a time. With things ever-changing, it is once again paramount that we prioritise our mental health and remember to give ourselves those breaks which we might not be getting in our usual ways... to read more click HERE 


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