10 Things I’m Thankful For Right Now
My heart goes out to all of you at this really difficult and unsettling time. I know that many of you have had to postpone your weddings; I can only imagine how hard this has been for you. It’s a really difficult situation and I hope that you’re all ok.
I personally have struggled with anxiety for many years. I felt that I’d gained control over it recently and then Covid-19 happened. I’ve taken comfort that we’re all in it together and that, in time, things will return to normal again. For my fellow wedding suppliers: I hope that this time gives you some space to think creatively, start projects you’ve been thinking about and nurture the relationships you’ve made with other suppliers. Together we will come back stronger.
My heart goes out to all the people classified as vulnerable. I’m a diabetic so I fall in to this category too and, for the first time ever, I felt very scared about my condition. I’ve heard the measures that some friends have had to take and I send love to you at this difficult time, being isolated from your loved ones can’t be easy at all and I hope that you stay healthy and keep thriving as you always have; you are so strong.
I’m shifting my focus to see this situation as something positive. The announcement of a lockdown/lock-in in the UK has surprisingly given me comfort rather than fear. I feel I have more control now in a strange way. Are any of you feeling the same?
So I decided to share a few things that this crisis has made me feel thankful for right now. I hope they help in some way and I’d love to hear yours too!
1. Professions that are so often taken for granted will hopefully get the respect and recognition that is long overdue.
Yes, how nice that our government has finally identified that the key professions in society are the ones that have frequently been cut, underfunded and underpaid. I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the way the NHS staff continue to work their socks off for us, putting themselves at great risk and running themselves in to the ground. I salute you. How teachers and lecturers transformed the education system to a virtual learning environment so that young people would not be disadvantaged and are still checking in with their learners and parents each week. The staff at supermarkets and pharmacies who, overnight, put measures in place to keep us safe and help us keep our distance, provide us with necessities and relay positive messages of reassurance across the speakers in supermarkets (honestly, this made my day on my weekly shopping trip today!). The police for continuing to keep us safe and reminding us that we need to stop and think for the greater good of our nation. Carers, charities and shelters for continuing to provide services for the most vulnerable and help them feel less alone. Once this is all over, let’s hope we’re all a little kinder to one another.
2. It’s forced us to stop and think about what we really need
How much money do we spend on “necessities”? Probably far more than we realise. When it comes down to it, all that matters is that you have food, shelter and love. The rest is all decoration. I for one am probably going to save a small fortune with coffee shops being closed!
3. Technology
How amazing that we can connect with each other through our phones and computers? (side note: Thanks to all the telecoms/broadband engineers who are continuing to work to keep us all connected!) My mum in particular has provided a great source of comfort for me. She’s talked to me straight, calmed me down, reassured me and made me laugh from 60 miles away. Our little person has been able to video call his friends through our devices so he is not feeling as alone as we originally thought. Many of us have moved our offices into our homes and kept businesses running as usual. There are online courses, exercise classes and support groups to help us feel more normal in this incredibly abnormal time. We are so lucky that we can still connect even when we feel disconnected.
4. It’s made us see our health and wellbeing as a priority
The last few weeks of Covid-19 unfolding in the UK has been scary. I certainly felt anxious as I got sucked in to googling symptoms, worrying about my own health and my family’s and stressing about the spread of it. The media’s constant negative stream of information is not helpful for many of us and I for one have distanced myself as much as I can to protect my own mental health. I’m now seeing people sharing funny videos again, sharing success stories from other countries and generally reminding us that we are not alone. This has given me time to breathe, to think about things I can control and Boris’ decision to close down shops etc has forced us all to take a step back and take care of ourselves. I believe this time will give us the space we need to create amazing things, find creative solutions and help us recognise how important our health and wellbeing is.
5. The environmental impact of recent measures
How amazing that skies are looking blue again without all the smog from pollution, people are hearing birdsong instead of cars, water is looking clearer…our world is taking a deep breath while many of us are struggling for ours. Clean air - who gave it much thought before now? Let’s hope we remember this when we are set free again!
6. Science
Incredible. The fact that scientists have been able to work out how this virus infects and spreads and start working on a vaccine is amazing. Did you ever give much thought to how we stopped other diseases, like SARS and Swine Flu spreading before? Or who discovered that an injection of antibodies could protect us from seasonal flu? Scientists and epidemiologists, we salute you. It may take a while to create a vaccine but my goodness, how amazing is science?
7. Community spirit
It’s nice to see so many people connecting with their neighbours and helping each other out where they can. A little kindness goes a long way. My dad lives alone quite far from me and struggles to get out; hearing that his neighbours knock on his door and offer to get his shopping or drop round some crumble warms my heart. Many fellow business owners have offered to support each other too and I am so grateful for that. It’s created new partnerships that will hopefully flourish in to incredible things.
8. The world is so much smaller than we think and this is giving us an opportunity to work together
I know that some leaders are swinging their balls around but I hope that they are in the minority in the fight against this. I’m not Boris’ biggest fan but, respect where it’s due, to address the nation and make difficult decisions for our greater good takes a lot. It pains me to say it, it really does, but maybe he’s not so bad after all (just don’t tell my dad this as we’ve had many an argument over our political views!). This situation is giving us the chance to learn from other countries’ experiences, to support each other where we can and to rebuild some of those bridges we may have foolishly burnt to the ground. I just hope the powers that be recognise that they may well be stronger together (but at a distance of 6 feet!).
9. Brexit is no longer filling my Facebook feed
Thanks goodness. I didn’t vote to leave the EU and was shocked by the outcome, but by the end of last year, the domination of it in the news and on social media was unbearable wasn’t it? Maybe we can build that little bridge again and have an agreement that suits all nations in Europe.
10. We have been blessed with time
Having to stay in has given us time to think, spend time with our families and significant others and slow down. Whether you take a nap, create magic or revolutionise the world, whatever you do right now is just what your mind and body needs. Use the time wisely; this time will pass and we will look back on this as a distant memory. Hug your children a little tighter, enjoy trying a new hobby and get plenty of rest. We will all be rushing around again before we know it.
Please feel free to share this with anyone that might find it useful and share your ideas for keeping your sanity at this time below! Take care everyone.