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5 things we are learning from a global pandemic
Finding the light from this year of crazy
- Written by Joe Jackson
There is no doubt that this year has left us feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, anxious, and a magnitude of other emotions that come with this surreal unknown.
With these emotions has arisen a sense of reflection on our lives and brought up thoughts we have been putting off thinking about for who knows how long. Just some of the questions we have been asking ourselves are, “Do I still want that long commute when the dust settles if I can avoid it?”, “Should I be making more time for hobbies and self-care?”, “Can I change my lifestyle and health for the better?”.
You have probably asked yourself one or more of these questions during this period. I know it can feel hopeless at times, but at Truth, one common theme we are working towards is turning inwards and using this time for personal growth and an understanding of what we truly want when this crisis is over.
So, what are 5 key takeaways from this period?
1. Slow down and appreciate the small things
We’ve been taking photos of pretty trees on our daily walks, watching nostalgic movies with our loved ones we are lucky enough to have within our bubble, and longingly thinking about hugs and connection with those who aren’t. There is no question that the pandemic has brought us firmly back to basics.
So why has it taken covid-19 to make us appreciate the small things?
One of the main reasons for this is the pace of our ordinary lives; rushing from task to task without even considering our surroundings or being present in any given moment. We were either planning our next overseas weekend away or planning our social weekend calendar, and now we are working and living at a much slower pace and subsequently realising the smaller things in life can surprisingly bring us the largest amount of joy. Maybe it has been the perfect prompt to re-evaluate where and how we spend the majority of our day-to-day life and bring more moments that can create true happiness for the soul.
2. Spend quality time with your loved ones
Deciding where to spend lockdown was one of the biggest decisions we had to make. Many who live with friends or alone in flats and houses, chose to return to their family homes to have as much familiarity and contact as close as possible during the unsettling times.
Many who probably joked about nothing worse than spending weeks on end stuck with family in a confined space probably were shocked to find just how meaningful this time together was. For those of us who could not physically be close to loved ones, we found sanctuary in Zoom calls, FaceTime and any other form of contact that brought us closer - even if it was just virtually! We have truly been reminded of the importance of connection and having a “community”.
3. Nurture creativity and hobbies
Before Covid-19 struck, time was a rare commodity for most. These unprecedented times have allowed us to reclaim back our leisure time and given us all a great opportunity to return to past hobbies or to discover new ones.
For me personally, this was running. Although I used to run, I had begun to neglect it pre lockdown. However, the one-hour exercise window gave me a great chance to rekindle my love for that feeling of the earth fading away with every step. I successfully managed to run 5km every day for 26 days to raise money for the charities usually funded by the cancelled London Marathon.
Hopefully you too have found your own sanctuary through these times!
3. Nurture creativity and hobbies
Before Covid-19 struck, time was a rare commodity for most. These unprecedented times have allowed us to reclaim back our leisure time and given us all a great opportunity to return to past hobbies or to discover new ones.
For me personally, this was running. Although I used to run, I had begun to neglect it pre lockdown. However, the one-hour exercise window gave me a great chance to rekindle my love for that feeling of the earth fading away with every step. I successfully managed to run 5km every day for 26 days to raise money for the charities usually funded by the cancelled London Marathon.
Hopefully you too have found your own sanctuary through these times!
4. Get out in nature
There are a growing number of studies and campaigns putting forward evidence that a connection with nature makes us healthier and happier people, just one was the ‘The 30 Days Wild’ study. The purpose of it was to see what happened when 18,500 people engaged with nature every day for 30 days. Not surprisingly the result was that people taking part were found to have sustained increases in happiness, health, connection to nature and pro-nature behaviours. (1)
This definitely explains the surge in people walking around rivers and parks and simply enjoying all of nature’s wonders during the Summer lockdown period. I have a feeling we won’t ever take nature for granted again!
5. Spend less time on your devices!
Adam Alter’s 2017 book “Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked” details how addicted we have become with technology. This obsession has only been exacerbated during the lockdown with everyone being afforded more leisure time but with less options in how to spend it. Less travel, less pub time and brunch time has likely bred even more time on our phones scrolling through social media, or engaging in yet another TV series. But there is only so much of that we can do, as evident by the rise in outdoor time.
With lockdown restrictions being eased I have definitely found myself way more interested in face to face time with friends doing anything that does not consist of screen time!
Fear goes hand in hand with the unknown, and right now as we face the possibility of another hard few months ahead, there are little valuable lessons we can hold onto and as a community emerge through the other side of this pandemic stronger and more united. We hope through reading this you have been reminded of some little ways you can bring light into your life 🌟
Any topics you would like to hear more on?
Email talk@truthorigins.co.uk
References
[1] https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0149777
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