The Good From 2020

Happy New Year! As much as we won’t know what the next weeks and months will hold it, now is a good time to reflect on any challenges or ambitions we’ve faced and have been able to overcome. From my last article on the previous edition I hope you’ve been able to find a couple of useful prompts as to attempt a fitness routine. There’s a couple of sports watches to be won this January so be sure to enter our Competition for a chance of winning.

In this edition with a new year approaching, I thought it would be useful to take some of the good things that have come of the last year and remind ourselves of the small acts of kindness which have made a difference.

As much as we are physically divided and told to stay apart physically, I noticed in some ways we have bonded more emotionally than maybe before. I’m not sure if it’s because we’ve taken a closer look at what’s going on around us and we’ve been able to read and hear stories from people who are also struggling and are in a similar position to us. But either way it’s allowing us to relate to each other and feel less like we are the only ones struggling.

Certain things which we would’ve dismissed before when life was fast-paced we’ve been able to appreciate. We’ve made an extra effort to shop local, a new bakery down the road or a friend’s business. It shows how we can support others outside our friends and family, who might live or work in our community. As much as zoom calls have been an integral part of staying connected, getting out and supporting others is appreciated just as much.

These small acts of kindness can be ways of bringing us together when the usual ways of being together are not permitted.

Even in the thick of all this we were still able to spread kindness. Cast your mind back to when we could only exercise outdoors for an hour a day, the streets were flooded with families walking, talking and just wanting to escape. I remember passing people and everyone would look up and smile, with a common understanding of ‘gosh isn’t this awful’. This small acknowledgement is something I’ve seen gradually fade away when we became accustomed to this new way of living. But wouldn’t it be nice to keep?

I remember hearing about us having to adjust to this new ‘normal’ but we have to remember that this is temporary and (touch wood) before long we can resume with our lives. In the meantime take time for yourself. If the pressure to be ‘productive’ seems a lot then remember our focus is really to get through this period rather than feel any need to come out the other end any better off. Hence why exercise, a book or a catchup with a friend are great ways to mentally escape.

I know what I’ve said is anything but original but a reminder can be helpful too. With Tier 4 just being announced, I hope we can remember that this time we are living in is temporary, this lifestyle and confining ourselves to our homes is temporary. We can’t make ourselves false promises of when this will all be over but be reassured that it will be over.

I hope you can all relate to this in someway, I know I’m no expert but sometimes it can be useful to hear. In the next edition let’s pray that we have some good news to celebrate but in the meantime, stay safe, and I wish you a happy and healthy 2021.