Lockdown is a chance to take back control, build our confidence and our dreams

Guest Blog By Georgia Riley, owner of The Life Of Riley 

We are seeing a huge shift in the modern lifestyle for many of us. As the dust begins to settle, the chaos becomes more quiet, and we adapt and accept the changes we have had to make.

There’s a lot I miss about life before lockdown such as days out to the zoo with the kids, popping round to see my nan for a brew, a glass of wine shared with friends, family gatherings for special occasions like Easter, being able to do work face to face, girly days with my mum shopping. I miss my freedom and my choices, we all do.

But there are many things I don’t miss. I don’t miss the rush and the hurry, I don’t miss all the time constraints because I have to be somewhere or the kids have to be at school, I don’t miss my alarm clock in a morning, I don’t miss always being tired, I don’t miss being too busy and routine led to be able to go and watch the sunset or have a late night movie night. I don’t miss not picking up my colouring pencils because the ironing isn’t done or I feel guilty I’ve got emails to reply to. I don’t miss how much I drove because I didn’t have time to cycle or walk.

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I don’t miss the strict routine when life can be much more flexible like working from home when it’s needed. I don’t miss the financial pressure of extra charges for missed payments, because I would never have been given a payment holiday for the washing machine breaking, needing a new tyre and the kids school trip all unexpectedly needed paying for in the one month. I don’t miss the innocent selfishness where we didn’t always put the elderly, more vulnerable and key members of society first. I don’t miss how we always went to the supermarket because it was quicker neglecting the local business who have always been able to deliver and always struggled against the superstores.

Georgia Riley, owner of The Life Of Riley in Southport

I don’t miss how daily life and it’s pressures affected so many that have crossed my clinic door, whether it was feeling out of control, always worrying, sleepless nights, stress, anxiety, headaches, IBS, confidence, unable to relax, never having the time for their own self care or unable to control so many external factors. Our old lifestyles were doing damage to so many.

The list of things it turns out we can do but weren’t doing is long and I hope our memory isn’t short. This is an opportunity to take back control, build our mental health, our confidence and our dreams. Take note of the things you are doing now, the things you are enjoying now, the times when you feel most at peace. Also take note of the things you miss.

We don’t want the old “normal” back. When we get rid of Covid-19 let’s make sure we include all of these things we love and that we miss in our new “normal” and go forwards as a stronger and happier nation.

We paid a hard price for these newly discovered truths. Let’s at least make sure that wasn’t all for nothing.

FOR more details about The Life Of Riley visit their Facebook page here.