Hello hello hello!
Flashback – I realise now that those two tents behind me are portable toilets … I think. Not such a smart photo after all haha!! Also, brushing that matted hair after 7 days was not fun. Reminicing over long hair days ..feat Lava Tower. ANYWAY.
So – we will all be back to normal and outside again when it is safe to do so … so what to do with that time inbetweeen? GET INSPIRED THAT’S WHAT!
As you can imagine i’m revving to go for when I can get outside again and inspiration is in no short supply – so I want to share some with you that I have sought out, been recommended and stumbled upon.
I found myself feeling pretty isloated, down and to be honest pretty emotional last week – i’m sure many can relate to this up and down feeling just now. This is natural and it’s impossible to be positive 100% of the time. We are human! 🙂
So what did I do? I made a SPIDER DIAGRAM. This may sound ridiculous but it made me feel so much better and excited about the future for when this is over – and lifted my mental state.
The Almighty Spider Diagram
We have extended periods of time at home on our side just now – so what better to do (i’m sure there are plenty but this helped) than to plan what you can do when it’s over?
Get the biggest sheet of paper you can find, cardboard or if you are lucky enough to have a whiteboard at home – and simply start with What I would love to do in the middle – and go from there. These can be activities, friends you want to see etc. It’s your life so write down what you plan to do. Think as big or as small as you want.
For example I covered mine with outdoor activies and had different (Spider) legs for cycle routes I will do, walks I want to do, places I want to go – even wee coffee shops I want to go back to – which is actually quite a luxury! Now is a good time to appreciate the big and little things and the people in our lives.
This diagram could be fun to do with the family too – in your household, via facetime/zoom etc. Write down the things you want to do together. You could each do one then connect them together and lay them out on the floor – start planning together?
(I have this image that when this is all over – everyone will put their tables out in the streets and have a huge meal together – pretty sure thats from a cereal advert?) Would be pretty fun though!!
Singing and Dancing – in your home!
I am still lucky enough to be able to sing and dance on reception – although i’m sad to be missing out on the theatre world out there. BUT there is a silver lining – which is AMAZING. The National Theatre and even Andrew Lloyd Webber among others have started to broadcast their shows on various platforms – FOR FREE! See a list below.
https://www.youtube.com/theshowsmustgoon Andrew Lloyd Webber
https://www.youtube.com/user/ntdiscovertheatre National Theatre Live (next up is Jane Eyre – which will be available on their Youtube until next Thursday – when the next one will be broadcast 🙂 )
https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2020/digital-stage/ – Sadlers Wells
I’m sure there are plenty more out there too 🙂
I also found the below mentally helpful 🙂 From the inspiring Alastair Humphreys – Adventurer
Two ways of looking at things:
– What constraints are you facing? Or… – What new opportunities are there?
– What can you no longer do? Or… – What might be worth a try that you never got round to before?
“Cause every hand’s a winner And every hand’s a loser.”
I will post again soon – with short adventure films and podcasts I am finding inspirational and also relaxing to listen to.
In the mean time im sending big hand waves and musical numbers/accents to you all.
Til next time,
Ana 🙂
P.S If you have any tips or ideas – please comment on the blog 🙂 I would love to hear them.
Thank you for inspiring ideas! I really like the Almighty Spider Diagram. It definitely can help to get through tough times.
Great blog Ana, I think we all feel that way sometimes and it’s important to find a positive way to deal with them. Your spider diagram idea was great. I am certainly planning lots of lovely activities to do with my family and friends when this is over. Keep Going everyone x
Thanks for this great blog, Ana. The spider diagram sounds great! I’d love to see yours – I’ll bet it’s covered in amazing things! We’re all going to be sooo busy catching up on all the stuff that we’ve been missing, but you’re right – there must be so many new things that we can be doing just now in our lockdown, or planning to do once it’s over. I’ve benefitted from having the extra time to sort out my new house and garden. I maybe haven’t had the choice I would have liked for the garden, but it’s made me take things I wouldn’t have thought about, just because that’s what was there, so some nice surprises. And … check out the blog! … I’ve taken the first step in home veg growing! Peas and leeks planted and hopefully more things on the way when I can get my hands on them!
One of the biggest benefits I’ve found is the slowing of the pace of life. It’s actually been lovely to have the time to just pause and enjoy reading, baking, etc. And what about the birdsong? It is so LOUD! The birds are obviously enjoying the lack of human intervention!
So yes, although we have all been missing out on things like catching up in person with friends and family (although my ‘virtual’ social life is pretty hectic with catch-ups on Zoom etc!), there have also been a lot of positives. Hopefully we can all keep hold of the positives once we come out of this lockdown :-).