Hi everyone! My name is Beth and I am one of the new Emerge team members. I can’t wait to start supporting young people in the Frimley area very soon!
Lockdown 2 is now upon us, and I wonder how you’re feeling about it? Perhaps you still have some level of normality in your life with school, college, university, or work continuing. Perhaps everything has changed for you and you’re now stuck at home all day or in university halls and are feeling a bit trapped and lonely. Maybe wherever you’re living at the moment is your safe space so you’re quite happy to hibernate for a bit. Maybe you will just really miss seeing friends and family members in person, or miss any extra activities or groups you normally go to. Maybe you’re worried about the virus itself and its impact on you and those you love. Personally, I’m feeling very mixed – I’m grateful to have a job to keep me busy, but I’ll miss seeing my work colleagues in the office, and will miss catching up with friends and family members in person. I also know that I’ll need to go outside for some fresh air most days to boost my mood and not feel cooped up at home.
However you feel today, tomorrow, or any day, your emotions about the lockdown and all the other things going on in your life are important and valid, and it’s important to express and share those feelings (the good ones and the bad ones) with someone you trust, and if saying them out loud is hard, you could write them down instead.
Especially if you are feeling low at the moment, it’s helpful to think about some of the positive things in your life that can still happen even in lockdown. I saw different versions of this post on social media during lockdown 1, and it’s starting surfacing again with lockdown 2, and I think it’s really helpful. I particularly like this version that Oliver Bonas posted on their social media accounts in May…
Not everything is cancelled
Sunshine is not cancelled
Friendship is not cancelled
Collaboration is not cancelled
Dancing is not cancelled
Reading is not cancelled
Singing is not cancelled
Laughing is not cancelled
Conversations are not cancelled
Self-love is not cancelled
Kindness is not cancelled
Love is not cancelled
Although it may feel like many things have been taken away or cancelled again, you still have the opportunity to do lots of things that can bring you joy and lift your mood every day. This list is just the start – I would probably add walks, Netflix, my dog, and chocolate!
What would you add to the list?
However hard life is, there is always joy and hope to be found, so do take care of yourself, and try to do at least 3 little things that bring you joy today. It could be getting in touch with a friend, playing your favourite song really loudly, and watching an episode of your favourite show to make you laugh. But it’s totally up to you – you’ve got this!
So remember –
Your feelings matter, so express them to someone you trust.
Not everything is cancelled, so make sure you do the things that bring you joy.
We at Emerge think and know that you are amazing and loved, so we hope that encourages you today as well!
