Perspective Checking and Self Development during COVID-19

"The economy is doomed"

"The great depression is coming"

"Austerity is going to be the new normal"

"Welcome to Isolation until 2023..."

"We are missing out..."

NEGATIVITY CREATES NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

During these dark times (Hence the dark/poor lighting on my picture above) have you ever heard one or all of these negative thoughts? You might have heard them splurted out by your neighbour down the park walking the dog. You might have seen all the negative press from the news which uses these keywords along with informing you of the daily death toll. You might have looked up lots and lots of youtube videos relating to "Lockdown" or "Corona Virus" and seeing some of these thoughts in the Youtube comment section(s). Let's all just take a moment to realise that this pandemic has been going on for a couple of months and yet we are treating it as if we are living through World War II with ration books and being under a full economic standown. Being born in early 90s I can only imagine how hard that must have been. That is what you call real austerity.

SELF DEVELOPMENT

During times of hardship we must all fight together to stay positive by taking a perspective check of reality. Stripping our daily lives back to the basic foundations for the time being isn't as bad as you think. Minimalism.. Simplicity.. Eating and keeping hydrated keeps us physically alive. Communication with others keeps us mentally alive. Then the rest such as home exercise and reducing costs on materialisic goods will probably save you money too. We can still go out for daily exercise, shop for essential groceries, and if possible go to work. Personally I have been placed on Furlough Leave however I have attempted to use it as a positive to do things that I don't usually do. This includes spending more time with family, help my Grandad lose weight by taking him for daily walks, take up an online degree, dial in my nutrition and eating habits, cut back on alcohol and caffeine, and attempt newer ventures. If you are on Furlough Leave like me you must realise that it represents a Job Retention Scheme where you are paid 80 percent of your wages for doing no work whatsoever. Use the time you have now to press the reset button on your life by rewiring old habits by creating newer ones.

Want to try something out of the blue? I decided to try out Virtual Online Speed Dating (A recommendation from a friend) which works the exact same as Speed Dating except you communicate with multiple dates for 5 minutes at a time over the Zoom Video App. It was a good laugh and met some decent women going through similar stories.

I also enjoy writing but haven't done much of it over the years however I would like to create an online support group during lockdown where I communicate with anyone suffering from mental health. If anyone really does want to speak I would love to chat with you on Skype ([email protected]) or on Linkedin. Along with voluntary blogs for businesses I decided to create my first E-Book about the Corona Virus and some hints and tips such as shopping and health which you can read below (If you would like a PDF version let me know and I can email it you for free)

PERSPECTIVE CHECKING

There are alot of realities which you should reflect on. Mental health in itself is a crucial key factor to our health along with the way we communicate and act within ourselves and with others. Depression, Alcholism, Substance Abuse, Suicide, Poor Social Skills, Obesity, Insantiy, Claustrophobia, Poverty, and general isolation to name a few are the real silent killers that shows much higher numbers than the Corona Virus. Something which I did not think about until one of my relative members mentioned to me a few evenings ago was the individuals living in high storey flats. These individuals might be on their own or as a family. They won't have a garden to breathe in nature and they might not even have a balcony or simple infrastructures like windows for a view. For those of us who still have a job, have relatives and friends to talk to over the phone, and can have meals on the dinner table under a roof on a daily basis we should consider these times as periods of gratititude and reflect on the positives. Let's all try to stay safe and help our NHS key workers as much as we can by limiting social interactions for the time being (Who have done a phenomenal job since it was first estabilished in 1948; not every thursday night where it has taken a virus for us to all appreciate them!)

FINAL TAKEAWAY

Remember to look after yourself and the others you live with. No one is immune to this virus regardless of gender, sex, age, demographics, or any other factors I might have missed. You can take precautions and steps to minimise the risk and power it has over your life in order to live as normal of a life as you can. Here are 4 quick tips you can start implementing right now:

• GET MOVING - Go for a walk or do some circuit style workouts at home. I created a good workout example which is being posted on our boxing page "SweetPeaboxing" (Facebook and Instagram) called "Footwork Fridays". Check it out and follow our page!
• NO BRANDS NO JOY? - Do not underestimate smaller lesser known supermarkets for essential groceries and convenience or even your local off license for much smaller shops. Supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl are saviours when it comes to queues and choice. You will often find with these smaller supermarkets that it will be easier to find what you need because the stores aren't as big and because the majority of produce is their own brand the same food you normally buy will be a hell of a lot cheaper!
• KEEP STIMULATED - Your brain is just as important as your physical health. Keep in touch with relatives in your house, friends, and work colleagues. Using video calls versus text messaging is such a powerful tool for communication as it allows you to display emotion and proper conversation. If you have hobbies such as gaming or writing now is the time to do it. You could even learn a new skill.
• MEDIA REDUCTION - Our mobile phones are like mini tv's in our backpockets and in our fingertips every single minute. Try and reduce the frequency you look at social media channels like facebook, instagram, and the news that usually has feeds relating to the Corona Virus. If you are someone that must know what the world is up to set your phone to only send you specific reminders or bulletins. If it is that important like breaking news for example it will be the primary one to come up!