Hello beautiful people and welcome to my thirty-ninth blog.

In much the same way as previous plagues such as the Black Death in the 14^th century or the 1918 Influenza pandemic had such huge ramifications on the world afterward, so too will this Covid-19 disease. The aftermath of this pandemic will see an enormous spectrum of changes from personal adjustments to global shifts. Some will have a lasting effect and others will not, and it is still relatively unknown what these long term effects will be.

As they say in the classics, Times they are a-changing! I have decided to be cheerful and a little more light-hearted this week and to take a look at just some, a few, of the many positive changes that have taken place during this time.

 

At home

This crisis has been hugely disruptive and painful, but it has also resulted in people coming together with a common purpose united in their creativity and improvisation. Social media has been wonderful in that folk have been able to share their resourcefulness, tenacity, and positivity.

Families have all commented, mostly, on how wonderful it has been to have this unexpected gift of precious time together.

So many of us are now taking time and trying when preparing family meals. We are planning meals and preparing them from scratch and delighting in the (sometimes) culinary masterpieces we have created.

Making  bread seems to be the flavour of the month, in particular sourdough, and other industrious folks are growing their own herbs, veggies and even fruit.

Parents are working with their home-schooled children making the most amazing and fantastic arts, crafts, and projects. Dress up theme evenings, (my boys refused), zoom quiz nights and meme creations have become the order of the day.

New hobbies have been taken up and new skills learnt, and people are feeling so much more fulfilled. Cupboards are tidy (mine was for a day) and have been cleared and all the DIY stuff has been done.

 

Exercise

It has been astonishing to see families and friends and dogs walking round the neighbourhood due to gym and exercise centres being closed for so long. Some people have had meetings with friends this way and families have  gathered down at the river to engage in some social distancing socialising. Biokineticists, gym instructors and Pilates instructors began doing their classes online, which helped boost their otherwise negligible income. I also found some great apps to do the odd exercise class.

 

In the workplace

In the workplace, things are also different. Bustling offices with multiple people using the same desk space are obvious hot beds for the transmission of the virus, so many businesses are contemplating staggering work shifts so that offices and factories do not become too crowded and workers can safely maintain distancing. Flexitime will probably become more common. This will reduce rush hour traffic and public transport will be less crowded (except for our local taxis). Some cities have imposed schemes to encourage people to walk or cycle to work and road space is being reassigned. This is just fantastic!

 

Our planet

Our magnificent, so often horribly abused, planet is also seeing the benefits of this pandemic. Many people living in cities have noticed an improvement in their environments with cleaner-smelling air and calmer, safer roads which is offering us a glimpse of what a cleaner earth might look like. Satellite data have shown a drop in atmospheric levels of nitrogen dioxide (this is a big air pollutant that is released by the burning of fossil fuels) over cities and industrial centres across Europe and Asia. There are also less sooty particles in the air which can often result in respiratory problems. So, the pandemic may actually have helped save the lives of tens of thousands of people. So, hope that the powers that be will try to learn from this and strive for an ongoing greener world.

Stargazing has become absolutely fabulous, too, viewed with the naked eye and from our doorstep dues to this decrease in air pollution. Wild animals have been seen in places they have never ventured into, walking along roads, like the goats that ran riot in the streets of North Wales.

 

People are singing to one another

Musicians have treated audiences worldwide to interactive concerts from their living room whilst others sang and played musical instruments from their balconies. Sadly, my YouTube rendition of Don’t Cry for Me South Africa resulted in only guffaws and loud laughter, and even then, it did not Go Viral. When, oh when, I ask myself and you all, am I going to be the famous singer I have always dreamed of and longed to become??

 

History and art are free for all

The Met, The British Museum, and numerous other museums worldwide have offered virtual tours that provided hours of fun and entertainment for the whole family. The greater appreciation of culture may be on the up.

 

We have united to help one another

Thoughtful people have run errands for those who are confined at home. Boy, were we the luckiest recipients of this during our isolation. Meals, chicken soup, shopping, treats, flowers, fruit and so much more. Everyone was so kind and generous. It was just awesome and helped brighten our days and nights, tremendously. Healthcare workers have been and still are on the frontline putting themselves and their families at risk, people are donating blood and testing blood samples, generous folk have and are donating and distributing food parcels to those in need, and I honestly believe that the world is becoming a much kinder place.

 

Phone calls are back in fashion

People have also now got into the habit of actually picking up their landline phone (for those who still have) and having real conversations with loved ones. It is not just about those zoom, house party, and what’s app video calls. At the start of lockdown Muz and I sent many a wonderful time chatting on the phone and for this, I will be forever grateful. I also speak to my Mum on the phone, often, and Pops and I also chat regularly.

 

We are getting used to this adjusted normal

After the initial novelty of the lockdown due to the coronavirus had worn off, I became very anxious as this was the fear of the unknown, which always disturbs me deeply. Somehow, I now feel so much better, as it is all seems to be becoming familiar and a little bit more normal. We still do not know how this will all pan out, but we just need to push forward, onward, and upward, positively.

 

Silence

Although it is now noisying (my word) up a great deal more, initially our world was suddenly very quiet. I loved the sound of the birds singing, the sound of children playing, and even the dogs barking. There were so few car sounds or plane noises. This decrease in noise pollution can be of great benefit to our health by decreasing our levels of stress, our cardiovascular disorders, and our sleep disturbances.

I really hope that some of these amazing and positive changes will be sustained and remain in our world now that lockdown is easing..

 

My personal positives that have emerged during the last five months.

1. I am so much more grateful for all that I have and for all that I have been able to do.
2. I am spending time now, that we are slowly emerging from our burrows, with people who make me laugh and smile. People I can be ridiculous with and who will not judge me. There is not enough time in our lives to be with negative people.
3. I am holding onto and honouring my values, and this has become especially important after my bout with the virus and the associated experiences I had with this.
4. I am trying to park the grudges and the stuff that has hurt and upset me over the last while.
5. I have definitely found my purpose and my “why” and am over-excited about what my future business life holds.
6. I have realized now that my business has expanded hugely, that I need to suck stuff up and that I do not need to sweat the small stuff.
7. I am listening to my heart and trying to ignore my overanalyzing and overthinking mind.
8. I am responsible for my fulfillment, and it is up to me to get there, and I have the power to do so, with or without the help of others.
9. I have become so open to and accepting of change, and my love-hate relationship with change seems to have calmed down to a panic.
10. I have learned to bask in the simple pleasures of life more and more and every day.
11. I am making time to do the things I love and nurturing myself more than I ever did.
12. I have decided to stop taking myself and my life less seriously. Yes, I am much busier in my career than I ever was, and I have taken on a lot of stuff, but hey, it’s fun and its not the end of the world if I drop a ball, one of the lighter ones, every now and then.
13. I have learned that a smile can go so far in so many ways and on so many levels and can be seen even when one’s mouth is covered by a mask.
14. I have given up wearing lipstick when I work and that is unheard of for me. What is the point when one wears a mask all the time?
15. I absolutely adore the elderly, now more than ever before, and feel so privileged to be able to call the time I spend with them my work.
16. I have learned that patience, hard work, grit,resilience and determination are what will get me to my goals.
17. I have decided, and this is a big shock for me, that I am so comfortable not hugging and kissing. There is no awkwardness about whether to kiss or where to kiss and the hugging I can still get from my family.

Tip number thirty-eight.

Make sure that you are connecting with the right people for you, the ones that make you feel great about yourself, love you for who you are, are supportive of you and have your best interests at heart.