Brexit and Covid – lets focus on some positives

The past few weeks have, for several reasons, been a nightmare across all areas of my life but it dawned on me that even during these very testing times and as a direct result of the Covid pandemic there are some positives that we all need to consider and be grateful for. We need to take time to re-evaluate.          

My blog this week is therefore aimed at focusing on the positive impact that Covid has forced upon me but hopefully all of you as well. I am conscious that countries have differing Covid restrictions, so I am caveating that this comes from Walton on Thames, Surrey, UK.

My positives:

·         Stop and listen to the bird song. With reduced cars on the road and less planes in the sky I have had the pleasure of hearing birdsong for the first time in a long while. Stop and listen.

·         Use what would have been your commute time to do something positive either for yourself or for someone else. An hours commute to work and then back again gives you 2 extra hours in your day. Take advantage of this and volunteer to walk a rescue dog, pick up some shopping for a neighbor, clear out that chest of drawers you have been promising yourself you will do for months. I have become a telephone buddy reaching out each week to 2 ladies going through cancer treatment.

·         Make sure you stop for lunch. Working from home often sees us sitting at our home office desks for far too long. Stop and use your lunch hour to reach out to someone via phone or the old-fashioned way - write a letter! Whatever method of communication used the recipient will love it and maybe now is the time to tell someone you love them, thank them for a recent gift or simply say "hi".

·         Take advantage of working from home and cook a meal from scratch.

·         Smile at those you pass on your daily walks. Say good morning, good afternoon, good evening. Being courteous costs nothing and we often neglect this. You can still smile with your eyes if your face mask prevents your mouth from being seen.

·         Take up a new hobby. I bet you have a list of things you have always wanted to do but have always used the excuse that lack of time prevented you from acting. Now is the time so long as you are not breaching any Covid regulations.

·         Say “Thank you”. Two little words that mean so much but are so underused.

·         Step away from that desk. Dance in your home office. Nobody other than possibly the cat or dog that have taken up residency underneath your desk or on it, can see you and they will not tell.  

·         Finally, in the words of the late Captain Sir Tom Moore, “tomorrow will be a good day”. In his memory ensure your tomorrow is a good one. 

In short, life may be moving at a slightly slower pace because of Covid but take advantage while you can. When the new normal returns in whatever guise this is, we need to be able to reflect on the positives and maybe ensure we retain some, if not all, into our daily schedules.