February 2021 Thoughts: Lockdown 3.0 Rambles...

Hi. I hope you are having a good day.

It has been another month since I last posted. I've tried drafting a couple of posts but I didn't seem to get far with them.. Time seems to be flying by! Today is going to be a February thoughts post, where I have a ramble about lockdown 3.0 and additional lessons learnt from being lockdown for so long now.

I have got to a point where I am fully happy and comfortable within myself right now. I would definitely class this as a life long process and I'm certain this may change as I go through life that bit more! But right now... This is how I am feeling. I've been feeling like this for around a year now and it has been great. Don't get me wrong, I do still struggle at times and still have bad days. But the bad days are less, and I'm feeling optimistic. Which is how I know I am in a good place right now!

I've got fantastic family and friends surrounding me.. the people in your life can really make a massive difference to your life and I am very fortunate to have amazing people in my life right now. I've got a good job, as well as being in a very stable financial position. I'm in a beautiful house with my boyfriend Jordan and we are both enjoying our time together, living for the moment and supporting each other through this crazy world right now. I'm so grateful for a lot of things in my life right now. Despite the world being the way it is, there are things to be positive about!

At this current time in our third lockdown, I can only describe myself as being on autopilot. I don't have fantastic days, I don't have bad days... I just get on with things and do what I need to do each day. I am content for most of the time, but I'm just trying to get through each day the best I can like we all are!

I have gotten used to being alone for the majority of my time, working from home most days and keeping myself occupied throughout them. It is coming up to being a year into working from home... which is madness! If you had told me last March I would still be here now, I genuinely wouldn't have believed you! But I'm making my way through the days / weeks / months and it is going well... as well as it can be really! I'm taking each day as it comes, and I have such amazing people supporting me throughout it.

I haven't really been keeping up with the state of the world through news outlets or social media. In terms of announcements from the government, they don't really concern us much due to Jordan out working all the time throughout everything and me working from home for the foreseeable future... I have a sort of vague idea of the roadmap that was announced but that is about it! Although I can't wait until I can actually see more people again as I have really limited the number of people that I have seen during this lockdown! 

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, being the vaccine. All of my grandparents have had at least their first vaccine dose now which is fantastic and I can't wait until the day comes when I can give them a massive hug. The most wintery, darker months are coming to a close, and the days are getting longer and lighter! 

I am really looking forward to the more summery months again, where we can hopefully see a few more people than we can right now, having more brighter days and making more memories, however small they may be! I don't really have any expectations for this year at the moment as things can be unpredictable but so long as I can see my family and friends throughout, then I am happy! 

Although saying that, I have been taking full advantage of the snowy days we have had this month... as they are the most exciting thing to have happened! My snowy days were fun and entertaining... Jordan was off the Monday after the Superbowl so we had a snowy day together, which was great fun! During the week, my brother walked out this way to have a walk in an empty snowy field where it was practically a snow storm and I also saw my mum for another walk when it wasn't snowing at all, the ground was covered in snow, the sky was blue and the sun was shining.... it was such a beautiful day and snow makes everything feel that bit more beautiful.

As well as the snowy days, we have had some great days, just the two of us. We enjoyed having an amazing Valentines weekend together, I was truly spoilt and Jordan made the day itself so special, including making the living room all cute and it was an amazing evening. Another highlight will be getting a new sofa, we needed a new one as the cushions on our old one had completely sunk in, plus the legs at the back had completely collapsed as well... it was time for a replacement. The replacement didn't end up arriving (long story but we got a refund and another one on the way) but it was more of an excuse to build a den, with cushions, duvets, pillows, blankets... the lot! 

Similar to January, I was working throughout February, and had more walks mainly with my family. I even got to see my closest work friend as well for a long walk and chat, which was fantastic. What last year has definitely taught me is that just seeing my family and friends is all I really need for my own happiness. I'm not fussed about doing extravagant things all the time (although don't get me wrong, I really can't wait to go out to a pub, a club or on holiday again), but even just being able to see my loved ones is all I could really ask for.. and this has only been reinforced especially after spending a good majority of last year in my own company!

Throughout being in various lockdowns for the past year, there are a few additional things which I have learnt along the way:

1. Material possessions don't make me happy. I barely buy myself any material possessions any more, which was a personal choice. I have always been a massive money saver throughout my whole life and it's made that bit more of a difference. I still treat myself every so often but not as much as I used to! 

2. Using great hair care and skin care products is my luxury right now. I've got a collection of my favourite skin care and hair care products which I got from various family members for Christmas. It's my way to unwind from the end of each lockdown day in the evenings after working most days... just using fantastic products and relaxing! I've definitely found what works well for me and I'm sticking to it!

3. Wearing no make up has become the norm. I have become so much more comfortable in wearing no make up every day when in lockdown, I don't really care what I look like, nor what people think! Although saying that, I did do my make up for the first time in months the other day for a couple of occasions and it was an amazing feeling to wear some make up again and feel / look a bit more human!

4. Keeping occupied is the trick to getting through lockdown. I have been occupied with various things and the days seem to be whizzing! I feel like that is all we can do at this time, although it does make the days feel repetitive in parts. I am on social media less, although I keep in contact with my loved ones frequently! I love living a more private life in a good majority of aspects, and it makes me happier for it! 

5. Walks are definitely my thing to keep me sane over lockdown. I walk at least a mile every single day outside. Most days, I walk more but I will say at least a mile as a minimum! Throughout lockdown 3.0, I have been seeing my family when I can and we've had various walks. At the weekends, I go for walks with Jordan as well as he is working during the rest of the week. I have also seen one of my closest work friends for a walk as well, which was great. I still go for walks by myself, which I am very used to doing now and I love just getting outside every single day. 

For me right now, I am just taking each day as it comes. To not put pressure on myself to be productive all the time, especially when still working from home. To do things which make me happy and comfortable. To appreciate the small things in life, and to count my blessings every day. By doing all of those things every day, I would say that getting through long periods of being in lockdown has become more manageable this time round!

It's the shortest month of the year so this post was going to be a shorter one, but this post has overall summarised my main feelings throughout this third lockdown. Hopefully this will be the last lockdown rambles post, my fingers are crossed we will be out of lockdown soon enough!

If anyone is actually reading this then I really hope you are doing ok and keeping well and safe throughout this time!

So yeah, it's all good...

Amy