I don't know about you, but the Corona Virus crisis has given me a whole new outlook on life these past few weeks, and reminded me what's really important in life.
I've got a newfound appreciation for the little things in life- even more so than before this pandemic when concentrating on enjoying the little things was how I made the best of being housebound with chronic illness. I feel extra grateful for what I still have in life, and am trying to be appreciative of all of those small joys and acts of kindness that are making these frightening times a little brighter and easier to bare.
I know it's not easy to stay positive at the moment, when the lives most of us knew (yours more than mine) have changed beyond recognition, and the world has become such a scary place to live in, but I'm trying to focus on the positives as much as possible. It's how I've coped with the changes to my life from chronic illness, and the only way I can think to get through this virus without being an anxious wreck every minute of the day. I look for the positives and try to make the best out of whatever life throws at me. It helps me keep going.
So, today I thought I'd share a list of some of the things I am grateful for right now, to have something positive to look back on from this nightmare when it's all over.
I am grateful for...
♥ My family all being safe and well.
♥ My sister and brother-in-law being in a country with a handle on the virus and the lowest Corona Virus mortality rate in the world. (Germany). I don't like them being so far away from home right now, but at least their government is taking better precautions than ours.
♥ Friends for keeping me sane.
♥ My dog for making me smile every day.
♥ Having been isolating for 8.5 years already, so I'm not finding the isolation part of this nightmare too difficult at all.
♥ Animal Crossing New Horizons for keeping me occupied, and offering hours of escapism every day. It's the perfect Corona Virus distraction, and is really helping me cope right now.
♥ Books for allowing me to escape to another world for a while. I'm loving the Caraval series at the moment.
♥ My favourite TV programmes for letting me do the same. Even if most are now shutting down production as they go in to isolation. Thank God for reruns and Netflix boxsets!
♥ Fall Out Boy tunes for lightening the mood. Their music always puts me in a good mood, so I've been listening to their old albums a lot lately to keep things cheerful.
♥ Living in the digital age so that we have the Internet, social media, Netflix, movie and music streaming sites, Kindle books and computer games to keep us entertained and connected. Can you imagine going through isolation during the plague days when you didn't have all these forms of entertainment or even a phone to keep in touch with your family and friends??
♥ Having enough food in the house to live comfortably on without doing any panic-buying.
♥ There being enough toilet paper in the house because the parents bought some in bulk from Costco before the virus.
♥ Having a little supply of hand sanitiser from before the virus to tide me over for a while.
♥ Managing to find some Paracetamol in the supermarket before my prescription supply ran out. #Winning.
♥ Prescriptions still being filled- albeit even slower than usual- so I don't have to go through withdrawal and extra pain again- at least this month. Being unable to access my prescription medication and going in to withdrawal is one of my biggest fears in all this... y'know, besides people I love getting the virus and dying.
♥ The NHS, doctors, nurses, paramedics, therapists, porters, hospital cleaners, scientists, and all the other medical professionals and hospital workers who are working so hard to fight for people's lives in unimaginable conditions.
♥ Supermarket staff and delivery drivers for working hard to ensure we can access food and other essentials.
♥ Amazon for still operating efficiently and allowing me access to heat patches, some groceries, Animal Crossing, pet supplies, and books in a time when supermarket delivery slots are like gold dust.
♥ People who are staying on lockdown and aren't risking everyone's lives.
♥ The three people who've knocked on the door and offered their help with anything to my Dad since social isolation began. He doesn't need any help (he's 73 but not frail, and has us), but it's lovely that our neighbours are being so kind and thoughtful.
♥ All those sunny days we had last week for brightening the mood.
♥ Lighter evenings / longer hours of daylight now that the clocks have changed. Somehow I think this nightmare would be harder during the dead of winter with less daylight, and SAD to contend with.
♥ Chocolate for bringing little moments of happiness to dull days.
♥ Managing to find Easter eggs online last week so I can still do something nice for my family for Easter.
♥ Terry's Chocolate Orange Mini Eggs for being so delicious.
♥ My Mum finding rhubarb in the freezer last week (from the garden last year), and making homemade rhubarb cakes. They were amazing.
♥ My Mum finding rhubarb in the freezer last week (from the garden last year), and making homemade rhubarb cakes. They were amazing.
♥ My sister for sending over a parcel of Body Shop goodies for me and our other sister. It was a lovely surprise getting some banana shampoo and conditioner, mango body yogurt, and hemp hand cream in the post this morning.Thanks sis!
♥ Erstwilder Easter brooches for adding a little happiness during these worrying times.
♥ Living on the edge of the countryside and not in a city where everyone is in close quarters.
♥ Having a large garden where we can go to safely enjoy the fresh air and exercise the dog, etc. (Not that I've made it downstairs in months, but at least it's there for everyone else).
♥ Being able to see nature and the occasional creature (squirrels, red kites, other birds) from my bedroom window. It makes me feel less trapped and more relaxed.
♥ Seeing blossom beginning to bloom on the trees from my bedroom window. I love blossom.
♥ Knowing a variety of ways to keep myself entertained at home because I've had years of practice at this, so I'm not dying of boredom right now.
♥ Hot showers because they always make me feel better.
♥ And naps because naps make any situation better. (Am I the only one feeling fatigued AF at the moment?)
And those are some of the things I have been grateful for during lockdown so far.
I want you to know that it's okay if you're not feeling remotely positive right now. It's okay if you're grieving your normal life, feeling angry, scared and anxious, and can't see anything positive in all this bleakness. It's a perfectly normal reaction to your life being turned upside down, and you're allowed to feel how you feel. It's a frightening and awful time for all of us, and nothing is okay about this situation. We can't just pretend everything okay, and it's not realistic to be positive all the time, so be kind to yourself, and take it one day at a time. Just because I'm looking for the positives, it doesn't mean you have to. How ever you're getting through the days, you're surviving the best way you know how, and you're doing great.
Stay safe, everyone.
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I love your list! I have been counting my blessings a lot since this began (and anyway!)
ReplyDeleteStay safe Louise.xx