Is Corona the catalyst that is finally helping me to relax?

[Dontwannabesick]

This is by no means a depressive post. Over the last few days, having adapted to the 12 week shielding program, supported by my heroic husband, I am entering a state of mind never experienced by me before. I feel no pressure, obligation, responsibility or desire to fulfil my usual social interactions or duties. I am truly shielded, I get up as late or early as I like, wander round, guilt free in my PJ's. Potter around the house, do whichever chores I feel like doing, don't feel obliged to clean/dust/polish because no-one is gonna see. Yet daft, I do them because I want to. Same in the garden, do a little, sit down and enjoy the bird song. Watch my two lovely rescue dogs playing. Listen to my neighbour's 3 year old twin boys, arguing, laughing and generally being little boys. After years of work-related stress, and always wanting to do the 'right thing' for someone else, I feel liberated, relaxed as I've never felt before (since adulthood came along). I really think this hiatus (or however you spell it!) is ultimately going to do me good. Feeling grounded. Good wishes to all. X

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

I think we are all going to learn a lot from what we are going through at the moment.

No matter how many gurus have told us over the years to slow down , take notice of our surroundings ‘wake up and smell the coffee” or whatever is the latest sound bite - we haven’t! We’ve just carried on - saying I’ll do that tomorrow.......

....well now we have no choice! So revel in it, and learn to appreciate the simpler things in life... if only for a few months!

You never know, as you say, you might actually learn to like it......and take some, if not all, into life after Coronavirus.

Take care 🌷

[Horsewhisper]

I so totally agree with you! Feeling quite liberated by all the things you describe whilst living under the shield within lockdown. Keep enjoying the new normal! Xx

[SheffieldJane]

I can relate to all of this. 🌼

[nuigini in reply to SheffieldJane]

Me too!

[GOOD_GRIEF]

There's nothing like a crisis to show you the difference between what you always thought was important vs. what's actually important.

Glad you're feeling better.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Maybe that's why I don't find lockdown particularly onerous - I'd already ditched a lot of that But even I took the vacuum to the dust bunnies the other day - needed room for Easter bunnies ...

[Thelmarina in reply to PMRpro]

😂

[Hildalew]

YES, yes and yes.

I THINK I may also be finding it easier to taper (from 7.5), but it's too soon to tell.

[Dontwannabesick in reply to Hildalew]

Hope it works out OK

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hildalew]

Our primary bit of advice for tapering in the days pre-DSNS etc was to clear the decks for a week or two and lay low for a couple of weeks until the step down had worked - and it often did.

[S4ndy]

I agree! I think hearing that the DWP has halted face to face assessments has allowed me to relax to a new level. I completed a form in March 2019 and haven't heard a thing. Been so worried they are going to call me for yet another humiliating assessment. However, now I know there's going to be none for 3 months has allowed me to relax. They are still doing telephone but I think all DWP staff are tied up doing the million new universal credit claims. I hadn't realised how anxious I was about this until I heard the news.

I am not finding much difference to normal as I haven't been able to do a lot over the past 4 years anyway. I find I have more people contacting me on Facebook which is nice. I go out for shopping. We are both in the vulnerable group but not the shielding group.

I have managed to ride my bike for the first time in 3 years. Walking is not great for me and I used to cycle everywhere. I am only doing really short rides, the most I did was yesterday when I did one and a half miles. So pleased with that.

Hope everyone is as well as they can be. xxx

[granofthewest]

Quite agree, after spending last 7 years transporting grandchildren (whom I love) to school and back every day I can now laze in bed every morning with a cup of tea, listen to the birdsong - no traffic sounds, silence really is golden. Potter around in my pj's, no one's going to see me. Do jobs I want to, bake when I feel like it. Sit in the sun, read a book without feeling guilty. Haven't ever had an empty calendar, it's bliss. Will I want to go back to previously or will we have a 'new normal' as the Archbishop of Canterbury says. If only there was a magic wand for PMR too!

[Telian]

I feel much the same. X

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Everything is relaxing I think. This link is to our local online paper.

stol.it/artikel/chronik/aus...

A birdwatcher confined to his Milan balcony took this picture of a Golden Eagle circling over the city as part of an online activity called Birdwatching at kilometre zero. It has never been seen before - presumably the traffic is quiet enough for the bird to investigate.