Keeping The Spring In Your Step

 

With the idea of a 'normal' summer on the horizon, it is easy to get blinded by this ray of hope and forget that we aren't out of the shadows yet. As much as we all want to get back to seeing friends, family and loved ones, is it really worth risking the health we have tried so hard to preserve for so long?

Coming up on the year anniversary since the first lockdown is making it understandably hard to stick to the rules. For the first time in this pandemic, there is a clear road to normality, it won't be easy and it won't happen in a day, but if we can hold out just that little bit longer, we can begin to live our lives to the fullest again soon. Keeping motivation in lockdown is tricky, and with summer still months away it can be tricky to stay positive, so here are some top tips for getting to that beach with a smile on your face and a skip in your step. 

1. Stay active- Whether this is a quick walk in your lunch break or a 2 Week Shred Challenge with Chloe Ting, exercise can help in so many ways. The endorphins it releases not only make you feel better, they help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp- something much needed in online learning                                                                                                                                                
2. Pick up a hobby- Undeniably many peoples main focus has been Netflix marathons, but finding an interest away from streaming services can help enrich your life inside and outside of lockdown                                                                                                                                              
3. Make plans- Not being able to go out makes it difficult to get excited for anything, but making plans for those days when shops reopen, rule of 6 disappears and you can see people without exercising simultaneously, can help make these early days go that little bit quicker                          
4. Set small goals- I made the mistake early on of trying to set huge goals to see big results, the key in times like this isn't simply changing yourself completely, but sometimes about small bits of self-improvement, or even tiny little things like making your bed in the morning, that will get you through                                                                                                                                                 
5. Reflection!- One of the best ways to prepare for the future is by reflecting on the past, this last year has had its challenges, so what better way to learn and grow? If there is one good thing to come out of this, it is the immense appreciation we will have for our lives when being outside for more than an hour isn't illegal

In the leadup to summer, everyone is going to have different goals and ways of dealing with the final stretch. And as much as blogs like mine will try to help you find your way, the best thing to do is just be yourself. It sounds cheesy and that's because it is, but staying true to yourself, and finding that confidence and self-love to step into the summer of 2021 with is what will make this year the best comeback of the century.