Well, like most of the population, I certainly did not expect lockdown to go on as long as it did. I packed up my car and left my home in London to escape to the countryside on March 18th, a few days before the actual lockdown was put into place, utterly convinced it would be a two week break away, much to everyone else’s amusement.
I’m not sure who’s lockdown party I packed my suitcase for, but it contained a serious amount of lockdown denial, in the form of no less than 12 pairs of entirely unsuitable, exceptionally high and extremely glamorous high heels.
Gold disco Saint Laurent sky high tributes, studded black Valentino’s , leopard print sling back Louboutin’s, towering stiletto heeled ankle boots, nude patent glam night out sandals, black and gold Christian Louboutin strappy party shoes and a token pair of Stella McCartney Adidas trainers, along with my, aherm, ‘walking boots’ also known as a pair of black, block heeled, fairly sturdy Jimmy Choo’s!
I don’t know where I thought I was going? I most certainly hadn’t packed that gigantic pink Lulu Guinness suitcase for the country forest walks, windy seaside promenade saunters, daily treadmill runs, hardcore workouts, once a week trips to the local Sainsburys and the odd social distancing catch up in a friend or relatives garden that did ensue.
I have come to realise, I am not the only person to have suffered some sort of initial lockdown denial. My friend Dee left London to stay with friends on the south coast, turning up for (what actually turned out to be 11 weeks) with a huge suitcase which transpired to be entirely filled with toilet rolls. leaving herself with only the one pair of leggings, a pink cord shirt and matching bobble hat that she arrived in, to wear for the entire duration!
It is amazing how some businesses were quickly able to adapt to such unprecedented times, in the form of virtual online workouts, cocktail deliveries, take out Sunday roasts, even breakfast in bed hampers. The online fringe cutting tutorials (thank you Gloss, much needed in my case!) and DIY root touch ups. The online workouts have been life savers in terms of their ability to keep me (and many others) sane. There is nothing like a hardcore HIIT class first thing in the morning to keep me motivated (Repose studios, Kelly and Rachel) a PT and catch up with Caroline and a Pilates class with Roula at Yogahome. Just being able to see the lovely, motivating faces of these wonderful fitness instructors/good friends lifted my spirits no end and helped me to feel in touch with the life I (we) have temporarily left behind and to cope mentally and physically with this new normal we are all currently navigating.
Not forgetting of course that I have been using exercise as not only a form of mental and physical wellbeing, but also as damage limitation against the copious amounts of Rioja and Galaxy vegan orange chocolate (try it, It is a vegan chocolate game changer!) I have been consuming.
Life has gone from one extreme to the other, swapping the brights lights and super social non stop London for a (temporary) move to the north west countryside, learning to successfully blow dry my own hair (prior to lockdown the last time I blow dried my own hair was circa 2005!) doing my own beauty treatments (oh there have been a few disasters!) but I have surprised myself in many ways by embracing and very much enjoying a much simpler, calmer way of life. Cooking and baking (just as much of a shock to myself as it is to others) and reading, SO much reading, to date I have read over 60+ plus books during lockdown. The stand out book being ‘How to stop time’ by Matt Haig. I can not recommend this book any more highly. It is incredible.
Having studied and completed the master level in reiki healing just before lockdown began, I have been lucky to enough to be able to build up a ‘distant reiki’ client base over the last three months which I am incredibly grateful for. I am absolutely blown away by how powerful distant reiki is and I have learned so much that I perhaps wouldn’t have done if we hadn’t had this period of change and shut down.
As I prepare to return to real life in London (or the new normal) with excitement to see my friends, go to a pub, eat in a restaurant, go back to an actual real life gym (hopefully soon) but also with reflection that I have actually really enjoyed this time of a much slower pace. Obviously, this is of course because I and all my loved ones have been lucky enough to stay well and healthy, my thoughts, prayers and strength go out to all personally affected by covid-19.
