What have YOU learnt from lockdown?

I feel as though lockdown is one of the things we avert our eyes from, the thought of it happening again looming at the back of our minds. Yet we don't really dwell on it. The word's synonymous with isolation and that feeling of uncertainty about when it will all be over. We try not to talk much about our thoughts on being locked down during that time or about the things that we've learnt. If you're anything like me, you've just been so excited to throw yourself back into reality.

In this article, I'm aiming to remind you of all the highlights that this blurry & unique year has given us. I've asked people I know from near and from far to tell me something that they have learned from lockdown. They've created a prettier picture of the months we spent isolating in our homes. They've conjured up an image of 2020 that we don't see as often as we do the negative parts. I'm finding it so interesting to see how different people navigated and perceive the pandemic's impact on them.

Personally, I want to rethink my view of lockdown- knowing it probably will happen again. I don't want it to be something that I'm dragging my feet going into, especially if this is what our new normality is going to look like.

I feel, now, as though I'm living in default mode in comparison to being deep in my own thoughts or being my own best friend- like we really had to be in lockdown. It's so important to realise how central YOU are in creating a life you love.

A few friends I have made- from all over- have contributed in creating this article. I am really grateful for the following people who told me some of the most important lessons they've reaped post-lockdown. I hope that you read their unique words and find something that touches you. I know I have.

Next up on the list, were words I thought were touching from Lívia Melicherová and her cousin Samuel. Livia who I met on a youth exchange programme talked about how her views on society and people have changed during lockdown. No one is immune to illness, nor to the impact that a global pandemic can have on your emotional well-being. Her words extended beyond her own personal circumstances which was beautiful to hear. Her twelve year old cousin had such an innocent perception of the events. It may interest you to see COVID from a child's eyes across the seas. Lastly, I got to speaking with my friend Maharshi who I also met on the exchange last summer. He comes from Gujarat in the West of India. Maharshi’s insight on the pandemic was so full of thought. His broad view on the impact of lockdown took everyone into consideration. It was really special to read. Life in India is completely different to home. It is so family-orientated. This definitely moulded Maharshi’s view on lockdown. It’s interesting for me to see the difference of how Western people saw lockdown in comparison to Maharshi. He speaks about gratitude for family, their government and doctors for pulling India through such a difficult time. Getting to know Maharshi myself last year, we were struck so much by how different our lives were yet how easily we gelled as friends. Our humours and interests were not so different at all, though he lived almost 5,000 miles away. It was so inspiring to hear what he had to say. I still keep in touch with Lívia and Maharshi. I’m so lucky to have met friends from all over the world. It was such a valuable experience to have had.

Closer to home, we can also find some inspiration for if another lockdown is just around the corner. I've gathered a few of the lessons learnt from people I know in their dealing with lockdown. These pointed to me the importance of reflecting more on myself instead all of the busyness around me. It opened my eyes to the very real reality of people I know who had to adapt to a new set of circumstances really quickly. They also taught me some new things about my friends that- safe to say- I didn't hear much about over drinks on weekends anyway.

And, as for me, entering into a lockdown felt entirely alien. I remember having to consciously accept my lack of control over the situation. I decided within myself that to think of the worst would only manifest it. That didn't mean to say I wasn't terrified about what would happen to a world slowly closing down. I worried about what happen to the economy and people after all of this. I learnt the importance of stillness. Being content in being safe in the moment instead of worrying about the future. It was meaningful to be my own best friend. I enjoyed cultivating further my personal style and hobbies. I realised that expressing yourself in how you live your every-day life is creativity, not just painting or playing music. I saw the beauty in the simple things like gardening or chatting to a loved one through a window. Friends and family are so important in keeping you afloat. I learnt to romanticise my very average days more than I ever could now.

Ultimately, one thing I'd say we've all learnt since lockdown is how grateful we are for it to have ended. (At least for now). Although, I do think it's so important to shift how I view things in case they revert back to how they were this March. Things in life can be really precarious- that was proven when life as we knew it was pulled from under our feet. In the hubbub of every-day life I am most definitely forgetting lots of core things I had learnt.

I had a bit of writer’s block so I only started writing this last night. It’s magical that I was able to connect with people through social media from all over the world, to have this written for the next morning.

Writing this has most definitely has transported me back to early 2020 for far longer than I'd liked. However, I did enjoy learning what you learnt during lockdown! I hope you did too. X

​Love,