This year has certainly been one for the history books. Who would have thought that we would all be encouraged to stay at home, work from time to time, or even not do our jobs for a while? Not me for one, this was definitely not on my 2020 Bingo. It has been a crazy year when it comes to life and for some, it has been put on hold. Plans changed or got cancelled and let’s face it, some of us haven’t been able to even see our nearest and dearest. There has been a lot of doom and gloom which is why many are struggling to get through the covid-19 fog and become more like themselves.
Of course life has changed. There is no denying that. But you can make positive changes to how you react, how you live and the things that can help you feel better. With that in mind, here are some of the ways you can start to feel back on top.
Take pride in your appearance again
One of the first things that you might need to think about doing is to focus on your appearance. I know a lot of us are staying at home and getting used to loungewear and not needing to wear work attire during the lockdowns, but as we approach the new year and beyond it is time to step back out of that. Whether you look online at men’s clothing boutiques or start to find items in your wardrobe that you had long forgotten, it is time to work on that appearance once more. Now is also a good time to declutter your wardrobe. You could start to get rid of the clothes you no longer want or don’t fit in, which can then help you to invest in new items.
Focus on your mindset
Another thing that you could consider would be to focus on your mindset. It might have been that during the lockdown periods you struggle with things mentally and many people found it isolating and lonely. It is understandable that things seem negative right now and you may not be feeling yourself. So it may be a good time to start refocusing how you think and feel. It could be that you try to be more grateful for the things going well in your life or making a point of trying to not be negative. There are some great tips online that can help you focus more on your wellbeing and making some good positive choices to improve your mental state and mindset. I suggest meditation and focused breathing. There are some great resources online and apps that remind you to stop and breathe.
Embrace healthy habits
Lockdown could have caused you to develop some unhealthy habits. This could include drinking too much in an evening, it might be that you are sleeping more than you should be or the opposite of not getting enough sleep at all. It could be the time to start making some changes to your lifestyle. That might mean drinking more water. This can work wonders for your skin tone and condition, as well as improving your mood and helping with your energy levels. We can all be guilty of drinking too much at times, so try and have more days without an alcoholic drink than you would do normally. Getting more sleep or a consistent amount of sleep can help you to feel better about yourself and improve aspects of your life.
Look at your diet
Staying at home might mean that you have started to eat a little more unhealthy than you would like. So now is a great time to start focusing on your diet a little more. It isn’t about trying to lose weight or trying an extreme diet, it is more to do with having a more balanced approach to what you eat and consume. It could be that you want to look at cooking more, or trying a meal plan so that you can ensure that you are not tempted to eat convenience food or a takeaway option. If you are looking for more inspiration then there are some great tips, advice and recipes online and with the holidays approaching now is the time to snag a new pan or kitchen appliance to help ease you into some healthier choices.
Start to exercise more frequently
Some people used lockdown as the perfect chance to get fit and healthy, whereas others decided to binge watch Netflix and stay indoors. While that was fine at the time, it could be worth looking at your fitness regime and seeing if you can make some positive changes to it. It might be that you start to exercise more frequently. While it may not be possible to head to the gym or attend a class, you could start running, walking or doing workouts at home. It could help you to start feeling better about yourself and to make some positive changes. The more you exercise, the more fitter you will feel and the more energy that you will have. Now is the time with the holidays coming up to invest in some equipment. Be it some weights or an indoor bicycle, add it to your Christmas list.
Is it time for a big change?
Finally, lockdown could have made you realize that you need to make some big changes in the future. It could be time to move into a bigger house or a different city. Maybe the lockdown has made you see that the job you have no longer fills you with passion or delight. It could be that you want to learn something new, get qualifications or start your own business. Now could be the ideal time to put those plans into motion. It could be that you make some big changes in your family life, such as adding to your family or even trying for your first child. The more changes you want, the more goals you need to make for the new year ahead.
Let’s hope these tips help you to get out of the lockdown fog and make some changes for the new year ahead.
