Life as we come out of lockdown: Staying Safe & Positive

We are getting weekly (it seems more often) updates about guidelines and preparation as our Government prepares us for life as we come out of lockdown. It’s not been the easiest time for many.

Lockdown has challenged each of us in different ways….

• Financial panic; businesses closing and uncertainty about job roles and support.
• Home schooling and figuring out creative ways to keep children entertained.
• Working from home; Leaving your comfy ergonomic workstations and figuring out ways to adapt using a laptop on the dining table.
• Reduced social contact; Those of you living alone figuring out ways to combat the feelings of isolation.
• Reduced exercise & increased sitting; Gyms and sports clubs closing and restrictions in group meetings have meant getting creative with online classes….which proved difficult or impossible due to home circumstance, injury or health related (No, Jon Wicks classes aren’t adult friendly!) or purely reduced motivation.
• Increased eating; mainly from boredom or for comfort.
• Coping with a heightened sense of fear; A virus wiping out thousands across the world and the world coming to a stop…Lets be honest, watching the News started to feel not too disimilar to watching a horror movie.
• Coping with the sense of loss; Loss of the lives and routines we once had, loss of social lives, loss of career and the saddest one…loss of loved ones.
• And so much more.

With the challenges have come many silver linings

With all darkness comes light. Lockdown has presented the world  with an opportunity to find creative and inspiring ways to do some of the things we may have previously  taken for granted. It’s also helped some gain a whole new appreciation for things, activities, freedoms and the people we have in our lives. It’s given us…

• An increased sense of community and support for each other.
• Opportunity to appreciate inspiring people like Colonel Tom with his mind boggling fund raising for our precious NHS!
• An increased appreciation of our fabulous NHS system and staff.
• Increased connection with your loved one, friends and neighbours as we slow down and find more time to speak with each other and find creative ways to connect be it Zoom/FaceTime/group Whatsapp etc.
• Time for you to rest and gain some perspective; Reassess your priorities or just enjoy a slower pace (after much restless pacing around at home because you aren’t used to the stillness of the slower pace of life).
• Finding creative ways to be more effective with your work/home/life.
• Catching up with all those things you’ve been putting off doing; a declutter or DIY, or online course.
• Taking time for YOU; starting a new hobby, new online class or course, practicing a few new recipes,  or just taking time to ponder life and enjoy your home, surroundings etc.
• Taking time to connect with your family, pets, partner, those at home; I think my cats may have enjoyed this more then my husband!
• And so much more!

Phasing Out of Lockdown

Now as we start to ‘phase’ out of lockdown, it’s natural that it may bring up many mixed emotions for you. Many came up for me! I felt…

• Weary and nervous: Is it too soon? Is it safe?
• Overwhelmed: So much uncertainty, so much to do now…where will I start? I’m preparing for something so different to anything I’ve experienced before.
• Frustrated: Such blurry guidelines from the Government and am not feeling very reassured.
• Excited: Thinking about friends and family I can start to see again. Looking forward to getting back to the clinics and helping my patients.

And as I started back at the clinics with new perspective and new learnt skills, I’m relieved and happy to share that I’m feeling much more confident in my ability to manage whatever lies ahead.

I share my perspective with you as maybe you find you can relate. So many of my patients or friends seem to be going through a similar emotional rollercoaster. I wanted to let you know that you are not alone and that it’s ok to not be ok! Most of all, it’s ok to feel whatever you are feeling. In fact, it’s important and valuable for you to check in with what emotions are coming up for you through this! Once you have observed your emotions, remind yourself that this is temporary and this will pass.

Letting Go & Trusting

I find that letting go of unwanted emotions can create space for things which serve you better to happen. It helps me to move forward. Although depending on how deep these emotions run, it can take time and patience and revisiting these emotions frequently. Most importantly it also gives you a more accurate idea of how you are managing in a situation. And maybe you aren’t managing, in which case it’s important to reach out and ask for help rather then ignoring and suppressing these feelings which can lead to more damage to you and your health later on.

Check in with you…

I invite you to make some time to check in with yourself. Give this simple yet effective mindful practice for; Self awareness and processing emotions a go…

Choose a quiet time/ place where you feel safe,calm and can be alone for at least 10mins.

1. Sit or lie in a comfortable position.
2. Take a few deep breaths before brings your breath to a natural pace for you.
3. Notice how the breath feels, maybe notice how the ribs and body move with each breath.
4. Check in with yourself. Ask yourself: How am I today? Notice what emotions surface and rather then suppressing them, allow them to come out.
5. Sit with this emotion and give it your attention and like an observer, just watch it without focussing on the content of the thoughts.
6. Notice how these emotions may be do not, or maybe do change as you bring your attention to them. You may find they escalate before calmly settling and this will depend on how long you have been resisting them.
7. Notice how it feels to watch them rather then fighting them.
8. If you find yourself being drawn into the thoughts, gently bring your attention back to your breath and repeat from step 2.
9. Keep reminding yourself that this too will pass. Trust that this is temporary.
10. Take a few more deep breaths and with each exhale give yourself permission to release all those emotions which no longer serve you.

Remember that you have made it through these last 3 months (some easier then others, but nonetheless you have made it through so WELL DONE!). Things won’t look the same or be the same, you may not even look the same or be the same…lucky the PPE will be hiding most of that for me! 😉 At the end of the day it will all be ok!

“It will be ok in the end. If it’s not ok, then it isn’t the end”

We are now seeing patients face to face at The Backbone Clinic. We have made many changes to the clinic but one things that hasn’t changed is our focus and core values! Your health and safety and the health and safety of our team is our priority. We have made changes to The Backbone Osteopathy clinics according to the Government guidelines and our professional bodies guidelines to create the most low risk and safest environment we can for us all. You can read our Covid19 protocol guidelines or take a look at what your new patient journey will look like on our website. You can also book your appointment online.