The Covid-19 lockdown has proven troublesome at best and devastating at worst for most of us. We have come to realise just how fragile all the things that we took for granted really are. From our jobs and careers to our lifestyles and even our relationships, the pandemic has thrown a great big rock into the pond and we may still be feeling the ripples for years to come. Many of us have lost jobs, most of us have lost income and some have even lost people close to them.
Nonetheless, there are silver linings to be found even surrounding the darkest and most forbidding clouds. The lockdown has proven a formative experience for many, and a transformative experience for some. While there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, there’s still plenty of time to make some positive changes to your life and reinvent yourself under lockdown.
Consider a new job / career
If the pandemic has rendered you jobless, this can be a colossal blow to your self-esteem. But perhaps this might prove a blessing in disguise. Maybe this hiatus is the perfect opportunity to rethink your career and consider something that will give you greater freedom, autonomy and satisfaction. Self-employment can be a great way to take control of your livelihood and income, making a career from doing what you love the most. Whether you start driving instructor training or take up freelance copywriting or graphic design, there are always opportunities for the skilled and enterprising. You may never get an opportunity like this again to reassess what matters in your life and career.
Broaden your interests
Our current lifestyle has us enslaved by our jobs and defining ourselves by the products we buy. Now’s the perfect time to buck that trend. It’s time to broaden your interests, learn new skills and reacquaint yourself with old passions and hobbies.
You were always more than your job, your career or your income. Now’s the perfect opportunity to remind yourself what brings you satisfaction and fulfilment, what excites you and piques your interest. Whether you’re watching more foreign films, brushing up on your DIY skills or learning yoga with the help of YouTube, there are no wrong answers here.
Get more political
The Covid-19 virus itself has nothing to do with politics. But the social and economic fallout certainly has a great deal to do with politics. One can’t look at the contrasting responses of, say, New Zealand and the USA without asking some very serious questions about how governments all over the world have responded to the crisis. One promising thing about the pandemic is its politicising effect on the world. Hopefully this will get more people engaged with politics and combat voter apathy.
Be more social
Finally, this might seem inherently paradoxical but the lockdown is the perfect time to reignite your relationships with friends and family. Everyone’s feeling isolated and vulnerable. There’s never been a better time to drop someone you love a text or an email and let them know that you’ve been thinking of them. Catching up over the phone or via video chat can help you to repair the gulf in your friendships and also improve your mental health.
