Not to sound too much like a newsreader but we’re living in unprecedented times. As COVID-19 rapidly spreads across the world, it’s difficult to know what to do and how to feel. Practising selfcare during coronavirus lockdown seems a lot more important than talking about outfits. For this reason, I’m going to switch up my content to reflect the time we’re in. Talking about fashion and putting out pre-shot editorial content seems a little tone-deaf right now. Authenticity is at the heart of who I am and what I try to project online.
It feels more important now than ever to be genuine and transparent. That’s my goal right now. I want to continue to inspire you to navigate Coronavirus lockdown which seems sure to come any day now. Also, I want to give myself enough space to be vulnerable, to admit when I’ve been struggling. I anticipate a lot of ups and downs between now and when normality starts to resume and it’s important to me to be open about this.
In this, the first post in a series of however many, I wanted to share my experiences of self-isolation so far. I feel fortunate to be able to work from home. I have been doing this for over a week now, ahead of many others. Although we don’t have an official lockdown as yet and I can still shop, eat in restaurants and meet friends, I don’t want to put myself or others at risk. For the past 8 days, I’ve only been going out when absolutely necessary for food so I feel like I’ve had a jump start on adjusting to the ‘new normal’.
To be completely candid, the last 8 days have been difficult. I’ve experienced lots of ups and downs. I tend to go from “This is fine, I can handle it” to “I can’t do this” very quickly. The problem is there are no distractions, it’s just you and your thoughts. I’m anticipating this to get worse over the coming weeks as every interaction, conversation and emotion are heightened. It’ll be very easy to get upset or hurt over things you wouldn’t normally think twice about…simply because all you have to do is think. This is why selfcare during Coronavirus lockdown is super important for resilience during this tough time.
I’ve struggled with not being able to see my friends but FaceTime, calls, Zooms and Houseparty hangs are helping for now. I miss having drinks or trying out a new restaurant though or catching up at a nail bar for a quick pick me up. I’ve realised that most of the things that make me feel good, little treats and putting the world to rights with friends, may not be part of my life for the foreseeable.
Instead of focusing on the things that used to cheer me up, I’ve started to build simple feel-good moments into my day to help me smile. I want to share some of the ways I have been keeping my spirits high over the past week.
Top Five Self-Care Tips during Lockdown
- Yoga in the morning
Yoga makes me very happy but I struggle to fit time in for it during my “normal” life so I’ve taken the opportunity to start my day with at least 20 minutes of yoga per day. It has helped to keep me centred and puts me in a good mindset for the rest of my day - Working from my bed
Being patient with myself and giving myself permission to take my day slowly has helped me immensely. Sometimes this means taking my laptop to bed to write or answer emails for 30 minutes. My bed always feels like my safe, happy place and sometimes it helps to retreat back here for a while and that’s ok. - Cosy loungewear
As someone who rarely spends time at home, loungewear is a new, unexplored world but I’ve found a lot of comfort in buying a couple of new sets and dressing for comfort. Sequin over-the-knee boots have been replaced with cosy sweats…and I’m kinda into it. - Use scents
I’ve always loved aromatherapy and the power of scents. I’m relying on them a lot more to change my space now. I have a gorgeous Byredo candle called Burning Rose which is my current favourite. I’m also using my LIHA Beauty body oil which has a strong tuberose scent. - Comfort food
I saved the best for last. I rarely cook as I tend to eat out but I’m embraced cooking over the past week. I’m not too precious about eating healthy, my priority is food which makes me feel good. For now, this has been a combination of family recipes or things saved to my Pinterest a while ago! My favourite is The Mother Cooker’s Mexican Pancakes, they’re so flavourful and delicious!
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