GET MOVING, GET CONNECTED AND GET INVOLVED!
Hello! My name is Nicola. I am a family support worker and I live alone with my pet rabbit Smokey. My thoughts today are coming from my experience in lockdown from a single person’s perspective, but I'm sure everyone can take something away from it.
We talk about thriving and not just surviving, but to honest with you guys, I don't think I thrived last year but just about survived. For those out there who feel the same - no shame! That does not have to be our story for 2021. I've been looking back at 2020, at the things I can learn from it, whether positive or negative. I have 3 points.
Get Moving, Get Connected and Get Involved.
Get Moving
It might sound a very simple thing, but in the first few weeks of the March lockdown I had to work from home. During that time, I can recall a number of times where I stayed in the house without seeing anyone for days on end. I had to snap myself out of that and motivate myself to go for a walk around the block. Now I know the sun was shining then, and you may not feel comfortable leaving the house, but do something - even if it's walking around the garden or standing on your front step: it is important for our mental health.
Get Connected
It's so important to keep connected with people. I know most of us have Zoom now, so join in with your connect group on Zoom. I'm sure they would love to see you! When we can meet outside with others again, call someone up and invite them out. I have learnt that you have to be proactive; you can sit there moping as no one has called you or invited you out for a walk or to sit on a bench with a hot chocolate. I've done the moping thing and it gets you nowhere! Also, keep connected with Jesus. I've disciplined myself this year with a daily devotional.
Get Involved
When lockdown hit in March last year, I lost most of my volunteering outlets which I loved, and I soon lost a bit of my mojo and purpose. I became quite lazy and Netflix took their place. I continued helping to serve the homeless and people in need in Wolverhampton as I had done before, but in a very limited way because of restrictions. September time came and we had a holiday in Devon, and for some reason I didn't get hooked back into it. I really regret that.
Other things seem to fill your time with nonsense and make you feel that you can't fit these back in. My mission this month is to get back in touch with my outreach group, connect back in and pick up that flame that God once put in my heart for helping these in need. I would encourage you to get involved in something, not just to help you get through these unprecedented times, but to reach out to our community and shine God's love. For me it means getting back involved with my outreach team, but for you it could be delivering food parcels for the food bank, finding out how you could help with the Shine Foundation, being part of the community response team for the NHS, or being a befriender with a charity such as Age Concern.
Thank you for reading my rambles - I hope they help in some way!