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Welcome to our series where, each week, we get experts to find solutions to your lockdown problems. Send yours to kate.lloyd@timeout.com and we’ll try to get you an answer. In this instalment: how to steel yourself as we come out of lockdown.
Laura from Brixton says:
‘I'm actually getting quite nervous about leaving lockdown now. My old life seems intimidatingly busy. How do I deal with the transition better?’
Life coach Dave Knight says:
‘So many people have shared with me their feelings of nervousness in going back to what our old lives were previously, or just not wanting to go back to what it was like at all. You’re not alone in having this experience. Here are some tips that might help.’
Get a daily routine
‘This is something we can keep on doing no matter what is going on in our lives. It is our foundation, provides structure and can be a protective barrier for us. We don’t need to think about it – we just do it – and as a result we have less to worry about.’
Question your thoughts and feelings about the future
‘The future might seem like a scary unknown at the moment but, when you think about it, we’ve always had no idea what’s going to come next. In that way things haven’t changed as much as we feel like they have. Remind yourself that we’ve never had control over the future – it just looks that way usually because things have been easier to predict before. We do have control of now – the present moment – what can you do to feel better now?’
Realise that you are an expert in adapting and evolving – you always have been
‘Quite often, we just don’t give ourselves the credit we deserve. Try to move forward confidently, being worried or scared about what’s to come can hold us back.’
Consider how others might be feeling during this period
‘Can you share how you are feeling with someone you trust? Can you ask how they feel too? In doing this, it helps to take the spotlight off your own feelings. It will also help you realise that your experiences are normal. When we do that, we are more in a position to embrace them.’
Think about how we will always have ourselves in any situation
‘Whether in a period of lockdown or a new way of life, you will always have your own back. You’ve got this and you always have.’
To find out more about Dave’s life-coaching packages, head here.