Welcome to 2021!
It’s a new year, yet we still find ourselves in the midst of another lockdown. But this time there is a light at the end of the tunnel- vaccines are being rolled out, and things are finally (hopefully) starting to look up!
Next week is ‘Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week’- 1st – 7th Feb and so I thought I’d take this opportunity to once again write about something very close to my heart. Awareness should always be raised and I am so here for it!
In school we are using this time to focus on ‘Mental Health and Well-Being’ of the children (adults too in a way…). This year has already been weirder, and in a way more full on than any other, and yet I have learnt so many new things, seen how much we can really help and support each other, and perhaps more than anything else I have understood how even when things seem hard, there is an end and we’ve just got to keep going.
Happiness is key to healthy mind and healthy body so this month I am going to write about what makes me happy and keeps my mind ticking along. For now anyway…. So as they say on the TV- in no particular order, here we go :).
- Family and Friends
Cheesy and cliché but it is so true. There is nothing better than spending time catching up with family and friends that I haven’t seen or spoken to in ages; even if right now that is over Facetime or from afar on a doorstep. I can’t wait until I can hug them, and sit with them properly again. There are times, during this lockdown especially, when I have felt (as I am sure everyone else has) very ‘meh’, and not at all myself. But then somebody will send a message, or my family will call and distract me just for that short time. Family and friends really do make me smile and I am so fortunate, glad and over the moon to have so many wonderful people around me.
2. Books
There is honestly nothing better than just sitting somewhere and snuggling down with a good book. I just honestly love to escape into a good book for an hour (or let’s be realistic a few hours). There are so many books that I cannot wait to get to, that sometimes I find it so hard to know where to start. However, I have found a way… sort of. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing better than a physical copy of a book that I can hold and get lost within. However, with work, and never quite having enough time during term time to properly get into, and enjoy a book, I needed to think again. Welcome to my life, Audible- an actual god-send! I have listened to all 7 Harry Potter books, Ant and Dec, all of Carrie Hope Fletchers books and most recently both of the Eve trilogy books- Eve of Man and Eve Illusion, (third one coming soon) by Tom and Gi Fletcher, and it was great; completely reignited my love for reading and losing myself in a story. The long hours after school while I work away, and the fairly long journey home means this is the perfect app for me! I actually love it.
3. TV and Films
Both of these all are equally as helpful, and are keys to making me smile. Lockdown has obviously given us more time (and freedom if you will) to finally watch that TV series or film you have had on your list literally forever. In my case I finally got around to watching something that I’ve been meaning to watch I think for the last 10 years…. Yes…. When I was 16, my best friend from school tried to convince me to watch ‘Teen Wolf’, and 10 years later I have found it on Netflix and I began it- back in mid-December! Last night I finished it- all 6 seasons and now I am heartbroken its done. It was absolutely fab! I genuinely still think about it- sad right? Dylan O’Brien, Tyler Posey, Holland Roden, and the rest of the cast just made it and I was hooked from start to finish. Again, like I said with books- getting lost in another world just for a little bit can help sometimes; escapism at its best!
4. Theatre
Obviously right now theatre is a no-go, and that has been hard. There have been so many shows that we have booked, and had rescheduled, or full on cancelled, and it’s hard to keep positive. I find myself thinking if we’re finding it hard to keep positive about this whole situation, how are those people in the industry itself feeling with little to no support thus far from the main people in charge? I’ve tried to do my bit, and contribute to the Arts fundraising and support because I know how happy it makes me (and I am sure many others) when we are allowed to go. I’ve written about this before and so I won’t rehash old work but theatre is something that keep my mind ticking along. I’m sure my family were really looking forward to perhaps some peace and quiet, without having theatre songs constantly ringing out (either from the professionals or me) but alas no, still going strong oops…
5. Making other people smile
A cheesy one perhaps but still something all the same. When something happens, whether that’s a conversation in the staffroom, or buying someone a bunch of flowers to say thank you, or to give them a boost in some other way, it gives me a little boost too. The joy it brings them, and the small difference I can make to someone’s day is sometimes all I need to get me through- especially in COVID and I felt it only right to include it on my list of what makes my mind tick and happy.
6. Running, Walking, Moving.
This week in work we have begun our Physical Activity Initiative which links in well to improving one’s physical and mental well-being. Keeping active as I have said before has allowed me to do something I love, reflect and get my thoughts in order ready to move forward. I could write about this forever but I am a true believer in the more we move and do, the healthier our minds can be. This lockdown has really taken its toll, and Netflix has become the norm (pot, kettle…) and people are less active. The weather is shocking and cold, and the novelty of working/learning from home has well and truly worn off. If people were to make small changes to how much physical activity they are doing in their days (even just 250 steps an hour or standing up to do some work instead of sitting down) I can’t help but feel this would make a HUGE difference. Running, Walking and Moving are key to a healthy mind and a healthy body.
So there we have it, a small list for January of things that have been making me smile and keeping me going during the toughest year. Thank you and see you at the end of February. I will try not to be late next one!
Sinead xx
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