How My Life Has Changed Over Lockdown

How my life has changed over lockdown.

“True Life is Lived When Tiny Changes Occur.” – Leo Tolstoy.

The past 7 months have been a disruptive period for many of us. I am yet to come across anyone whose life has been unaffected as a result of the restrictions which have been put in place, or the changes which have been made.

From the very beginning, I have tried to be as positive as possible, and to see this period as an unbelievably rare time to do all of the things I have wanted to do, but have either put off completely or never seemed to have the time for. Whilst it hasn’t always been easy, and like many others there have been certain challenges I’ve had to overcome, on the whole I am happy with how I have utilised this time.

There are a few ways which my life has changed over lockdown, and a few things I am doing now which weren’t necessarily happening pre-lockdown.

1. BUILDING THE BOSS IN HEELS PODCAST

One of my greatest accomplishments during lockdown has been to build The Boss in Heels Podcast, resulting in it being featured in Yahoo Finance and Business Insider as The No.1 Podcast to Listen to During Covid. Whilst I had technically launched my podcast in 2019, I had recorded a one-off episode with Elena Cardone, and then completely lost momentum. Launching a podcast was a really big deal for me, and I felt completely overwhelmed with where to start, how to gain more guests, and to get over my doubts and fears.

I was completely out of my depth as a podcast host, and it was only during the lockdown period where I came to the realisation that this was the perfect opportunity to build my podcast. Most people who had busy schedules and were frequently travelling were all spending time at home. I realised that the time was now to reach out to new podcast guests. It was in that moment I was able to commit to recording weekly episodes, gain momentum and build the Podcast into something I am proud to share.

2. TAKING ON NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

Prior to lockdown, I would be busy working in my full-time job and would consider Boss in Heels to be a passion project rather than a business. Throughout the lockdown period, I invested heavily in my personal development, and through this work came to the realisation that I was keeping myself small. Calling Boss in Heels a passion project rather than a business was diminishing my brand and restricting opportunities.

Once I made the shift to calling Boss in Heels my business and really owning my space, several new business opportunities came my way. This included an influx of new coaching and consulting clients, as well as new brand partnerships. Boss in Heels has since experienced significant growth, been recognised in several reputable publications and is on an exciting trajectory.

3. SPENDING MORE TIME OUTDOORS

Since the lockdown period, I have learned to appreciate and spend more time outdoors – whether it be for exercise or simply just to sit and be still in nature. At the start of lockdown when my gym closed, I started replacing my morning workout for a morning walk in nature. I found the benefits of this to be exponential. I would start my day feeling more calm, centred and grounded.

Since lockdown, I have also started running again. I used to enjoy long distance running and then got to a point where I overdid it – and it was no longer fun for me. I’ve since incorporated an outdoor run into my nightly workout routine. I have really been enjoying and feeling the benefits of getting outside and clearing my mind at the end of my work day.

4. LEARNING TO SLOW DOWN

Whilst I regularly like to take time our to self-care, destress and decompress, the lockdown period has taught me how to slow down more. Perhaps my days don’t need to feel rushed, busy and chaotic in order for me to feel that I have accomplished something. It’s made me realise there is beauty and power in learning to slow down more, and that busy doesn’t necessarily mean productive. The lockdown period has enabled me to take some time out to reevaluate what has been working well, what hasn’t been working well and how I can best utilise my time to achieve the best outcomes. It’s been a really wonderful lesson to learn.

5. PRACTICING MORE GRATITUDE

One of the greatest gifts I have given myself is to practice gratitude on a daily basis. There truly is something so powerful about putting pen to paper, and writing down all the things I feel grateful for in that day or in that moment.

One thing this period has taught me, is just how fortunate I truly am. There have been so many individuals, families and businesses who have been completely devastated as a result of COVID. Whilst I’ve had to deal with my own set of challenges, it really is nothing in the scheme of what others have had to endure. Gaining a balanced perspective is important, and I feel incredibly grateful for all the people and things in my life which bring me so much goodness.

HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED OVER LOCKDOWN

What are some of the ways your life has changed over lockdown? What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences, please leave your comments below!