We all know that things have been really tough over the last year or so, but for many of us, there have also been benefits of being in lockdown; things that we can learn from so that we can move forward. But, like anything, if we want different results, then we’ll have to make some changes.

And it’s all very well to say that we have learned a lot in lockdown and that we want to do things differently in future, but if we don’t stop and take the time to work out what those things actually are, then we’re unlikely to see any kind of change. In the video and blog below are three things you can do now to help you make those changes happen.

1. Stop and reflect: Ask yourself some questions; you might find it helpful to chunk up the different areas of your life for this, like church and faith, exercise and eating, social life and hobbies, and spending habits and shopping. Take some time to consider what was good and what you’ve learned in each of these areas during lockdown and what worked better for you. Consider where there were changes you would like to keep hold of as we move forward.

What aspects of lockdown life do you want to maximise and what do you want to minimise? For example, with Zoom becoming something almost everyone now uses, you might well have had more contact with people living in different parts of the country than you did before. Do you want to keep in touch with those people as we go forward? Do you want to write more letters? Do you want to shop more locally? Or is it more important for you to engage again with a group face to face because you’ve really missed that over the last year?

Do you want to have more time to pursue a hobby now, because you’ve really enjoyed discovering new things? Or do you miss a hobby you haven’t been able to do and really want to get back to doing more of that? So, have a look through the different areas of your life, work out what was good during lockdown, what aspects you want to keep hold of and move forward with.

2. Be intentional: We need to be deliberate with our choices; we need to be intentional, because change we want to see is not just going to happen on its own. The definition of ‘intentional’ is ‘on purpose’ or ‘deliberate’. So, we need to take some deliberate actions, be clear about what we need to do or to put in place, what we might need to put in our diaries, to start those actions happening.

Your actions need to be carried out with purpose, and they need to fit in with your bigger goal or vision and the kind of person you want to be. Make sure what you choose to do is aligned with that. So, be intentional, write things down, plan in when you are going to do things, but also be intentional about pushing things out. Be intentional about saying no to things that do not tie into your bigger vision.

3. Be positive: Try to cultivate a positive attitude. After all we’ve been through, and all we have not been allowed to do, it is really important to try and frame things positively. Rather than saying “I have to do this or that”, or “I have to go out for a run” as though it’s a chore, try to talk in a different language. Rather than seeing things we have to do, try to see them as things we get to do.  So whichever path you want to take moving forward, you get to do it and that’s really exciting!

So think about the things you now get to do and choose to do rather than what you have to do because someone told you that you should, or you feel that you should. And finally, remember when you are changing any kind of habits, you need to start with intentional actions. And if you are consistent with these actions, eventually they become new habits, something that you don’t think about as much; they are your natural behaviours and much easier to sustain.

On the 9th of April we have our evening with Fitfish and Dr Kate Middleton, who will be talking about our pandemic perspective and how we start stepping out of lockdown. If you would like to join us, head over to our event page to find out more.