With all that is going on in the world at the moment, sometimes we can help our own sanity by looking for the positives rather than just focusing on the negatives.

I was tagged in the Lockdown Silver Linings tag by the lovely Steff from https://steffsjourney.com/ thank you so much for the tag Steff! The tag was started by Twin Mummy and Daddy and is a wonderful idea! The aim is to focus on the positives that can still come out of awful situations such as the one that is affecting us all. The idea is to think of five silver linings to come out of lockdown and then tag five other people to take part too. Please don’t for one moment think that I am undermining the seriousness and devastation of the pandemic, it’s such an awful time for so many people. Looking for the positives though, mine are:

Number 1

Honestly I feel that I have had the opportunity to re-evaluate my life and what is important. Simply put, I have made the decision that I would like to live a simpler life. I have realised too that I really would be completely happy living in the middle of the countryside, in the middle of nowhere with my family, my dogs and my cat. I would like to grow my own vegetables and get some chickens and I truly feel that I would be entirely contented with that lifestyle. Although I haven’t been sleeping particularly well lately, overall I feel like I have taken a step back and become slightly more chilled about things.

UPDATE – we now have our chickens! https://countryrambles.com/2020/09/04/keeping-chickens-as-pets/

Number 2

Nature has taken back it’s rightful place. At the beginning of lockdown it felt like the world had taken a step back in time – nature felt more abundant and glorious, there was less traffic, less pollution and animals were claiming back land that was originally theirs. It was lovely to be able to see more wildlife and less people, when more people were staying at home, I wish we could have frozen that point of time and remained like it forever. Now I think, though, things are going back to normal gradually, although it’s going to be a new normal.

Number 3

I can’t really talk about spending more time with loved ones through being furloughed, or getting loads of jobs done at home and completing all those chores that often get put off, because I haven’t been furloughed. I have been continuing to work all the way through. However I can talk about how my job role has changed during this time. I work at a family visitor attraction in marketing, creating content for social media and spending quite a lot of time in the office. Because of this I am one of only six staff that have been kept on during this time and not furloughed. My job role, however, has temporarily changed, I am still doing admin and content creating but I am also now working outside with the lovely animals. I have been mucking out and feeding pigs, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, geese, ducks and more. I have learnt how to make fences, I have helped herd sheep and lambs and a couple of days ago had to carry a beautiful baby goat from one part of the farm to another. Three months ago I would never have even dreamed I would be doing jobs like this! Because of my Hashimotos and osteo-arthritis, sometimes it has been a bit of a struggle, but it has given me so much more confidence and because I have been closer to the animals I have managed to get some brilliant close up shots!

Number 4

I won’t take things for granted anymore. Prior to the pandemic it was so easy to just go out and buy anything and everything you desired. Before this appeared we were in the habit of going food shopping several times a week, half the time buying things that we didn’t really need, just extravagances that we thought we needed. When some people went a little crazy at the beginning bulk buying and hoarding food, some of us were unable to get the things we would otherwise have bought. I recall going to the supermarket and being shocked that the shelves were literally empty due to people panic buying. Actually though we just improvised and made do with what we had and it was all ok, we didn’t starve, we just waited for things to come back into stock and they did. I think now, because for a while there were shortages of lots of things in the shops, this has made me appreciate things more and it has definitely stopped me from buying things that are unnecessary.

Number 5

I think it has made me also realise that devastatingly life can be cut short unexpectedly and that is something we sadly have no control over. Therefore if you want to do something and you have the means to do it, then be brave and do it. If you are passionate about something and know that you have the resources to make it happen, then go for it! I had been thinking of getting chickens for absolutely ages but I was luckily in a position to order the chicken house and run yesterday and I am so excited!! I can’t wait for them to arrive!

I tag

Joan https://kindness-compassion-and-coaching.com/

Alex https://livingprettyhappy.com/

Kerry https://kerrylifeandloves.com/

Ashleigh https://ashleighsmoments.com/

Laura https://directlylaura.com/