Fighting the Lockdown Blues

In a changing world where a lot is out of our hands, it can be difficult to appreciate progress. We are in one of the greatest standstills in human history, and sometimes it can feel like we don’t have a lot to show for our new lifestyles. It can be progressively discouraging without much to do besides finishing homework assignments and watching Netflix. I’m sure I am not the only person questioning when a little excitement will emerge to take away from the monotony 2020 has brought in spades. 

Although this is not a definite solution to all our problems, the biggest motivator for me lately has been grounding myself in some personal disciplines. These can come in a lot of forms. I have taken up lifting, cooking, and boxing during the week. Not only are these great hobbies that keep me physically fit, it almost helps my mental state more than anything. 

Don’t be scared about starting something new. If ever there’s a good time, it’s now. You can really build up your confidence and reassurance with the world when you see growth and change daily or weekly. A few months ago, I would almost set my kitchen on fire trying to cook, but now my sister considers me her favorite cook. I’ve also lost 30 pounds since taking up lifting and boxing, but it took time and effort to see improvement in these fields.

The gift that keeps giving is the steady progress, I see myself conquering these challenges, and only continue to go up from here. 

It’s those little improvements you can see that will help you keep your sanity. I’ve found myself in conversations with friends about laying around sitting on our hands when we could at least be putting my effort into something productive. Even though I don’t plan to be a chef, powerlifter, or professional fighter, I can at least find a little solace in seeing myself improve at something. If these are not your fortes, my goal here is to show you this can apply to anything. 

If you’ve run out of TV shows and have paced around your house enough for one day, try taking up something small that you can improve on day by day. This is a time when it can be easy to fall into a pit of hopelessness so I hope my limited advice can at least get you thinking about what you can do to fight the lockdown blues.