Self-care during lockdown

hi @Bingo1234 thankyou for this thread!! I am in Melbourne too & it's so lovely to read what everyone else has been up to to keep busy & sane. Walking has been my savour! but I also have been de-cluttering !!!! I have cleaned out all my cupboards that were so messy and full of things I no longer needed, I sorted through my bedroom and clothes etc and I have so many bags to take to the op shop and honestly I feel physically lighter!!! and even better... it's opened up the opportunity to do some re-decorating and I've been having fun looking around online for some new things to make my space feel even more lovely! I also ordered some books so that I can get into reading again.
Hope you're doing okay, we are all here for you if you want to talk or share anything 🧡

Hi @Bingo1234 ,

Thank you for making this thread! It would be interesting to hear different ways of self-care during lockdown and I'm sure some of us would be inspired to adopt some of these helpful tips 😀

As a Sydneysider myself, I cannot completely comprehend the frustration and exhaustion you and many Melbournians are currently experiencing, but my heart is with you and hopefully things return to the norm soon.

I am not completely aware of what exact lock down rules are imposed at the moment, but what had really helped me cope during lock-down last year was taking a walk to the local park once a day. Just being able to breathe fresh air and seeing some green while in wide-open space felt very refreshing and liberating for me 😊

Also, with the current dormant lifestyle in lock down, it might get difficult to be active and your body be in a state of excitement. A splash of cold water at the end of shower really gets your heart rushing and makes you feel alive and awake.

Speaking of which, even though I was staying mostly indoors, maintaining a high-level of hygeine kept me feeling refreshed, and in a way, ready for life 😆

Heya, I'm in Melbourne too! Exercise really seems to be a lockdown staple, huh? My exercises are just ones that a physiotherapist gave me, but honestly I'm having a great time with them still! It's really satisfying being able to move my knee a little more each day. Cooking has been such a joy for me too, good food really can heal the heart 😌

Something I've struggled with is having all the time in the world and not knowing how to plan with it, so last night I made myself a todo list for today and so far it's helping me a lot! Yesterday I would've gotten maybe half the things done by this point. Next up on my list after this is repotting my snake plant 🪴

I hope everyone is doing okay in Melbourne. It must be sad and frustrating to go through a lockdown once again.

I live in Sydney, but some things I did last year were starting a journal about my favourite coping strategies, watching online shows, learning about arts and culture online, looking at volunteering opportunities and doing online courses.

I'm not in Melbourne but this must be so frustrating for Melbournians 😞. I hope this lockdown will end soon.

I think being active is always a great idea. Some of my friends have said that they like to spend as much time in the backyard/on the balcony for a bit of fresh air. I have gotten really interested in writing snail mail and calligraphy as well. I find it very therapeutic!

Hey everyone 👋 fellow Melbournian here. I have been trying to stay active on the days that I feel like it, by going for walks and runs. Now that lockdown has been extended, I am going to do some home workouts too. I have also been baking! Once my exam is finished, I think I will watch a lot more Netflix and also do some reading. I hope everyone else is as okay as they can be right now ❤️

Hi @Bingo1234 , 

Thankyou so much for starting this thread!! 

All I can do as a Sydneysider is empathise with you guys right now, and acknowledge that this must be an incredibly frustrating, exhausting, and weird space to be in, yet again. 

I also really love the idea of sharing self care ideas- I know that lockdown taught me a lot about what I need to stay physically and mentally well, some things I already knew and somethings surprised me! 

My favourite lockdown coping strategies:

I am also a passionate lockdown baker!! I often don't have time to cook as much as I'd like to 'for fun', and lockdown was a cool chance for me to experiment with some recipes I'd forgotten about, or had always wanted to try. 

I had hits and total misses- I reckon I have now perfected my buttercream icing, can make some amazing soups and tray bakes, but my curries are still a bit hit and miss. What do you enjoy cooking @Bingo1234 ?

My second lockdown essential was caring for plants and my garden - I think @MB95  is another community 'plant parent' who can relate to this one? My gardening was also hit and miss, but I had more successes than failures which was nice! I did kill a few plants (grubs got into my pot plants and destroyed them, one plant grew some random gross fungus and I forgot to water one pot plant enough and it died) - but I also have some really pretty tangible reminders in my house today of that weird time. 

My last one was getting some form of exercise in nature. That was anything from having a walk around the block, to discovering national parks that I'd never been to and rediscovering my love of bushwalking. 

That one was a surprise, it really brought me a lot of joy. I love being out in nature, I love finding new things, and I also really love learning about the indigenous history and culture of my local area. It turns out there's heaps of bushwalks near me that also have some amazing middens/ paintings/ rock carvings, and that really gave me a sense of how fleeting our time on this planet is. If that makes sense. Plus, pretty things!!

I've started following heaps of bushwalking / hiking/ nature groups on social media and it always gives me a lift, gives me something to plan for in the future, and makes me feel heaps more positive about the world in general

Can't wait to hear other people's responses to this thread 💜