I have been blogless (is that a word?) since late February! I am not a prolific blogger at the best of times. I have learnt this year that I am a sociable introvert, which can make it difficult to blog when I’m not feeling sassy. But 2020 was no ordinary year. In March our lives turned upside-down. None of us could have seen what was coming this time last year.
I have no idea how ten months have passed so quickly, but looking back on this year, it is a blur. Like so many, I suddenly found myself juggling several balls. I was thrown unceremoniously into managing two vulnerable seniors with complex needs, which I had to fit around an increased workload, with my academic clients having more time to write papers and reports. In fact, my work has kept me sane when things have been really difficult. Exercise classes went online, which was fortunate, as I had to work out one-armed with a frozen shoulder that appeared from nowhere as we entered the first lockdown. And I had to adapt the way my small charity worked and move everything online (ironically, we have had our best year ever, raising more than £7,000 for animals worldwide).
As spring turned to summer, and autumn to winter, I have settled into a sort of routine, punctuated by bouts of intense stress and trauma managing the seniors, not to mention trying to avoid an overload of politics and sad news. Dancing (one-armed) in my conservatory has become my new normal, as has running flash sales and appeals online to raise money for vulnerable animals. Most importantly, I consider it a privilege to care for my seniors, who are wonderful and precious, and still alive, even when they need reminding to pull their masks up and not to get too close to me (I’m desperate to hug them).
I have learnt so much this year. I have finally made time to visit a physio, and my body is immensely grateful. The first thing he taught me was how to breathe properly, from my diaphragm and not my shoulders. A real revelation! I have made time to read more books and to reflect on my life and what makes me happy. Mindfulness, deep breathing and long, long walks alone through the woods have featured heavily in 2020. Against the backdrop of all the suffering around the world, and with that always very much in mind, I have tried to take the positives from this year, and that includes counting my blessings for all that I have and cherish. There’s nothing quite like a pandemic to make you appreciate what, and who, you have in your life and how a simpler life isn’t always a bad thing. There is real beauty in simple daily rituals.
And, on that note, I wish you all a peaceful and safe holiday season, especially my wonderful family, friends and clients. May you find the meaning in the mayhem, and may 2021 bring healing and happy times.