The uncertainty, lack of freedom, financial stress, and impact on our mental and physical health should never be downplayed when we talk about the COVID-19 pandemic. While we all weathered the same storm, not all of us were in the same boat. It's been a lot harder on some than others. While there has been a lot to dislike about the relentless lockdowns during the pandemic, there are things I have enjoyed and even embraced. If I didn't know the value of it already, quarantine would have certainly taught me the importance of simple living. The pandemic has certainly driven home the need to acknowledge what we have and appreciate matters the most to us. These are the simple living habits I picked up and positive lessons I learned during the pandemic that I will continue to cherish after all this is over.
Setting Boundaries
Remember how we were all obsessed with video calling at the beginning of the pandemic? So obsessed in fact, it felt like a social obligation we couldn't refuse. We couldn't go to the pub or visit each other's houses, so somehow an unsaid rule of video calling each other every week was suddenly enforced because what else were we doing? There were no excuses! I remember getting really frustrated one evening and blurting out that I didn't want to do any more Zoom quizzes. I never liked them to begin with and now I was sick of them. I felt immense pressure to show up even when I didn't want to. With lockdown easing, I'm holding on to enforcing clear boundaries. I'm going to continue saying "no" to all the things I previously felt socially obliged to attend, even when I didn't want to.
Shopping Locally
I've always been a huge advocate for shopping small and supporting handmade businesses. Being a jeweller with my own studio, I know how hard the pandemic has been for a lot of small businesses. I'm very much an online shopper but during the pandemic, I shifted my buying habits to look for local alternatives to help distribute the money I was spending to help support the community more. I ordered takeout direct from local restaurants (bypassing apps as often as possible), I bought gifts from local shops (online, for collection), and I picked up coffee and cake from local cafes and bakeries (with my zero waste kit, of course). Shopping with small, local businesses means supporting the independent businesses we would hate to see disappear. It's all too easy to buy everything from a big supermarket and even buying one or two special purchases (bread, wine, coffee, gifts) from smaller businesses can really help them to thrive.
Daily Walks
I've never spent so much time in the cemetery that wraps around my apartment's building. It's old and overgrown yet beautiful to spend time in. When the pandemic hit and lockdown was imposed, I went for walks with my partner, friends (when we were allowed), and by myself. It was the perfect way to spend the long summer days. Circling back around the cemetery in a loop with a drink in hand. Sometimes an iced coffee, other times a cocktail. Poured into a reusable cup with every sip savored. These walks are one of the defining memories from the early days of the pandemic, and ones I'll strangely cherish. A year later, with the weather warming up again, I've started to go on those walks again (with a new friend). I thought it might be an uncomfortable reminder of the awful year a lot of us have had but it's been great to return to the same walk
Investing In Comfort
Comfort became paramount when spending so much time indoors. I "invested" in my wardrobe by updating my loungewear and considered the interior upgrades that would make my home even more enjoyable to spend time in. My apartment is in an old factory building that's been converted. Its features, like the high ceilings and original iron windows, do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to interior styling. That combined with renting has meant I haven't put much thought into decorating or renovating the space beyond painting all the walls white and adding hundreds of plants! I've always appreciated my home yet the pandemic really highlighted how, no matter whether you rent or have a mortgage, how your home looks and feels can drastically impact your well being. Lockdown has made me realise it's worthwhile to invest a little money in updating certain rooms.
Minimal Skincare
My complexion always looks and feels better when I use barely any products. Stripping your daily routine back can be difficult when the beauty industry wants you to believe you need a multi-step routine with a dozen or so products. The truth is, you don't really need any of it. High quality, effective skincare and a handful of makeup products (if you enjoy wearing it) is all you need. When lockdown was imposed, I stopped wearing makeup altogether and started using just one skincare product. My skin has never looked better, and my bathroom is no longer home to countless beauty products. If you want to declutter your beauty routine, I recommend buying tailored-made skincare and sticking with effective low waste makeup.
