Reflecting back on my Lockdown Journey

My outlook on life’s very much ‘glass half full’, but I must admit, my first question to Vicki when she asked if I could write about my lockdown experience was ‘Do you really want me to be honest?’ She of course said yes – so here we go…

A quick summary of my last 9 months would be:

March – It’s difficult to sell long term tax advisory solutions when the economy’s in survival mode.
April – A furloughed husband can be very helpful…….for a time!
May – Two year olds are the best and worst people to be around during lockdown.
June – The prospect of being alone during labour’s terrifying.
July – “You’re not allowed to be stressed and pregnant” – cortisol isn’t good for the baby they said!
August – Sleep……overrated!
September – Nursery workers are ‘angels’.
October – Back to work with a nearly 3 month old……what could possibly go wrong?!
November – People have started to put Christmas decorations up already and I’m really not sure it’s ok.

Granted, the last 9 months haven’t been the sunniest for any of us. Right now, the ‘balance’, or more accurately ‘balancing act’ is working well for ‘Team Queen’. While working 3 days a week, I have a clear focus, an amazing new team and bags of motivation. While ‘Mumming’ the rest of the time, I also have a clear focus, an amazing new team and bags of motivation! The admittedly ‘cheesy’ saying “When life throws you lemons, make lemonade” seems fitting right now. It absolutely can be done, but it’s ALL about mindset.

Mental health’s always an issue that I’ve kept closely guarded (rightly or wrongly, who knows?) but I’ve learned many strategies over the last 10 or so years, and ‘Wowzers!’ have they been put into practice during 2020! Here are some strategies for owning your own mental health that work for me, and I hope may be of some use to one or two of you:

• Actively try to seek positivity. Use positive language. Surround yourself with people who boost your energy, not those that drain it.
• Lean on your inner circle when you need to.
• Go for a walk. If you get back and don’t feel brighter, go for another one.
• Manage your media intake. Just like everything in life, you get out what you put in.
• Drink lots of water – it’s been proven to alleviate depression and anxiety.

I’m so pleased to be back in the ‘thick of it’ with my Fortus ‘tribe’ once again! Many people have re-assessed their goals and purpose during lockdown. In the next few months, perhaps ‘Knowledge’, ‘Strength’, ‘Courage’ and ‘Delivering on ambition’ will take on a slightly different meaning to what we thought 12 months ago? With this in mind, as a team and as individuals armed with experience from the storm that they call ‘Covid’, I’m confident we can push forward with better clarity, renewed drive and an enhanced sense of what it really means when we say ‘We are Fortus’!