Ways in which Isolating has POSITIVELY impacted my life!

Hello hello! I hope you wonderful souls are all doing good. 💛

I know I've been out of the blogging sphere for quite some time but I'm back! Blogging has been an outlet for me to talk about subjects that I think need more attention, maybe need more help available or to just simply empty my brain! I like the idea that my words could make someone think about something in a totally new way, to open minds to ideas and concepts they haven't thought about before. I like the idea that my words might be helpful to someone and maybe even spread a bit of positivity! Although I've covered quite serious topics like love, depression and anxiety, behind them is a message of positivity because to know that you're not alone in something, to know there is helpful information available and to be able to see things in a different light is most definitely a positive thing!

With positivity in mind, I would like to take some time to talk about the positive ways in which isolating (due to the virus) has effected my life. I would also like to mention that I am not, in any way, suggesting that the virus is a positive thing because it has caused lots of fear, panic and more importantly, deaths- all negative effects. We all know this. I am however choosing to focus on that which is positive. Why?  Because it's important. Because panic and fear won't help any of us. Focusing on all the bad won't help any of us. It just creates this big cloud of negative energy which feeds off of fear. Energy flows where attention goes. Which is why I think it's important to spread more positivity! I hope this post helps you to recognise the things to be grateful in your life. You can choose love over fear too! We all can.

Now that I've got all of that out of the way, let's dive into it!

Positive ways in which my life has changed!

More time for things I enjoy!

I've always struggled with allowing myself 'guilt free' time to do things that I don't consider to be productive. When I'm drawing, writing or yoga, I consider those to be both productive and things I enjoy but when I'm reading a fictional book or watching a fictional film or TV series, I feel guilty for not using that time productively. Which is why I'll often draw or edit images on my laptop while watching. Even when I'm reading a fictional book, it's like deep down I'm more interested in my progression within the book and how far away I am from finishing it, rather than enjoying the book itself! Playing games is another thing I don't allow myself to do often because I get the same feeling of guilt. (I blame it on the heavy percentage of Capricorn in my chart LOL)

During this time of isolation, I have been allowing myself to play games!! And quiet the voice that tells me I should be doing something productive. Admittedly, I facetime my brother and sister, and we play together so there is a sneaky part of my brain that goes "family catch up AND having guilt free fun, we've got two birds with one stone." I guess I can't quiet the part of me that loves multi-tasking...

I have been really indulging in my mornings; getting ready slowly rather than rushed, having a slow and tasty breakfast (porridge with almonds, blueberries, banana and a green tea- incase you were wondering...), meditating, journaling and reading. These things would usually be rushed or not done at all! I have more time for laundry, washing up, cooking and more importantly, I have more time to spend with my grandparents and to be creative. 

It's funny in a way, my 'prayers' were answered because I've always said I don't want to work for someone else. I want to sit at my desk and make art and spend my time doing things that bring me joy. And low and behold, I got what I asked for! The universe has a funny way of granting wishes...

I have run out of excuses as to why I can't make fitness a priority!

If you know me well, you know that I'm pretty slack when it comes to fitness. I once had a pretty good run, (2 years ago lol) where I was working out 3-4 times a week for 3 months but that's as far as I've come to having a good fitness routine! When I was living in cairns, I was making 'morning stretches' a daily habit, where I did some basic stretches and warming up of joints and also included a few relaxing yoga poses too. This habit had a really positive effect on my body and mind so I decided to pick it back up after arriving back to my motherland.

I have since decided to start taking part in guided yoga sessions (mainly by Adriene on Youtube) and have been doing them daily (okay, I take a day out here and there to let my body recover from something as foreign as exercise.) I've been doing this for just over two weeks now and my Grandma and I have even started doing morning workouts together in the living room!!

I am learning to buy intentionally, again.

I arrived back in the U.K around two weeks ago from being in Australia for a year, which happened to be just before the virus was considered serious enough for the elderly to be advised to stay in isolation. I am currently living with my grandparents so with the fact they are considered 'high risk' and with the hospitality and retail industry taking a hit (both industries I have experience in), I have decided to put getting a job on the back burner for now. I understand this isn't a luxury that everyone can afford and I hope this isn't going to sound like a brag but nevertheless, I am super grateful for the time I now have to do the things I love!

So, without giving away more info on my finances than necessary... I have enough to get me by for a little while but not enough to be ordering £20 worth of Hotel Chocolat (which yes, I very nearly did do.) Therefore, I'm having to be very mindful about what I do spend my money on. If you've read my previous blog posts, I have written about intentional purchasing before and there were times during my travels around Australia where I really had to enforce this way of thinking because travelling isn't cheap, as we all know! Because I've gone so long without being able to buy many 'permanent' items, I had this urge to want to buy things when I arrived back in the U.K but this situation we're in now has of course put a restriction on my spending, which I choose to see as a blessing. 

I am grateful for this in a way because it has allowed me to catch myself before getting carried away. Learning to be resourceful with what you already have, being grateful for what you have, and learning to only take what you need is a very valuable lesson!

Hearing and seeing acts of compassion and nature healing.

Many of you might have seen the videos of Italians out on their balconies, singing and dancing, playing instruments and sharing moments of joy. You may have seen the video of young boys making care packages and delivering them to the elderly. You may have heard that the canals in Venice have become cleaner and clearer and that dolphins have even paid a visit (not seen before since as long as anyone can remember). You may have heard that a group of elephants found their way into a corn field and accidentally gotten themselves drunk. You may have seen the wonderful giddy smiles on their faces as they all laid together in the crops. You may have heard that wild deer made a visit into a town in Wuhan, again, never seen before since people can remember.

All of this has happened as a result of this virus causing people to stay indoors and isolate. We are emitting less air pollution, less water pollution and we are feeling more connected as humans. We are reaching out to each other, we are enjoying the company of our loved ones (or at the least, keeping in touch with loved ones more frequently than before) and it's beautiful. These stories really do bring me joy and hopefully open our eyes to what our world could look like if we make some changes.

My skin and mental health have improved.

I suffer with both acne and social anxiety (both aiding the other). My acne makes my social anxiety worse and I imagine my social anxiety (or any anxiety) makes skin conditions flare up due to stress within the body. Being at home, with no social anxiety triggers, wearing no make up and being able to drink plenty of water with easy access to the toilet (I have a tiny bladder), has done wonders to my skin! This break has been very much needed and appreciated!

I have also been able to regain what's considered to be a 'normal' sleeping pattern because I no longer work nights at the bar. Sleep really does make a difference to both the appearance of you skin and to your mental health. 😊

I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it! What are some positive changes that you've noticed since isolating?

As always, have a great week!

Until next time,

LUNA EDEN X