I thought hard about not publishing this blog website as I had been planning to do on my 39th birthday, but decided that now more than ever I am keen to document my journey through testing times. I’m also very much aware how much charities are going to need donations now more than ever so I have decided to carry on in an adapted format.
Just a few weeks ago, I was training hard for my set of challenges – running, cycling, stretching and spending time in the gym working on my strength and making my body more resilient to what I was about to put it through.
Now I’m at home for at least 23 hours a day, most events are cancelled and the world is not the same place.
But now more than ever, I’m finding solace in running and walking. Right now, one outside exercise a day is permitted (and even encouraged), so I’m not training anymore; I’m using the time outside to just be and run or walk in a way that respects social distancing. I run very early in the morning, I choose routes that are wide and I walk whenever I need to adapt to those around me. Mentally I’m finding the world a hard place to deal with and running or walking is sometimes the only time I can get out of my own head and things seem more hopeful.
I am very lucky in so many ways – I can work from home, I have a salaried job that I’m still getting paid to do (and which I love), we have a turbo trainer and some at home fitness equipment, with space to throw down a yoga mat whenever we need to. Neither of us (my husband or I) are sick or classed as vulnerable and we generally spend a lot of time with each other anyway. I have very little to complain about compared to many and I’m hugely grateful for that but sometimes it makes me feel irrationally guilty.
The main thing for me to deal with what is happening has been finding a new routine. I’m a planner and I don’t deal well with change, or things that are outside my control. I’ve created a new routine for myself – I ‘commute’ to work each day – either with the turbo trainer, an outside run/walk or even just 30 mins of yoga. I do the same in the evening, doing something active indoors for 30 mins to recreate the idea of commuting home again. I’m also limiting the amount of time I spend scrolling through social media or reading the news – I watch the daily press conference each day but try to avoid falling into a rabbit hole of twitter anger or fake news which just makes me feel stressed. I’ve always been a knitter and a baker, and this is really helping me with stopping the incessant scrolling that I had found myself doing last week. I’m also trying to stop worrying about what everyone else is or isn’t doing – everyone has an opinion right now and frankly I can’t control what other people do, so I’m channelling my inner Elsa and letting it go.
So here we are, I’m planning to write a blog post each week, including updates on my challenges and adapting to whatever this situation throws at us all but also sharing some of the ways that I’m finding to help cope with the situation we all find ourselves in.
So happy birthday to me (sing it twice and wash your hands), till next time!
Anna x
Mrs Davison: Project 39 