Why This Second Lockdown Is Your Best Chance To Change your Life — For the Good, For Good.
Ah, a second lockdown — here we go again.
I’m not going to bore you with my views about how it took way too long for this to come around and how our country is more confused than me watching Trump throw his used mask into the crowd. *Cue the collective sigh*
Oops, guess I just threw my views in your face. I can’t say I’m sorry for that.
Well with 2020 feeling like this hole that everyone has fallen into with absolutely no-one chucking down that ladder to get us out —
let’s hit that emergency button of positivity for a moment, shall we?
— Let me take your mind to a different place and tell you a little bit about why this second lockdown is probably (most definitely) your best shot at changing your life — for the good, for good.
If you’re anything like me, the first lockdown sounded something like — creating a bunch of goals in March to later watching them plummet out the window by end of May. And still trying to hide from them (in November).
I’m convinced this time is different.
Let me summarise the key points of how you can change your life during Second Lockdown.
The nights are longer — best time to make the habit to pray, pray and pray.
Reinstating the lessons learnt from the first lockdown.
Becoming the ultimate conversationalist — put that phone down.
Getting ahead on those ‘new year’ (I guess) goals.
The Winter is a good time to be a Believer — more-so with a lockdown looming.
Why this winter + a national lockdown will do wonders when it comes to reconnecting spiritually.
With the winter season offering us those craaaazy long nights for the next few months, the benefits for the believer are endless, and this so happens to be an epic time to reconnect spiritually.
Those dreadful journeys home from work in the dark are now non-existent with the majority of us staying home — so that’s one less thing making us feel groggy this season.
Remember:
The longer nights = more rest between the evening prayers + easier to get those voluntary prayers in.
The Prophet (saw) said: ‘The best prayer after the obligatory prayers is the night prayer.’ (Muslim)
Also:
Shorter days + Staying home = easy time to fast as much as possible.
And let’s not forget:
Winter days = more opportunity to help those in need.
Winter sees thousands of families struggling to keep warm during the harsh months, seek the rewards of sheltering them from these harsh months.
Imagine us implementing these things we’ve picked up over winter lockdown, turning them into habits, and being able to say that this is a part of our routine now.
Let’s do it.
Become the Ultimate Conversationalist — Again.
First lockdown taught me a lot about why conversation (and I mean real conversation via human interaction, not IMessage) is the most effective life tool ever.
I acknowledged the power of asking — even my family members — how they are. And the light that would shine from their faces because you simply wanted to know about them. Instead of making the world about yourself.
Podcasts are also great too. (Just saying).
This time I’m determined to reignite this notion.
I’ll admit — post lockdown saw me throw all my conversational skills out the window, and back to the addictive social media life I went.
Look up — your real life is right in front of you.
So stop playing around with the filters, brightness and saturation of your not-so-real life.
Human interactions, spending time with those you love and having a good old hearty laugh does wonders to reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety and loneliness.
And I think its fair to say we’ve all grasped a concrete understanding of why mental health matters so much — especially this year.
Let’s keep the conversations going.
New Year, New… blah blah
“New year, New me!” — they say ecstatically before realising the gyms are still closed (as if that was ever the reason as to why we didn’t go).
I joke — I’m sure you’re all amazing at keeping up with new year goals and it’s just little old Zara projecting her self-disappointment on to you all.
I’m sorry, okay.
Anyways —
Get ahead of those goals.
2020 really did a number on us.
2021, we say Bismillah and proceed.
Grab a pen and paper this Winter Lockdown and write it all. What you want out of next year. What you don’t want. Who or What isn’t benefitting your life. Plucking up the courage to let go of it.
When writing your goals this month — don’t be basic.
Owe yourself an explanation for each thing so if you ever feel demotivated or shy, there’s a whole chapter written on why you were even doing this.
Make it so personal and relevant to you. And add a side-note about the small step action plan.
For example — if there’s a certain group of people that you do not feel are beneficial to your life and you wish to move on from that..
..think about how lockdown can ease you away from them and how you can slowly disassociate yourself because it doesn’t feel right to you.
Don’t even wait until the 1st of that month to start.
Sign up to those online courses that you’ve been putting off now, so by the time January comes around, you have that skill on lock.
We’re all at home, guys.
Yes, we may feel confined to the place in which we reside, however it’s such a monumental time in our lives for you to focus on — YOU.
Perhaps ‘search within’ and scrap those potential inner qualities you have that are dragging you down or that aren’t allowing you to flourish.
The days are dark, the nights are long, lockdown is here no doubt, but your second opportunity to improve every aspect of your life is right in front of you.
Don’t let this time pass without benefitting yourselves and your loved ones.
Anonymously,
Zara.
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