It has been a tough year. But for many of us it has also been deeply boring.
Our diaries have been a sea of blank pages, weekends stretching before us like an abyss of unoccupied hours and our annual leave backing up because there was just nowhere to go.
Having nothing to look forward to for more than a year has taken its toll on our mental wellbeing.
It might seem frivolous or shallow to worry about whether you’re having enough fun during a pandemic – and sure, there are always more serious things on the agenda – but losing our ability to escape the mundane, blow off steam and truly enjoy life, is no small thing.
‘Having something in the diary to look forward to helps us to create a positive mindset, which actually prevents us from becoming overwhelmed by stress and feel better able to cope with everyday life,’ explains life coach Grace McMahon.
‘Planning ahead is an excellent coping mechanism (something that helps us deal with life’s stressors), it’s a proactive way of taking back some control, by acknowledging there is a future, and when it comes, we can do the things we want to do – unlike through lockdown where we’ve been restricted from what we like doing and our calendars have been pretty bare.’
Grace says that when it comes to travel and adventure, these plans are often personal to us and can really build a sense of achievement when we get to tick them off.
‘Even if it’s several years after we made the plan,’ she says. ‘Like long-term goals, it’s really considering that the future is there waiting for us which can stave off feelings of despair and hopelessness, both of which are depressive symptoms. So planning adventures can be really quite beneficial to our mental health, as well as general wellbeing.’
Not having arrangements can cause us to feel less hopeful and optimistic about our futures, or life itself, adds Grace, which can leave us feeling quite drained, possibly anxious and maybe even at the point of despair.
‘It can also build up our “cognitive load” – that’s our daily responsibilities, things to do, things we want,’ she explains.
‘When we don’t plan to do the things we want to do, they can become unresolved thoughts that add to our cognitive load, putting more pressure on ourselves.
‘The best way to satisfy this is to make plans. Even just writing ideas down or organising the smallest ones, for example doing the washing up this afternoon, can help us feel a sense of accomplishment and one less job off the cognitive load.’
How to start planning adventures after lockdown
Grace, who is a resident life coach for Beingwell, says it’s really important to have things to look forward to – particularly after a prolonged period of stress of difficulty.
‘Optimism can have profound effects on our ability to achieve goals and stick to plans so it can create a cycle of positive thinking,’ says Grace.
‘The brain and body actually release more energy when we are hopeful, meaning we feel more capable of sticking to things while achieving them make us feel more optimistic to continue making more.
‘Having plans for adventures encourages forward-thinking, which prevents us dwelling or fixating on the past where we often find ourselves worrying, reaching moments of despair and feeling “meh” about being stuck in a rut.’
But after a year of barely moving beyond the three streets closest to your house, where do you even begin with planning an adventure? Do we even remember how to think big?
Grace has some tips to get you started:
Start small
At this point, most things might feel pretty adventurous, getting a haircut, an exhilarating (or exhausting) gym class, going to the cinema again.
Make arrangements that feel achievable to help kick-start the planning process again – especially as we might feel very out of practice after the last year.
Having smaller ideas that can easily or quickly be achieved will give a sense of accomplishment and encourage that hope-optimism cycle to help with bigger events like holidays, day trips and adventures!
Find moral support
Make plans with people you enjoy the company of, that will help us to feel at ease if we’re apprehensive, to endure the worry with.
Feeling alone in this can really prevent us from getting back out there, and you’ll likely find your friends and family are seeking the same kind of support.
Now that we can do things together again, organise stuff with people to help take some pressure off.
Do something you really, truly love to do
As everything still feels a little daunting, organising things that really spark joy, will feel so much easier to do.
If we’re looking forward to it we’re more likely to stick to it, we’ll feel more positive and excited to do it, rather than heel-dragging ourselves there dreading what might happen.
Even if it’s not all that different from what we’ve been doing for most of the year – perhaps it’s going round to a friends house, meeting a new baby in your life, or actually hugging your parents, baby steps are definitely OK and encouraged.
Make a long-term plan
Although we don’t need to rush, having a big adventure, going travelling or even a life goal to reach on the horizon, can create a blur of optimism in the back of our minds that will help us push through this.
Remember the buzz of booking a holiday several months in advance and immediately feeling a surge of excitement and happiness, we can actually do that again even if it’s not till next year or there’s no set date, planning a potential adventure can get that buzz going again.
If you’re now feeling inspired to seek out you next adventure, we have just the thing for you – The Metro.co.uk Lifeline challenge in support of Medical Detection Dogs.
Called Woof and Walk for MDD, it takes place on Saturday October 2 in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside and is perfect for anyone who likes a good walk.
There’s even two distances to choose from, so it’s ideal whatever your preferred pace.
The full-on marathon distance trek takes you along two of the UK’s most spectacular National Trails, the Thames Footpath and The Ridgeway, while, for a more family friendly day out there’s our 10k walk alongside part of The River Thames, where dogs and kids are both welcome.
All you need to do is dust off your walking boots and fundraise a minimum of £300 for Medical Detection Dogs, either on your own or as a family.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up and join us on our big adventure for 2021!
SIGN UP TO THE 2021 METRO LIFELINE CHALLENGE
Fancy taking part in our fundraising campaign for Medical Detection Dogs? Here's everything you need to know...
What: Two sponsored walks to help raise money for the charity.
When: NEW DATE - Saturday 2 October, 2021
Where: Goring, Oxfordshire
Walk 1: Woof and Walk for MDD - marathon distance trek (42km)
Who is the event for: This is the perfect route for those who want to challenge themselves. This walk is graded as tough and is not suitable for dogs or children.
Cost: Registration fee of £35 when you book, plus raise a minimum of £300 per person for Medical Detection Dogs.
To sign up click here.
Walk 2: Woof and Walk for MDD - 10km Dog Walk
Who is the event for: This event is open to all with an adventurous spirit. Perfect for dog lovers, families, and friends!
Cost: Registration fee of £35 per family, plus a minimum of £300 raised between them for Medical Detection Dogs. (A family is two adults and up to three kids. Dogs are also welcome and go free!)
To sign up click here.
Anything else I should know? Once you're signed up we'll invite you to join our Metro.co.uk Lifeline fundraising and Facebook pages, where you'll get meet our other walkers, share top money-raising tips, as well as getting handy hiking advice from our experts.
For T&Cs from our event organisers Charity Challenge, click here and for further details of how we will make this a Covid-safe event click here.
Good luck!
Do you have a story to share? We want to hear from you.
Get in touch: metrolifestyleteam@metro.co.uk.
Metro.co.uk Lifeline 2021
This year sees the return of our brilliant charity campaign: Metro.co.uk Lifeline.
Our aim is simple - to raise as much money as possible for charity with YOUR help.
For 2021 we have chosen to support Medical Detection Dogs, a vital organisation that helps train dogs to sniff out serious diseases such as cancer, Type 1 diabetes, Parkinson's and coronavirus.
As well as sharing their story to help raise awareness, readers, charity supporters and celebrities will also be taking on a 26-mile trek or 10k dog-friendly hike across the Oxfordshire countryside on Saturday 2 Oct, 2021.
To make a donation, click here.
Post a Comment