Life after lockdown: a chance for change?

With lockdown easing and the world facing a ‘new normal’, it seems our situation may be improving. Yet for many of us who have grown used to our lockdown routines, this might be a time of stress and uncertainty. Humans are creatures of habit – routines can keep us focused and grounded. If it ain’t broke then why fix it? However, change can create growth opportunities and reinvigorate your life with energy and excitement. Now might be the perfect time to try new things and challenge yourself, and here are some reasons why:

1. Kick fear in the face and let adventure in

Fear of the unknown can be crippling and often prevents us from trying new things. The voice in our head will ask: What if it goes wrong? What if I don’t like it? What if I embarrass myself?

When you begin to try new things and put aside that fear, you’ll realise that the voice in your head is often exaggerating things. The worst outcome rarely materialises. Instead train the voice in your head to ask positive questions like, what will I learn from this new experience?

As you try new things more and more, your mind will go from seeing fear as a brick wall that’s too tall to climb, to a tiny step which you can leap over. By approaching new things with a positive attitude and mind frame, you’ll be able to tackle the next new challenge with more confidence. Plus it will leave you with a great sense of pride and accomplishment!

2. Get the creative juices flowing

We are often told that ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’, but whatever your age, the ability to master new skills is not only achievable but beneficial.

When you challenge yourself to try new things, you put your brain into a situation that forces it to ‘think outside the box’. This stimulates brain power and creativity which you will be able to apply again in other areas of your life. As a result, you begin to think about things in a new light which can be very rewarding.

3. Get to know yourself better

I know what you’re thinking, we have spent months in lockdown – you know yourself inside out by now, why make a change?

But as the saying goes, ‘you never know until you try’. When you are open to possibilities, you may find a new talent or favourite activity that you hadn’t even considered before. As you try new things, you’ll begin to understand your likes and dislikes, who you are and what you want to be. This is an invaluable skill to have!

4. A chance to socialise

During lockdown, we have all enjoyed a lot more ‘me’ time. It is understandable that many of us may have some form of social anxiety as we start to ease back into a normality. We have all been deprived of social interactions over the last few months and it can feel strange going back to the way things were.

However, avoiding social interactions will not help in the long run. In order to move forward we have to create new experiences and that often brings the opportunity to meet new people. Having an active social life provides numerous benefits, such as improving your mental capacity, creating a support system of like-minded peers, and lifting your mood.

You may be feeling self-conscious but you have to remember that many of us are in the same position at the moment. We all probably feel uneasy getting back into the swing of social norms. That’s why now is a perfect time to start socialising!

When it comes to trying something new, the possibilities are endless and extremely rewarding. We are not suggesting you have to book a skydive as soon as lockdown eases though! It is important to remember to be kind to yourself as restrictions begin to lift, it will take time for things to return to the ‘new normal’.

Try starting with something small and build your way up to bigger challenges. We believe that taking part in performing arts classes can reap many benefits. Why not try out a class in our upcoming taster week?

For more information on our taster week, click here.