Lockdown counselling and help

Sometimes its so easy to forget the basics, the foundations of our lives. If we can put the solid foundations in to life then there is more chance that the above structure will be secure.

• Food
• Water
• Shelter
• Warmth
• Keeping safe
• Exercise
• Health
• Relationships
• Make time for yourself
• Interaction with others.
• Sleep

Bedtime can be the time that all those thoughts and feelings that have been distracted, managed, avoided through out the day come back with vengeance.

• Monitor your caffeine intake in fizzy drinks, coffee etc
• Alcohol may put you to sleep but be aware that it will affect the quality.
• Try eating earlier 
• Practice Mindfulness or other relaxing techniques.
• Get those thoughts out of your head and on to paper or record them.
• Have a warm bath before bedtime

Pick up the phone and say hello to someone.

If you have forgotten, then re-teach yourself to play & have fun.

Having some sort of structure in our lives can be helpful.

• Try and get up at the same time in the morning.
• Fit time in for some exercise
• Meal times.
• Time to Relax
• Enjoyment 
• Interaction 
• Bed time
• Sleep
• Try and keep yourself smart and presentable, invest in yourself.
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Try and Identify what you can personally control and what you cant.

De-cluttering can sometimes be helpful.

Think about and Put your affairs in order.

Don't forget that having time for you is important.

Time away from your desk.

Away from computers and technology

Distance from social media and the news

Make sure that the news you get is factual.

Dont believe all you read and hear from others.

Fitting time in to do what you want.

Getting as far away from the "shoulds & oughts" of life and changing them where ever possible to "Wants & needs".

Try and loosen "expectations" of self and from others.

Its a time when its easy to immerse into work, maybe become a "workaholic". Try and be aware of the costs involved.

• It might become the norm
• Will it become expected from others
• Relationships
• Family
• Hobbies
• Free time

FIND THE BALANCE 

Try and set some boundaries 

Some form of exercise. find a type that you enjoy whilst knowing your limitations.

Did you used to do things before "Life"  changed for you?

Quite often we are affected by our experiences!

Have you been criticised, taking the micky out of, told you are rubbish etc etc

If done without malice these type of comments by others are only their perception but will often stop you doing things that you really enjoy.

You are resourceful and have hidden talents.

Invest in yourself, YOU ARE WORTH IT.

We all have to start somewhere and certainly wont be good at everything.

Your best is good enough.

• Drawing, art, painting
• Crafts

Watching, feeding the birds from your window. identifying and researching them.

Identifying and researching the trees and plants that are near by.

• Cooking
• Singing
• Dancing
• Reading
• Audible books / stories
• Virtual tours of :-
• Castles
• Zoos
• Museums
• Historic houses
• Farms
• Online events
• Online Pub quizes
• Online jigsaws
• Online Monopoly etc
• learn to play a musical instrument
• Learn a new language
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(Please remember to keep your identity, details safe and private. Keep your P.C, Phone etc updated, get proper Anti virus and a VPN. 

NOT ALL FREE SOFTWARE IS FREE. IT MIGHT COST YOU YOUR PRIVACY)

Take photos of where you walk

Take notice of your surroundings

Try to walk as upright as possible with your head high.

Concentrate on and notice the rhythm of your breathing

Do you know anything about the area you live in?

Does the origins and family history interest you?

How about finding out about your year of birth?

Make yourself more marketable, what skills do you feel need brushing up on?

Volunteering. It will help you to get to know likeminded people, help to give you a purpose and may even open a few doors for you.

How about planning your garden. what colours you like, their height & spread, what time of year they bloom.

MOTORING

The amount we are driving has decreased.

Has our concentration also decreased because we are not driving so much?

The chances are that senses and reaction times may have altered for you.

Keep a check on your tyres, their pressure and condition.

Washer fluid

Battery condition & charge

Brakes. If your vehicle has been standing for any length of time then they may not function properly.

If you are not using your vehicle as much then your mileage will have decreased.

This could give you a saving when renewing your insurance but don't forget to readjust it when you start to use it more.

HEATING AND LIGHTING

The chances are that you will be using more Electricity, Gas, Oil. Especially in lockdown and with the cold weather.

Turn off appliances that you are not using. even on standby overnight, as it all adds up.

If thermostatic valves are on your radiators, turn the ones down in room you don't use.

• Wear extra clothing.
• A hat
• A Blanket
• Try and exercise if possible
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If you are struggling financially please don't just "bury your head" as it wont just disappear and will just get BIGGER and more complex. 

Speak to your energy supplier as they may be able to give you some guidance and help.

With friends; we took it in turn to choose a word and then we tried to make as many words as possible from that word. 

We did this every day and shared with each other the number of words, the longest word we found and our favourite. It meant there was a connection every day and kept our brains working. 

We also made an a-z list of words that related to a particular topic which again we took turns to choose. Examples are TV game shows,  names of people you went to school with or holiday destinations in UK. We took photo of list and shared.  The person who chose the word marked the lists so you got a point if nobody else got the same word and virtual medals awarded accordingly! 🥇🥈🥉

There are also free courses available online Future Learn has a wide range of subjects. I believe you do them at your own pace.  

BY EMAIL WITH MANY THANKS

Get it out of your "Head" write them down or record those thoughts.

Prioritise . I bet most of the time they will have changed by the next day

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Does it have to be done right now? Can it be done in manageable chunks?

 If you want to lay on a beach all day and every day with a "cucumber in your ear" then what stops you? 

OTHERS JUDGEMENTS

If you don't treat others that way then ask yourself why?

The answer maybe is because you know how it would feel?

How about trying to learn to say NO.

Ask yourself "What stops me" doing that?

We cant change the past, we can learn from it and make changes for our future.

Get professional help in identifying the feelings, thoughts and experiences that stops you living the life you want and are entitled to

There are so many reasons that can affect our mood. 

Some of our behaviours will have an impact on the way we feel. think. and behave Such as:-

• Food
• Alcohol
• Nicotine
• Substances
• Gambling
• Shopping
• And the list goes on

They all can give that "quick fix" but none the less the underlying feelings will still be there. plus others afterwards and further difficulties.

• Guilt
• Shame
• Remorse
• Embarrassment
• Plus Judgements from others.

Try and learn the difference between and ask yourself  do I "WANT" and do I " NEED"

Do you want to change?

What do you want to change?

Where do you start?

When do you begin?

How do you go about change?

Would it help to keep a diary of times when?, amount used? Cost? so you are more aware of what is happening?

There are a lot of people out there that are just waiting to help you. They wont judge you, tell you what to do and will respect your decisions.

TO DO NOTHING IS A DECISION IN ITSELF