What I Am Grateful For During a COVID-19 Lockdown & Pandemic

Lockdowns suck. All of us appreciate that globally. All of us went though lockdown at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020. Some countries endured year long lockdowns, while others had a mix of long and short. Melbourne, Australia had an unexpectedly long 120 day lockdown in Winter 2020; and now Sydney, Australia is set to follow suit. It is pretty scary now living in a city with 200+ cases of the delta strain of newly inflected people is known on a daily basis, whereas Sydney was free of the virus for quite some time.

Things are restricted. Movement is restricted. Yet in the light of some freedoms being taken away, most of which are temporary; there are still many things to be grateful for during a lockdown period. Personally, I've been a raving fan of the gratitude movement for quite some time. This pandemic has definitely etched the notion of never taking things for granted into our skulls for quite some time, and the lessons learnt will be long remembered now.

Having an attitude of gratitude for your life helps bring forward (hence manifest) more things to be grateful for. The things in life to be grateful for can be as massive as owning an investment property, to something as simple as finding a dime on the street. In cases where being grateful for the good is not bringing in noticeable abundance; bear in fruit and mind that having an attitude of gratitude is minimising mental health strains that periods of restricted movement bring forth. Gratitude can and does alleviate anxiety, and other misfortunes from knocking on your domain, as you are giving weight, importance, and focus to (and only to) the good. In principle, what you focus on is what you attract. You can be grateful on things that you do not want, if they help you gain something in return. Being grateful can help you avoid a near miss, and to be more careful and sensible if something does not go to plan.

For example, most of us reading this will have a roof over our heads that keeps us safe and warm. Many of us also have access to clean, filtered water at all times; even in a lockdown.

I am personally someone who loves to travel. With lockdowns in Australia, it is impossible to move freely along interstate borders. And for overseas travel? forget it for now. Not happening. Not being able to fly interstate either overseas or interstate for business and leisure purposes is limiting; yet this paves the way for being grateful to have travelled so freely prior to the pandemic; and then once infection rates settle down, travel will open up again, with more to appreciate. Quality and mindful travel will come to the core. Speaking of travel, I am blessed to live in an area of Sydney where I can freely walk/exercise within a 10km radius of my home, and access some beautiful parks and walkways along the way, including the water on Sydney Harbour right on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. There are other residents of Sydney who are more restricted, and therefore can only walk half the distance from their home, and have to stay within their immediate council area; in addition to wearing a face mask outside. Those people can still be grateful for being able to leave their homes for exercise; as in some other countries, stay at home meant full on quarantine. And for how quickly vaccines have been produced, in order to help flatten the curve.

Fresh food, plants, flowers, and other things that we value can still be freely purchased online, or at a supermarket. We can still be grateful for the things we own, and for the clothes we wear. Working from home is not everyone's cup of tea, yet I am also grateful that I am engaged in office related work, that allows working from home possible. Sure, that can be isolating, yet technologies such as Zoom are helping us all connect together. In the Spanish flu pandemic, and the Bubonic Plague (Black Death); the Internet did not exist during those times. Good thing for Netflix, hey? Cell phones also keep us connected.

Anyone who owns a pet during lockdown would be grateful for owning one for cuddles and companionship during such tough times. Even though no external pampering services are available (like day spas and massages); what is to stop you from being able to pamper yourself at home. If you are fortunate to have a bath tub in your bathroom; bath soaks during a lockdown period are bliss, as well as being able to stay in your PJ's for as long as you want.

Periods of lockdowns and restricted movements during the COVID-19 Pandemic of which we are are (sadly) familiar with, also mean that Governments provide financial stimulus to anyone who has had their businesses and hours at work impacted from such Governmental decisions. Through no fault of their own, many fellow Sydney residents are enjoying this downtime (look at it, and be grateful for it as an unexpected holiday, in part or in full) with a $600 weekly payment, enjoying pizza and Netflix, snuggled up at home, through no fault of their own. The beauty of a lockdown. This UBI style income, of which I am now receiving from losing a few hours in my business, to a short term project being postponed due to the delta strain of COVID-19 circulating in the Sydney community in abundance; this income is taking the pressure off, and has enabled me to fix up my mental health quickly. It is a form of compensation for our livelihoods being meddled with. Also as at the time of writing this, Queensland is now also experiencing challenges in containing the delta strain of COVID-19, also having to extend their lockdown. Victoria have just entered another lockdown, nine days after their last one was lifted.

As movement is restricted, and if you minimise or hardly purchase anything online; this lockdown has enabled me to save a bit more money, of which can be used to invest, and/or to save for another rainy day, without putting the latter into your consciousness whatsoever. That is something else to be grateful for.

Having funds in the bank, and if you are able to invest some or all of those funds at any time, paves the way for a positive outlook on life, because if one source of income dries up; you have other sources of income available. It sucks to own a vacant investment property thanks to this lockdown, yet on the other side I am grateful for owning the property in the first place, and for the choices that this property will give me. This blessing has enabled yours truly to be more selective in the choice of property manager in moving forward, or to even sell this asset.

Lockdown periods, and other periods of Government enforced restricted movement are times to slow down, relax, and to focus more on your values. The brainchild of doing such paves the way for new opportunities and experiences to come forth. A new business could be born, and/or a new hobby may come forward. These down times have also enabled yours truly to give to others in some way, shape, or form. Maybe you might (finally) have the time to volunteer towards something that you are passionate about; provided the relevant organisation is taking intakes, as some pause such during a severe COVID-19 outbreak, of what is happening in Sydney, Australia right now. Activities (yes, that can include baking bread, and trying out other new recipes) that you would otherwise not do, perhaps due to being too busy socialising and at the mall - you now finally get a chance to explore inside the home. That is something to be grateful for. Isn't home where the heart is?

One of my friends in the current Sydney lockdown is miserable, due to living in a more restrictive area, yet despite only being allowed to exercise in his area with a face mask on; it is better than not being allowed to exercise outside at all once again. This same friend has just become an Australian Citizen, and as a result of this lockdown; he is pivoting into another IT specialty, learning as to how miserable he is in his current work. Being a student is also another thing to be grateful for, with a lockdown being a gift in order to better oneself both personally and professionally. Another friend in Melbourne (they are just going through another lockdown now, again nine days after their last one was lifted) is grateful for meal delivery companies offering zero delivery fees on takeaway food to help people in these circumstances.

Other people's care and concern for one another also trumps. In a time of crisis, we all generally come together and support one another. This is proof in the pudding that lockdown periods give you ample opportunities to be grateful for what is working, and for what you enjoy and value in your amazing life at this time. Just do it. Just cultivate an attitude of gratitude. You've got this.