By Julie Lord
If there’s one positive thing to come out of the COVID19 lockdown situation, it’s that we’ve learned to appreciate the little things in life; be more mindful of those who help us and really see the beauty of the world.
I have been asking people what they’re most looking forward to after lockdown and the answers usually involve family, friends and the small comforts we previously took for granted. Some of the desire for material wealth has gone – after all, how important is a new car or a shopping spree when people are dying?
Professor Robert Emmons is known as the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, and he says that we need to focus on imagining how grateful we will be when life returns to normal.
He suggests we consider simple pleasures that we are currently deprived of, and then visualise experiencing those once again. This is called “Gratitude Forecasting” and is much easier to do, than to think of things we are currently grateful for (although there may be many!)
We don’t yet know when things will “return to normal”, but when they do, it will be lovely.
I’ve made a list of 20 things I am looking forward to when lockdown ends, perhaps you can add to these and we can gratitude forecast together?
- A big family meal. And many, many more.
- Special time with my daughters.
- A day at the beach on a hot, sunny day.
- Hearing an ice cream van approaching.
- Hearing kids at a local primary school enjoying playtime outside.
- Having a decent haircut again.
- Playing my saxophone with the full band.
- Rebooking the holidays we missed with a new sense of appreciation.
- Scoffing popcorn at the cinema.
- Reorganising a postponed wedding.
- A curry with friends.
- Spontaneously seeing friends.
- Feeling the sea mist against my skin.
- Fitness classes – (well, at least for the first week!)
- Picnicking with my favourite people.
- Tickling a baby until she giggles.
- A sunny motorbike trip.
- Fish and chips, done the proper way.
- Treating myself to a massage.
- Hosting a dinner party.
Here is a great article with more ideas to add to your list and share with us. Huffington Post