The end of lockdown is causing us all to reflect on how the last 15 weeks have changed us, if they have at all. People are coming out of lockdown with new skills, new patios, new haircuts and new scars from ill-attempted DIY! However, the most important changes won’t be to our homes or bodies but to our minds. Self reflection is an important tool to recognising and understanding those changes.
Studies from the journal of nurse practitioners show us that self-reflection is an important process for mental wellbeing and can strengthen our emotional intelligence, helping us cope with life’s changes. Self-reflection allows us to bring to the surface subconscious thoughts and feelings that we might not be aware of. This can be a strange, scary process – we might unearth things about ourselves that we don’t like or that make us uncomfortable – but self-reflection is the key to growth. After all, we can’t change things about ourselves if we don’t know them!
After a long, traumatic experience such as a global pandemic, it’s important to think about how we have changed and what we have learned.
As a team, we’ve been conscious of trying to ensure that self-reflection is part of our team discussions throughout lockdown. We’ve been fortunate to be led by Lily Jo, who has worked hard to help guide us through this and model an attitude of continual self-reflection. Now that lockdown is ending, we wanted to share some of our reflections with you all!
Georgia: It’s all about finding balance – mentally and physically
Georgia joined the Lily-Jo Project this year and is an important part of our children’s and dance ministry.
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself in lockdown?
Over the period of lockdown, I have learnt the importance of a good diet to stay physically healthy and mentally healthy. I’ve also learnt the importance of real rest, it’s been such a good learning curve to see what life is like when you’re not allowed to say yes to everything. I can now begin to say yes to things again but have more knowledge of what a good life balance is.
So overall, I’ve learnt a lot about balance, balanced diet, balanced lifestyle.
Q: What books and podcasts have been keeping you sane?
It’s been so good to use this time reading up on topics that I’m not so in the know about. Taking the time to educate myself. I have been reading ‘Should we all be vegan?’, ‘Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race‘ and have been enjoying watching ‘The Bible Project‘ videos on youtube, learning about the bible as a historical text. I never had time to do these things before!
Shelby: We can all learn to practice resilience and humility
Shelby has been part of The Lily Jo project since 2018. She currently manages all things PR and Communications for the team.
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself in lockdown?
I’ve learned that I am resilient. There is nothing about our lives that is certain or given, and Covid-19 has definitely been an (abrupt!) reminder of that. We’ve all heard sayings like “roll with the punches” and “when you’ve got lemons, make lemonade” – and now more than ever is the time to hone in on those skills.
I’ve learned that I can accept a new reality. I can cope with change. And I can overcome challenges with humility and courage.
Q: What books and podcasts have been keeping you sane?
I’ve always been a huge fan of the ‘Hidden Brain‘ podcast produced by NPR and hosted by Shankar Vedantam. If you like science, human behavior, and a good story – definitely give it a try! I love it when our ‘normal’ is questioned, and this podcast does a great job of challenging me to think a bit deeper and consider new perspectives. I usually save it for a Friday or Saturday morning as a treat for the weekend!
Pete: Maintaining good mental health is a daily decision
Pete has been part of the Lily Jo Project since 2018 and is the Production and Operations Manager.
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself in lockdown?
I’ve learned that maintaining good mental health and remaining positive is a daily decision that I make. It’s a disciplined routine, and when I commit to it I am more productive and excited about my day. For me, establishing a daily routine of gratitude, positive affirmations and healthy eating and exercise reminds me that my mental wellbeing is important and that I matter.
The more I engage with a positive lifestyle, the more respect I give myself.
Q: What books and podcasts have been keeping you sane?
If you want an amazing podcast to start your days with, try Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations. These are Oprah’s personal selection of her interviews with thought-leaders, best-selling authors, spiritual luminaries, as well as health and wellness experts. All designed to light you up, guide you through life’s big questions and help bring you one step closer to your best self.
Sola: Making time to connect with our spirituality is key
Sola has been with The Lily-Jo Project for a few years; supporting the team as a dancer and choreographer.
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself in lockdown?
For me, self-reflection is tied powerfully to my Christian faith. Lockdown has given us all a lot more time with ourselves but it has also given me more time to practise essential parts of my faith, such as prayer. I always believed that God speaks to us, but during this time I’ve had more time to listen to him and hear his voice and direction. Taking this opportunity has been a powerful spiritual experience for me.
Q: What books/podcasts have been keeping you sane?
I’ve been reading “Body, Mind, Mastery” by Dan Millman and it is such a good book for anyone who is into sports or physical activity and wants to better their craft and put their mind towards their physical activity. I’ve definitely felt the benefit!
Emma: Embracing community and the support of others is invaluable
Emma joined the Lily Jo project team at the start of 2020; supporting with content writing for blogs and other resources.
Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about yourself during the lockdown?
That community is invaluable to maintaining stable mental health. As someone with a pre-existing mental health condition, change can be really hard for me. Lockdown has shown me how important it is for me to interact with a small group of supportive friends and family regularly to stay healthy. I’ve certainly identified who the people I can rely on to help me process my mental health in a crisis are!
We all need community to survive but I’ve realised just how much I need community to thrive in life.
Q: What books/podcasts are keeping you sane?
One of the oddest things about the start of lockdown was that I was really struggling to read. As a writer, this was like a sign of the end times! But I found that reading poetry and short essays helped me through. Some favourites were “A Kingdom of Love,” by Rachel Mann , a poetry collection that I found particularly restorative and “This Bridge Called my Back – Writings by Radical Women of Color” inspired and educated me.
Learning is a process not a destination
It can be easy to start comparing our learning journeys to other people’s, especially after a world event that everyone has to find a way to respond to. The truth is that we all learn and grow at our own pace and rate. Sometimes, we don’t recognise the change that has taken place inside us because we haven’t given ourselves the time to self-reflect. We encourage everyone to take a moment this week, before the lure of life ‘getting back to normal’ grabs us, to reflect on the two questions our team answered. Maybe share your thoughts with us on facebook, twitter or instagram! We’d love to know what you’ve learned and what’s got you through lockdown.
Stay well and safe!
The Lily Jo Project Team xx
About the Author: Emma Hinds
Emma is a writer living and working in Manchester. She is a mental health advocate and has been blogging about mental health for the last ten years. Emma has a history of eating disorders and is currently living with a diagnosis of OCD and chronic depression. She has been working specifically with young people struggling with their mental health for the last four years and is now supporting the Lily Jo Project’s On Track follow up schools programs. You can see Emma’s work and follow her mental health blog here. You can also follow her on socials here: twitter@EmmaLouisePH and instagram@elphreads.
