What would your 80 year old self say to you right now?
A while ago faced with a big decision, I asked a very dear sage like friend for his opinion. Acknowledging that it was not his decision to make he threw a thought provoking question my way which has stuck with me ever since.
What would your 80 year-old self say to you right now?
It’s this kind of self-reflection that will get us through these tricky times and will help us to maintain an inner calm. This inner calm will allow our children and those around us to share our cool persona and stop us doing strange or selfish things which would normally be out of character (panic buying loo
rolls being a fine example).
I’m writing this as I recognise there will be lots of people who are overwhelmingly anxious and if we all hold tight and look back at this stage of our lives from the perspective of our 80 year old self we’ll be better able to get through it smiling.
As I was mulling over what my 80 year old thoughts might be, one of my favourite songs came on the radio. Perfect for this moment in time. The Sunscreen Song by Baz Luhrmann which gives various pieces of advice on how to live a happier life and avoid common frustrations. Have a listen, it’s just the perfect antidote to what’s going on right now.
I decided to write my own lyrics based on our current massive frustration – self-isolating. So many people still walking the streets resisting the main message for whatever their reasons. So have a read, have a smile and maybe feel inspired to write your own words. Show it to your kids, if you have them. Keep it somewhere safe and take it out for a recap when you hit that 80th year.
Note – this can work for any age group though if you’re anywhere near 80 you’ll need to adjust the figures. I suggest you listen to the song first so this will be more relatable.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of 2020.
Self-isolate and smile
If I could offer you only one tip for this current climate, smiling in the face of adversity would be it. But also to self-isolate. The benefits of self-isolating have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience...
Enjoy the piece and solitude of these moments; you may not understand the potential of these opportunities until they have faded. Shops and other man- made public places are unopen and may remain this way for the foreseeable future. But the forests, hills, coast and the woods are yours to roam.
Breathe.
Climb to the uppermost point of the hills or mountains which are closest to you and breathe. Breathe deeper than you’ve breathed over these past few years tied to your laptop, ear pressed firmly to your IPhone, restricted by deadlines.
Trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at these times and recall how much possibility for restoring your
mental and physical wellbeing lay before you.
Be strong. You are stronger than you imagine.
Don't worry about the future; turn any worries into thoughts of opportunities. You may have less money but you will be richer in other ways. You will not starve. Your flights are cancelled but with this reduction in your carbon footprint, your karma soars.
Embrace the changes that you face. Enjoy the presence of the kids. They will learn more about the importance of life in this next 12 weeks than school could ever offer. Be calm. Share your space and don’t sweat the small stuff.
Concentrate on each day. As each new day brings new information. Listen. Question. But don’t fight against it.
Do one thing every day that helps somebody else cope. We all share a common aim. To survive. Be the person that your friends would choose to have in their lifeboat. Be dependable, thoughtful, unflappable. No one needs flapping right now.
Sing. Revisit your favourite musical era. One that you feel most rocked your world. Create a playlist. Sing like no-one is listening and don’t be scared to get the lyrics wrong. Your lyrics are never wrong. They are unique.
Be kind to the people closest to you. But don’t be that yes person. That is not the answer. Hold firm. Times will be challenging as we are all used to our space.
Floss or better still use interdental brushes. You have time. Do it daily.
Don't put too much pressure on yourself to achieve right now. This period will seem long but sit back and enjoy. Don’t wish it away. These days are valuable and there is a lot to learn.
Move. Every day. Squat, stretch, bend. Tend the garden. It’s long overdue.
Get plenty of vitamin D. When the sun is shining wrap up warm. Enjoy those meals outside. Sit. Relax. Stretch like a cat in any sunbeams of the day.
Don’t forget your bones just because you can’t see them.
However you choose to use this time, use it well but don’t look back and feel you may have handled it better. It is what it is. An unparalleled situation in which our choices are driven in part by knowledge but in part by chance.
Dance like no-one’s watching even if they are. Your kids will cringe but what do they know. Your dance moves rocked in the 90’s.
Do NOT waste precious time scrolling posts of doubt or distrust, unless the posts inspire you with positivity or spark joy then scroll on by.
Use this time to support your parents, texts, calls, the written word. You never know when they'll be gone for good.
Share this experience, your hopes and fears, with your sibling; She is the best link to your past and the person most likely to stick with you in the future.
Connect with friends old and new: hold on to the friends that spring to mind in times of crisis. This is either because they need support or are those few that you need in your lifeboat. The latter are often the ones you haven’t seen for years but time or distance is never a problem. Distance is not relevant now. We have social media. Use it.
You yearn to travel. The restrictions will make the journey all the more incredible when it happens. And it will happen. Be patient and take note that life without boundaries is a privilege. Don’t take it for granted.
Accept certain undisputable truths. When all this is over and the dust settles, prices will rise, politicians will stumble, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were resolute and children looked after their elders.
Support your elders. Not only your parents but those in our neighbourhoods who shelter behind closed doors scared of contamination.
And know that there are people who will support you. There is always someone who has got your back, and if you’re feeling that no-one has then you need to reach out, shout louder.
Be careful whose advice you listen to. Eating garlic, drinking colloidal silver and using home-made hand sanitiser are not going to protect you from this.
But trust me on self-isolation...
Hold onto your seats people. This is like a fairground ride with may highs and lows and we can’t get off until it’s all over. But keep strong. Smile.
You’ve got this.