High and Lows - A Journey Through Lockdown

ZenMuma Jaqueline teaches friendly and welcoming pregnancy yoga classes in south Norfolk. In this blog she shares her journey through lockdown and beyond.

It’s been a funny old year hasn’t it! Two lockdowns and an assortment of ever shifting rules and regulations. 2020 has been a complete rollercoaster of a ride. It’s had lots of lows but also accompanying highs.

Lockdown 1 was such a whirlwind of emotions for me, I went from full on work, rest, play repeat to suddenly having nothing to do but be Mum. No work, just home-schooling and being a Mum.

And I’ll be honest, I loved it! Precious times with my two children that I will most probably never get again. It brought me and my daughter closer as we learnt together, completing her school projects and making up our own projects to complete. We went on adventures into the countryside and picnics in the most of isolated places not far from home. We enjoyed the warmth of the sun on our skin and sensory nurturing of the countryside we live in.

Lockdown gave us a chance to slow down; we needed it and it was lockdown that showed this to me.

But with the enjoyment was tinged with challenges to. We lost routine, we often felt isolated and we all missed our friends. I missed working and seeing the public. Many times I felt like I was cut off from everything and everyone.

I had lost my comfort zone and my identity, I wasn’t bounding along poolside making funny jokes and encouraging little ones to kick their legs a little bit faster as they take their first steps of learning to swim. I wasn’t sharing my wisdom and knowledge of birthing and parenting, helping others to feel at ease and comfort about birthing and parenting. I had lost some of who I am. And that was hard.

So when restrictions were finally lifted I was so excited to go back to doing all the things I loved. This time though I resolved to keep my eyes were open when it came to finding the balance between eat, sleep, work, repeat and finding more time for rest and play.

We established a new routine in the “new” normal. We were ticking along nicely.

And then

Lockdown again. My initial reaction was one of relief, that they were finally doing something to bring the case numbers down again and one of anxiousness with the news that although leisure will be closing schools will remain open. I faced potential redeployment from my swim teacher role to which was daunting, stepping out of a role I have done for all my working life into something new and I didn’t know what that something new might be.

I found strength in taking the time to ‘check in’, to acknowledge these feelings as natural. I often experienced little wobbles on and off but hadn’t really acknowledged or accepted them until I gave myself a moment to ask myself “How are you feeling today?”.

Something I actively encourage all those that join me at my yoga sessions.

Bringing acknowledgement and acceptance to these feelings has helped me to go, “You know what, it is ok.”

ZenMuma Jaqueline went solely online from tomorrow 5th November. I wanted to maintain crucial connection for my community outside of our own four walls so that together we could, and can support, encourage and quite simply be a friendly face to see and speak to each week albeit virtually.

I know how important this is for our own mental wellbeing. It’s certain been important for mine.

For now, under the new tier restrictions we may not be able see friends as we used to, or even go too far from our homes, but we don’t have to be isolated. This is why I am making sure that each of my classes are live so we still have the interaction with each other, that community feel from the comfort and safety of our own home. To feel a sense of normality in these unique times and still have a relaxed routine to our week. A focus and something to lift our sprits as we look forward to the next session.

I am so here for the endorphins over the next few weeks as together we stretch, breath and relax our way towards Christmas and beyond.

We are not alone, we can come together in our yoga practise to gain that sense of community whilst also consciously looking inwards to how we are feeling in this moment.

Now more than ever we need to look after ourselves and practise self- care. We have more time to do this without having to brave the cold or travel miles, perhaps, in a strange kind of way the restrictions give is a unique opportunity to come together from the comfort of our own home. To share experiences and become ZenMumas together.

We are here for you. 

Connect with Jaqueline: www.facebook.com/ZenMumaJaqueline