Hello Lockdown 2.0

Here we go, in the beginning / middle of the second wave we start lockdown 2.0 in Germany.

We went through the first lockdown in March/April and it feels somehow like an old companion and somehow weird and new.

Our life has changed profoundly in 2020 and still we remain somehow the same.

If someone would have told me what comes next, would I have changed something? 

No.

How?

What could I have changed?

Life is what happens to us when we are making plans, right?

What we can do is the following:

Stay positive 

Positive thoughts are so important in our life. The more we think in a positive way, the happier we are.

Stop complaining 

I know it is hard and I know that this wasn’t the plan for all of us this year, but we are alive, we have access to many things others could wish for.

Adhere to a new normal, at least for a while 

These rules are not that complicated, if we can get a virus under control with distance, masks and hygiene this is something great. Nothing in life is permanent so this will pass too.

Learn 

Everything that happens is teaching us lessons in life, right? What did you learn so far from this pandemic state?

Grow 

Did you surprise yourself? I think many of us grew already because we realised how flexible we are.

Use modern technology 

Instead of the coffee in the city schedule coffee dates via FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, whatever you like. We are honestly rich to have these possibilities, staying safe at home and not losing contact and eye sight with the people we love.

Immerse into nature 

For many this has been a long forgotten treasure and just now they re-discover the beauty around us. Walking from one shop to the next with a coffee in between versus walking through the fields and forests, having a steaming coffee out of a thermo cup. What is nourishing your soul more?

Get a hobby 

Now is the time to think about what you love to do. There are many activities you can do in the safe space of your own home. Reading all the books you ever wanted to read, start writing yourself, put an empty canvas in front of you and create something new, yoga (perfect for a mindful home workout), learn to meditate, cook all the recipes from your cooking books, I’m sure you will find something that suits you.

Let go of what’s no longer needed, free your stuff. 

During this time many homeless will be thankful to receive a warm coat, boots or a blanket.

The stricter we are now the easier it becomes in future. What I think is indeed astonishing is that many asian countries have close to zero new cases. They wore masks even before Covid19 was appearing, they keep distance in general (which isn’t a bad thing at all when it comes to strangers) and they complain less.

Germany (and this is where I am and where I grew up) is a nation of complainers – I always said they complain on a very high level and indeed this is what they do now as well. Instead of being thankful that we haven’t had many deaths up to now it is turned into “the virus isn’t dangerous, otherwise more would have died”. 

This kind of thinking is what I believe is dangerous. 

Reflect and trust and believe that scientist are trying to find the best way for all of us seems to be impossible for many. I don’t know where this mistrust is originating in because I cannot understand it at all. 

Of course you don’t take everything in and of course you don’t like every step a government is doing but in general our life in Germany is very good. 

We have the freedom of speech which many would love to have, we can walk around outside without being scared that military or who ever is controlling, we get news all over the world unfiltered if we want to, there are no restrictions of the internet, we have a legal system others would wish for. 

And of course nothing is perfect but I don’t expect everything to be perfect. All in life is flowing and changing and once you realise this life is much easier to handle.

Perfection is unreachable and also not needed, all the cracks and set backs and mistakes make our life so colourful and interesting. 

All agree with me if I say that nobody needed this virus, I guess, but that’s nothing we can change right now. 

So please, let’s focus on what good it brought us and what we can learn from this time which will one day be part of history books? 

I’d rather have my grand-grand-children reading how wonderful we all made it, how helpful we were, how kindness took over instead of that tis was the start of a war because of selfishness and mistrust.

What do you want them to read?