As humans we all prefer the familiar, it gives us a sense of safety and comfort and means that we don’t have to show our vulnerabilities. However, to stretch and grow and adapt, we have to do things differently, perhaps tackle something that’s unfamiliar or scary and that takes courage.

We’re all good at coming up with reasons why we shouldn’t move out of our comfort zones. It may be because we’re too worried what others will think of us, or it could be that we don’t think it’s quite perfect, or it may be because we’re too frightened of the response it will create. I’m sure I’m not the only person who has allowed their limiting beliefs to get in the way of getting started. The thought of failure, being laughed at and getting things wrong has often stopped me from having the courage to continue. It’s usually the impending deadline that drives me into action and then once I bite the bullet, find that what I’ve been putting off doesn’t bear any resemblance in reality to the story I’ve created in my head.

This period of lockdown has been another type of deadline. It’s a passing of what was normal before. We’ve all had to push through our comfort zones and get on with it. For me and many others, it has been my work that has been severely impacted. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been ‘meaning to’ sort out an online presence for some of my products but I always thought it was far too difficult and would need a lot of time to make it slick and professional. Who would have thought that within a couple of weeks of lock down I could feel so dexterous with video conferencing, get people to use whiteboards on line and send them off to work in groups to discuss certain topics? I can’t say that I’m a dab hand just yet, but I’ve felt the fear and done it anyway and now would be happy to put together a session on any of my current materials.

Platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, HouseParty etc have made online communications become second nature. In recent weeks I’ve seen people like my mum and dad get actively involved in our online birthday parties and family catch ups as it gives them different ways of communicating. The virtual pub has been a fun way to end the week for my partner as he meets up with some of his mates on a Friday night and I’ve used video WhatsApp to be in contact with relatives in South Africa. All these things are happening through necessity to maintain a sense of connection with others as it’s good to see someone rather than just hear them.

This period of lock down will have touched us all in different ways we’ll all come out of it with a variety of skills that we didn’t possess before. So whether it’s tackling something you’ve been putting off for a long time, preparing for home schooling, juggling the day to day, staying in touch with people you love and care for, take each day one step at a time. Break everything down into manageable chunks and then create a daily routine. And if it doesn’t go quite right today, try again tomorrow. As the quote says ‘courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying I will try again tomorrow’.