Hello From The Future

​"Before you know it and as far away as it may seem, a more normal way of being will return."
​

Hello from the future. The future looks okay.

In Melbourne we've lived through one of the toughest Covid19 lockdowns in the world.

We've had a combined total of almost 8 months of lockdown conditions. That's right, 8 months.

At our peak in July, in the middle of the Southern Hemisphere winter, we hit 775 new Covid19 cases a day.

​This was the tipping point that sent us into strict Stage 4 lockdown. 

The restrictions include[d]:

- Borders closed

- Airports closed

- 5km travel radius

- Curfew

- 1 hour a day to go outside [with 1 other person from your household]

- No visitors

- No congregation at public spaces

- Mandatory masks EVERYWHERE

- Schools closed

- Workplaces closed

​- All retail [apart from supermarkets] closed

The list went on. 

Unprecedented scenes - Melbourne, a bustling and lively city had become a ghost town. We were all locked in. We all complied - well, most of us.

Throughout this time we had some very hard days and challenging moments. Our mental health took a collective hit.

As a community though we accepted the conditions and rallied together. We leaned on each other to get through it.

So as many of us now in different parts of the world start to experience the challenge of tougher lockdowns, here's some well intended advice [from the future] to help.

- Accept the situation and go with the flow.

- Accept and expect there will be hard days. Support each other. Listen. Be there for each other.

- Give each other a break. Emotions are heightened. Quickly diffuse situations that can escalate.

- Make time for you daily. Switch off from everything. Read a book, listen to music + watch a film. Do what makes you happy. Find your joy.

- Be prepared to change the way you work. What worked for you last week, may not work for you this week and that's ok. This is a dynamic situation and we need to keep evaluating it and responding to it accordingly.

- Find purpose in your work.

- Wear a mask EVERYWHERE.

- Show kindness and be good to each other.

For us here in Melbourne, it's been a long journey - the ultimate lesson in humanity + empathy. 

The sacrifices we've all made [as challenging as they have been] have been worth it.

Today. we've just recorded our 29th consecutive day of zero [yes, zero] cases.

There's a clear correlation between the actions we took and the COVID normal world we are now entering.

Make no mistake, whilst we're in the clear for now, we're ready to go back in if we have to.

So remember - this will pass. These days will pass.

Just bunker down, stay connected and find your flow. Before you know it and as far away as it may seem, a more normal way of being will return.

Last week, I walked my sons to school in the morning. Wearing our masks, we walked through the Melbourne streets on what was a beautiful spring day.

Kids were playing in the park, cafes had just reopened, cyclists were racing through the streets and flowers were in full bloom. Experiencing this scene was unimaginable only a few weeks earlier - yet here we were. 

So much intense appreciation for this moment. 

We all have many more of those moments to look forward to. Hang in there.

Dark clouds pass.