Here in the UK, or should I say specifically England (yay government unity… *massive eyeroll*), we’re definitely moving into the latter stages of re-opening our economy. From the 1st August even higher risk businesses will be allowed. Not soft play though, which is confusing given that everyone in government keeps banging on about the lower risk in the younger ages. Not that I’ll be going anywhere near one for quite some time.

So with that in mind, all I can keep thinking about is Jurassic Park. Just because you can do something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you should.

The daily act of risk assessment is exhausting. As is the constant battle over the perceptions of others. Are you being too cautious and wasting your precious hours on earth? Are you being too complacent and therefore recklessly risking yourself, your loved ones and the whole of society? It’s far too easy to just swing from extreme to extreme, especially when you’re sleep deprived and a small child wants the door both open and closed and is having a meltdown until you manage to defy the laws of physics for them.

So… I am going to try a few things. They are all things that I was doing perfectly well before this happened, so I know that it’s possible.

1. Keep writing. I actually completed what could be considered a beta version of a manuscript this week, done in small pockets of time during naps and before 5am. It felt good.
2. Stop looking at the news. I hadn’t looked at the news for a very long time before this happened and now I’m always doom scrolling. It’s not good for my mental health and definitely pushes me towards the take no risks or we’ll all die! side of the spectrum.
3. Avoid social media. Again, something I had mostly done, but somehow Twitter scrolling (if not posting) has snuck back in. I’d like to keep Instagram, but I have to make sure I only look at my following feed, rather than hit the explore button and have the algorithm feed me endlessly scrolling horror.
4. Get outside more. The weather hasn’t been great here and it only takes a vaguely cloudy day for me to talk myself out of exercise. But then the autumn will be here before I know it and I’ll be kicking myself.
5. Read more. I’m getting better at this again. If you’re taking bad habits out of your life, then you have to be proactive about what you replace them with. Nature abhors a vacuum. Reading is becoming my default replacement.

In keeping with my attempts at more control and optimism, I’ve finished yet another notebook that is mean and moody

and I’ll be replacing it with something more bright, optimistic and with a reminder that there is a world out there:

Have a good weekend everyone. Stay safe, stay healthy and stay sane!