2020 is so far a very strange year! And we seem to be tiptoeing in and out of lockdown - government imposed or self-imposed it can be hard. So, if your self-isolating, this one’s for you.

This is such a great time to get started with some of the things you wish you had time to do but never got round to, or pick up a new hobby, learn a new skill, work out and give dedicated time to your yoga practice. Why not take an online course and add a qualification to your resume? Or, if your pockets are feeling a little empty then simply take some time to look at your finances, and see where you can possibly cut back in the future - that morning run to Starbucks before you hit the office adds up over the course of a month or a year! The list is truly endless, but I wanted to share a few things that are helping me and I hope this inspires you too.

1.GET COOKING

I’ve been meaning to convert my mother’s recipe book into digital format for YEARS! And this lockdown was the perfect time to get on it. It’s called Footprints in the Butter and is now available for sale and filled to bursting with some of my favourite childhood recipes including Cucumber Relish, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Orange Glazed Carrots, Mahamri, Irio, Chapattis and SO MUCH MORE!

2. LEARN A NEW SKILL.

I started a small vegetable garden which, I’ll be honest isn’t looking that good, but just getting the earth between my fingers and watching a few garlic shoots reaching up through the soil is a thrill! If you’re feeling a little depleted and run down then working with the earth, under the sun for just 10 minutes or so can help increase your yang chi and leave you feeling more motivated and positive. I get fresh vegetables (eventually) and feel great. What a win!

3. BE A STUDENT AGAIN.

My husband and I decided that April 2020 would be the month that we added to our CV’s so we’re both enrolling in online courses to help us work better and improve our offering to our clients. I’ve been meaning to en-roll in Pre and Postnatal Training with Blissbaby Yoga for a few months, but after my recent miscarriage I needed to do a lot of emotional work to get myself in the right headspace for this. I’m here now, I’m eager to help pregnant woman use Yoga to help guide them through this life-changing experience and I’m so excited to dive right in!

4. MEDITATE.

I can’t stress this enough. The enormous value of meditation is agreed on by woo-woo yogis and medical professional around the world. Have you ever met anyone who doesn’t know the huge mental, emotional and physical benefits of meditation? This is a great time to start a meditation practice and if you’re new to it let’s get you up and running with this Beginners Meditation.

Every Sunday morning I also lead a LIVE meditation and restorative yoga session, sometimes having this structure to your week is really helpful to help you set a new, healthy habit.

5. BOOK A HOLIDAY.

This might seem a bit strange to you considering you can’t even leave your house. But this WILL pass and when it does the international tourism industry is going to need you more than ever. My family home and business, The Safari Cottages on Ol Pejeta Conservancy, is facing the huge and very real threat of poaching in the immediate future as they are struggling to keep rangers paid and fed and systems running efficiently to protect wildlife. Book your holiday NOW and help keep tourism alive.

Want to stay closer to home? Book onto our next Wild Retreat which is happening right here in the UK!

Looking for some good reads? Make sure you check out my top ten must-read books for 2020.

IMPORTANT NOTE

I’m someone who deals with stress by doing. This is why I created this list, but it’s important to remember that we are moving through a huge, collective traumatic experience, and if you need to deal with it in a different way, then you do you!! Do you need to watch re-runs of The Bachelor and eat popcorn? Do it. Do you need alone time, reading a book in your garden? Do it. Wanna get stoned and eat cake? DO IT. What’s important is that you recognise your own mental and emotional state, and take some time to figure out what will serve you best right now. Do that truthfully and unapologetically.