• The Lockdown Diaries

    The Lockdown Diaries: “Chapter One of Twelve”

    In my twenty-five-plus (plus how many doesn’t need to be clarified exactly) years of living, I will confess that I have developed an unbreakable habit of speaking to myself. In my head, out loud, it is an ever-reliable constant. There are many phrases that have become personal mantras that I will inevitably fall back on to repeat when times are tough. One of my personal favourites; “The sun will rise again tomorrow.” It is a certainty that has anchored me through the choppiest of waters. No matter how the winds howl, or how deeply the dark swallows the skies, or how dangerously close I come to mentally capsizing in an…

  • The Lockdown Diaries

    The Lockdown Diaries: Are You Going To Let You Talk To You Like That?

    I once wrote about how difficult it is to say nice things about yourself. How if you were to be asked to describe a loved one, a close friend or family member, a partner, even a beloved work colleague, you’d have no trouble at all. Praise would come easy, come naturally. But to speak that highly of yourself? It’s virtually unheard of. At least, not without some sort of disclaimer first so as not to sound big-headed or boastful. And in a lockdown? Forget about it. If negative self-talk was rampant beforehand, it’s become a daily occurence now, no more out of place than washing up or eating breakfast. AND…