Lockdown liberation

There's a way to get a lockdown lift, which can also have unexpectedly excellent consequences, writes Simon Hall...

If there's a single golden secret to helping yourself feel better in the latest lockdown, this is it.

I've embraced it repeatedly, and it's never failed me. 

In fact it was a real saviour in the last lockdown, so I'm very happy to share the learning because it's good for one and all.

 

The secret is this:

- Helping others

 

In lockdown one, I ran a series of webinars on the art of storytelling, and also how to crack a career change and be interviewed for a new job. 

I ran the sessions for free and for no other reason than it was an awful time for all of us, and I felt I had something I could offer which might be of use.

Every single one was very well attended, to the extent I even had to repeat some. 

And the feedback was a delight to receive. 

I confess to feeling wobbly myself at the time, and the kind words and appreciation picked me up enormously. 

Even more so, the fact that people kept in touch and told me how much the sessions were useful was an ongoing therapy through some difficult days. 

 

If you need a lift in lockdown, I can't recommend highly enough doing something for others. 

It could be some shopping, it might just be checking in with someone, it could be teaching, it may be anything you can offer. 

Whatever it is, I can guarantee it's a sure fire pick up for the spirits. 

 

There's one final thing to mention about helping others: 

I've been uplifted to see how much kindnesses can be repaid, and with interest. 

 

I never set out to enhance my profile, or hunt for opportunities with the webinars I held. 

I just did them because they were the right thing to do. 

But wow! 

The number of new friends I've made, how they've recommended me for work, and the opportunities my little efforts have brought...

 

Help others because it can help you as well, and in many and often unexpected ways.

But most of all, help others because you can.



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