LOOKING TO THE FUTURE: FINDING YOUR IKIGAI

ith the Covid-19 lockdown continuing in some form or another (and probably will for quite a while), one of the positives that has come from it is that people have had the rare opportunity to put their lives on pause and to think deeply on their values, needs and wants. Lockdown nearly drove me mad. My partner lost his mum a week before lockdown and our gentle furkid, Onyx, passed away during lockdown. I nearly went to pieces. My mum, who is eighty-eight, was unable to leave the old age home and I was unable to visit for weeks on end. We’re very close, as she’s my only immediate family. Luckily, she’s still in good shape and is able to take care of herself. Then, in January, a good friend from my student didn’t close – many other titles were closed down permanently due to the draconian lockdown restrictions. Since we work from home, it was pretty much work as usual. That structure and continuous routine was a godsend and helped us all stay grounded and provided a sense of familiarity as opposed to feeling totally adrift.