I've been a bit quiet about this pandemic and I know we're all exhausted. We want the normal back. I do too. But the pandemic isn't over yet. It's gonna be a tough winter. So please follow all guidelines, be kind to everyone and look after each other, after yourselves.

Set little goals. Surround yourself with people who motivate you to be positive. Add schedule to your days. Get ready in the mornings, take time for your breakfast and cup of tea, check weather forecasts, send your friends good morning texts! Plan trivia zoom evenings..

Be creative. Pick up on new tiny skills, life-hacks that bring joy to your life, practice a new language, learn puns, use puns, see if you can make people laugh. Watch tutorials, try new low budget recipes if possible..

Go outside, try to enhance your phone photography, walk around in the park enjoy nature. Look up the names of trees you see. Read Wikipedia pages, pick up on historical facts. There is so much life to live even in lockdown. Try to find peace and joy in the smallest things.

I'm aware work, school, it's all asking so much of us. But don't be so hard on yourself. Don't put yourself under so much pressure, share the fact that you're struggling if you are, you'll find everyone is. The conversation is so important.

Stop comparing yourself to others, express worries, frustrations, but be friendly and remind yourself that the circumstances we're all in are NOT normal.

I promise you that patience and appreciation for the tiny things in life will get us through this madness. It's hard, lonely, painful, frustrating. But express gratitude for what you do have now. Use your time and energy wisely, you owe it to yourself to look after yourself.

Fantasize about what's possible in the future, can you prepare for that? Can you perhaps learn a country's language now in lockdown for when you visit it one day? Can you maybe watch documentaries about a historical city before you visit it? Prepare your future now.

And go outside.. Don't demonize the rain, wind.. or darkness.. If the evening makes you feel sad and lonely have you ever considered it's then that you have the opportunity to see the stars? What does the moon look like tonight and what does this mean? Do you know? Look it up!

Feel scared and lonely? Tell your friends! They do too! Plan zoom dates ahead. And when you do, sit down with some crisps, a nice drink, play trivia, hints, anything with your mates on Houseparty. Plan ahead so you can look forwards to it!

Ask your friends how they spend their days. Ask them how they feel,
don't feel like you're too much because the feeling of depression, exhaustion, fear, we all share it. You're not alone in this. I know this thread misses so much, feel free to add things to it.