Lockdown positives: Enjoy a hobby

As lockdown continues and we’re faced with a slightly uncertain or certainly slightly different future, in terms of what that actually looks like, I’m finding that focussing on the positives now more than ever, is getting me through the week. So I thought I’d start a blog series called ‘Lockdown positives. In each post, I’ll focus on a different positive of lockdown life (from my experience), in the hope that it might help you look on the bright side if and when you need it. So for the first in the series, I thought I’d focus on hobbies and the opportunity many of us identified to lift our spirits and enjoy a hobby. Here’s mine…

Lockdown positives No. 1: lockdown hobbies

Time has certainly been less existent than ever for me and my hubby, now we’re faced with working from home with both kids all day, every day. What I do have though, is a better focus on my time and how I should spend it. One of the ways I have decided to focus a few hours a week of my time during lockdown, is with my favourite hobby… photography!

Those of you that have followed this blog for a while, will be aware of a series of photoshoots we’ve had over the years with the amazingly talented Anna Hardy. It’s been the best documentation of our growing family and we were due to have our latest shoot with her just as we went into lockdown. With our son turning 2 just last week, it really highlighted the fact that I didn’t want to miss these moments and leave them undocumented. So, rather than dwell on not being able to have the photoshoot, or not having the family with us in person on his special day, I focussed on the lockdown positives of the situation… that we’re healthy, together and that I own a DSLR camera!

My lockdown hobby – Photography!

A couple of weeks ago, I was so excited to hear that my favourite photographer, Anna, was launching an online Camera Crew for amateur/hobbyist photographers. It couldn’t have come at a better time for me. Our DSLR has been sat on a shelf gathering dust for well over a year now, as we’ve got all to used to using our phones to snapshot our lives. I’ve been meaning to get it out for ages, but alas, there’s always something “better to do”! Well, no excuses now!

When I saw that Anna had launched Camera Crew for an affordable £9.99 p/month, I jumped in with both feet. It was just the excuse and focus I needed and the lockdown positive I craved, at just the right time. Since then, I’ve captured my son’s 2nd birthday in a much more creative and intimate way than if I’d only used my mobile phone (blog post coming soon!), re-explored my camera and how to use it and taken part in some creative photography challenges.

It’s really helped me keep a positive mindset during these strange and somewhat claustrophobic times and it made me realise that I need to find the lockdown positives wherever I can.

Find your lockdown hobby

So, moral of the story? If you’re feeling a bit low, or stuck in a rut, or claustrophobic… or maybe it’s the opposite and you’re buzzing with energy and motivation? Either way, use this time to pick-up on an existing hobby, develop it or even find a new one! More than ever, hobbies are at our fingertips, digitally and virtually. It’s amazing! No excuses… give yourself the time you deserve. It really does help your mindset and wellbeing.

Share with me your lockdown hobby and feel free to tag me on instagram, of you enjoying said hobby 🙂

Keep your eyes peeled for the next in my Lockdown Positives series.