We’ll get through this

by PRIYA MULJI

IT’S a weird world at the moment, with all sorts of unexpected things happening. One of these is chancellor Rishi Sunak currently being ogled by women of all races across the UK. Asian men generally do not do well on dating sites, but that picture of Rishi in his grey hoody, sitting in front of a bookcase and typing away at his laptop has got the pulses of women all over the nation racing. Despite what people say about him or his policies, he has brought a certain charm to the daily press conferences held to update the country on Covid-19. If that’s what’s getting you through, then go ahead and enjoy the view. There’s so much bad stuff going on in the world that if we can find a small positive to get us through the day, then there’s no harm in enjoying it.

I’ll be honest, I’m struggling. My mental health isn’t great and I’m finding it hard to concentrate on even the smallest tasks. People are telling me I should be writing more in this time, when all I want to do is watch re-runs of old TV shows with a big bag of crisps. So, in a world that is just full of negativity, let's talk about what is getting us through.

Two things that have been particularly useful for me on days when my mental health hasn’t been great are reading and spending time with our family dog Tia. I have recently really enjoyed reading Queenie, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine and Everything I Know About Love. Our beautiful dog Tia, a Shih Tzu we got at the beginning of March, showers me with love, cuddles and playfulness. Animals have a sixth sense when something isn’t right, they are very therapeutic and I’m lucky to be able to spend that time with her. All of us have been unable to leave our houses, so it’s great to see people getting creative.

Fitness bloggers are at their peak with online workout videos at the tip of your fingers and you don’t even need to get changed to go to the gym. Others have been expressing their creativity, including Bollywood celebrities such as Karan Singh Grover and Salman Khan, sharing their art on social media and many are delivering musical performances via Facebook Live.

It’s a difficult time and with the lockdown being extended, things are only going to get tougher. It is going to take a while for everything to get back to normal, so find what brings you joy. Whether it’s binge-watching seasons of your favourite shows or devouring a whole box of chocolates to yourself, do it and enjoy it. You’re not going to get this time back so make the most of it. I’ll leave you with a quote from Helen Keller, “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.”