Prior to the pandemic I was completely resistant to the use of zoom or telephone for therapeutic sessions, feeling that face to face was the only way. During the first lockdown I naively believed that working from home up in ‘the belfry’ was a temporary measure until normality resumed in the summer months. Various lockdowns, restrictions and us contracting the virus prevented this from happening.
Responding to client needs was a priority and my inner luddite had to be silenced and the nettle was grasped! The biggest challenge was asserting boundaries around work and home, which took some tweaking along the way. It rapidly became apparent that connection via technology proved to be a lifeline for many isolated by the pandemic in managing issues that previously had been swerved due to ordinary routines and distractions.
Managing and processing change out of your control is a tricky business. Redrawing life maps in uncertainty warrants constantly adapting as changes and developments arise. This can lend itself to reactive decision making, which rarely works well and doesn’t support a settled mind and way of being.
Coronavirus has forced a process of self evaluation and a review of what matters and ways of living differently.
Being absent from the office for over a year coupled with a rise in costs forced us to make a decision about Being Better premises. The process of assessing in a measured, responsive way began. I confess to having had a huge attachment to the beautiful space, having been there since 2017. The emotional investment was significant and there was a genuine battle between head and heart. I was also concerned about the numerous people using Being Better for learning, therapy and wellbeing activities. It soon became apparent that others had evaluated, made changes and responded to the changed terrain. Sometimes changes are meant to be but it is hard to reconcile it with the loss felt at the time.
A dear friend reminded me that Being Better is not a building but us and the service we provide. I would add to this, it is all the people that we have had the good fortune to connect with also. When the realisation landed, so did acceptance. We made the decision to continue as we are, providing Zoom and Telephone sessions and review on an ongoing basis as the dust settles. We incorrectly assumed there would be a barrage of requests for face to face sessions but this has not proved the case. People are taking their time to adjust to the world re-opening. It is also impossible to completely ‘go back’ to how things were, there are now more options for how we live and work.
Similar to us, many have made tough decisions about workspaces in the knowledge that people can be more productive in their own environment. For us it has allowed the flexibility of better meeting the needs of my daughter who has disabilities and health issues. It has also allowed us to connect with people who previously would not have been able to come to our premises due to their own commitments and personal circumstances. I never thought in a million years that working remotely could have advantages.
I have always been clear, being in Skipton supports my emotional wellbeing but now and going forward time is dedicated to quality time in Skipton connecting with the wonderful people we are blessed to call friends. Having had COVID we are both much more committed to a healthy work / life balance.
The keys to the premises have been handed back with the hope that the next occupant finds as much joy and happiness there as we did.
This is not the end, we continue to move forward into the next chapter with peace of mind and excitement about new plans and developments attached to serving the people of Skipton and beyond.
