All the Things That Have Made Me Feel Myself During Lockdown

We’re all feeling the weight of these most recent lockdowns. I know I definitely have.

Last night, I was looking through my camera roll and reminiscing on going out with friends and dressing in fabulous clothes, and it just made me feel so… not myself. Usually, I’m a pretty social person, so lately, having to stay indoors and to work, sleep, repeat has really been testing my mental health.

My boyfriend and I both agreed that we didn’t feel like our hot selves, so we decided to put on some Christina Aguilera music videos and dance our butts off. It worked.

It got me thinking about all the things I’ve been doing throughout lockdown to keep myself sane. And I realised, there are heaps of other things.

So, in the hope that maybe some of my productive coping mechanisms will help others, I’ve put together a list of all the things I’ve done (and will continue to do) to feel myself during lockdown.

Wearing Cute Outfits for No Reason

You don’t need a reason to look cute. I know that it’s fun to dress up and actually go out but trust me, dressing up for yourself is fun, too. I’ve been whipping out clothes that I haven’t worn in years just to jump on a Zoom meeting in the morning and say hi to my work gals. There’s just something so creative and satisfying about putting a cute ‘fit together, even if you or colleagues are the only ones to see it.

Taking Sexy Photos of Myself

I’ve never taken as many sexy photos of myself than during lockdown. Sometimes it’s hard to feel body positive or sexy in lockdown, but taking a photo of yourself can get you there.

And on dressing up cute with nowhere to go… guys, we have social media. We’re connected to the whole world all the time, so there are actually millions of people you can share your outfits with. Lockdown is the perfect time to embrace your inner supermodel and take some cute pics of yourself in your cute outfit! Again, there’s something really satisfying about taking a nice photo of yourself, so don’t be ashamed to indulge in that.

Baking My Mum’s Pear & Chocolate Torte

My mum used to always make this delicious torte with pear, dark chocolate and almonds for dinner parties. She taught me to make as a kid. Making it felt like a warm mum-hug, and it made my kitchen smell amazing too! It’s a simple Donna Hay recipe that you can make your own by adding whatever fruit and extras you like. I love the pear and choccie additions, but you could also do nectarine, peach, strawberry… whatever tickles your fancy. You can find the recipe here.

Putting on Lipstick

Red lipstick has always been my go-to make-up item when I want to look a bit done up with minimal effort. In lockdown, I’ve struggled a bit with feeling like I’ve let myself go when it comes to cute outfits and glow ups. I find that just by putting on red lippy, I feel at least 10% more fabulous and therefore, more myself. If lippy isn’t your thing, you could try doing your brows real nice or playing around with some coloured eye shadow.

Taking Actual Care of My Skin

I’ve finally found a range of skin products that I love and work for me: Biologi. They have amazing, natural and oil-based products that really agree with my skin and I’m finally understanding why a skincare routine is actually even a thing. Honestly, my skin has never looked better.

Cutting Back on Booze

At the start of 2020, when lockdown was an unfamiliar circumstance, I found myself drinking heaps more than usual. Not in a bad way – I was just indulging in wine and cocktails at home more, because I had nowhere to be in the morning and more time to myself. But as lockdowns have become more regular and ‘normal’ (ugh), I’ve been finding that my motivation has been waning and I’ve been feeling a bit flat. Personally, alcohol doesn’t help in those moments, because it makes me feel even less motivated. So, I’ve started drinking a little less and it’s definitely made me more capable to get up in the morning and slay the day.

*Adding to Cart*

Next: online shopping. I’ve been finding some amazing sustainable fashion brands online throughout lockdown, and there’s nothing like an ethical and aesthetically pleasing purchase to make you feel better. Some recommendations: friends with frank., Marle, CERES Life… just to get you started.

Singing at the Top of My Lungs

My poor neighbours. When I’m having a really shit day, I rally my boyfriend and we sing our favourite 00’s tunes at the top of our lungs in the living room. There’s usually a wine or two involved and we might even watch the music videos at the same time. There’s nothing like a good dose of nostalgia to make you feel like yourself again.