"Less pressure, being more relaxed, less stress" - Reader's share their positive takes from lockdown

So, we asked our readers to focus on the positives of this moment we’re all living in and to share one positive they’ve taken from lockdown life (so far), and this is what they said:

Wendy Arbon appreciates the impact lockdown has had on the environment, saying; “Seeing how clean the sea was and fish in the river and other wild animals coming into the city looking why us humans are not around as much.”

Some of us appreciate spending less, like Loraine Ellis who said; “I’m not missing going shopping so not spending as much money. I now walk at least an hour a day and longer at weekends. The only thing I do miss is not being able to do things with my dad.”

Micky Georgie is finding it hard to take a positive from this moment (which is wholly understandable), saying; “Nothing bcos u can't meet family in their homes and it's all been done wrong. It's not helping my mental health and I can't get into doctors bcos of the covid so I'm suffering. I've got other serious illnesses so I can't wait to get the vaccine.”

Whereas Ally Delaney is focused on loving herself, saying; “That I love being on my own and avoiding that fleshy virus out there. People are gross” — ouch, Ally!

James Bass sincerely hopes that this experience will encourage a change in us all, when he said that he was; “Struggling for positives. I will take a positive away when humans show that they can learn from their mistakes. We need to change, but very few are willing to do so. It is nice that this pandemic has shown the good in some people.”

Neil Whitehouse is happy that more of us are now “able to socialise normally and respect people.”

Meanwhile, Karen Maria Alliban says that she enjoys being able to “appreciate the little things in life and don't take anything for granted.”

And, Re Maz says that; “Nothing is worth getting stressed about, if we die we aren't going to take anything with us and family come first”

Abigail Ruth is focused on “not giving up on my hobbies, which is walking and hiking in the outdoors, I've done even more every weekend throughout the whole pandemic. All this stopping you from going in Peak District is BS!! I've been going local and Peak District. It's best thing for my health both physically and mentally, great for immune system, being around trees and getting plenty of oxygen in your lungs. I won’t stop something that’s good for me for anyone.”

It was nice to see some love and appreciation for this moment, as hard as it is but Fizzy Potts warmed our hearts when they said; “I met my partner during lockdown. So we know we love each other for each other and can be around each other all the time and still get on.”

Lavinia Elaine Pass is simply enjoying there being; “less pressure, being more relaxed, less stress, was all very much needed for me anyway! A massive sense of calm from the madness of the rat race to a break from it all.”

Hazel Butterfield has learnt to “appreciate more things, be happy with what you have got not what you haven’t got”, which is along the same lines (almost) as what Sharon Oldfield feels about things, when she said “same, appreciate things more and find time no matter what to be with your loved ones more, missing going on our hols”

James Schofield is definitely appreciating the fact that “family comes first before anything ❤️”

Whereas the ever jovial (sic) Eugene Solomon says that; “the one positive is that my suspicions were correct about most people being ignorant dumb lumps and mardy adult babies. Now they've shown their true colours, I no longer have to give them the benefit of the doubt.”

Some of us are happy to take a break from negative environments, like Tracy Jane who is enjoying “more quality time with family and less time with toxic people who bring you down”

Sharon Maris was just happy to have “a break from it all and no stress to be calm, no more madness”

And Janet Gavan is delighted that there’s “a vaccine and hopefully we will all get it this year and go back to some kind of normality” — fingers crossed, Janet.

Joanne Wild enjoys “working from home. I can get out for a nice walk at lunchtime. Don't ever want to give it up!” And, Beau Marr definitely wasn’t a fan of unnecessary discussions, when they said that “it proves that meetings that could have been an email, could have been an email” — no lies detected.

Fitness and wellbeing has become a big part of people’s lives, as well as new experiences, take Andrea Kirk for example who is just enjoying; “Running, losing weight getting a new job xx”

Whereas Anjum Ahmed is just grateful for the space, such as “people not sitting near me on the bus”

And finally, it’s nice to see that some have ‘lofty ambitions’, like Keith Howson who said; “I have cleared my loft out.”