There's Always Hope.

These 3 little words have had the United Kingdom standing strong and in unison, like a pack of roaring lions.

This blog is dedicated to the phenomenal work of the NHS, Key Workers, Carers, Health Workers, Supermarket Workers – our heroes - at a time where I could not be more grateful and proud of my country. THANK YOU.

Children have been posting rainbows in windows, cars and gardens in support for the NHS.

02/04/20

Mahatma Ghandi, possibly one of the world’s most famous spiritual leaders, suffered for much of his life from an acute fear of public speaking, a condition also known as ‘glossophobia’. In fact, this was so severe that when he first appeared in front of a judge during a court case as a young lawyer, he ran out of the courtroom in a panic. Ghandi not only managed to overcome this potential life-changing fear, but he turned it to his advantage. His hesitancy with words not only made him a great listener but taught him the power of saying more with less. As the United Kingdom come to the end of week two of ‘lockdown’, homeschooling and social distancing, we as a society are saying SO much more, by doing less. On the 26th March at 8pm everyone stepped out onto their door mats, balconies or hung out the window to join in a national applause for the fabulous NHS. And what a moment that was. Tonight, us Brits shared another polite moment of unity as we clapped to signify a national thank you to the keyworkers and supermarket workers who are selflessly putting their life at risk to make sure we can get through this. The Government, NHS and Boris (bless him - I hope he recovers soon from the dreaded C-V) have pulled magic out of their a*rses and really stepped up to help us not drown in this pandemic. However, they are not alone, people all over the country are volunteering to help and the sense of community is simply stunning. I don’t know about you, but for me, moments of uncertainty are quite a regular occurrence. As a performer, I rarely have a ‘normal’ routine and can sometimes go months without knowing what day of the week it is or what’s happening next. Despite that being breathtakingly exciting at times, it can be jaw crunchingly uncomfortable at others. I often get complimented on how resilient performers are and how people “don’t know how you guys do it”. But hey guys, we’re ALL doing it and I have to say, I think we’re smashing it. After the ban of gyms, café’s and social areas, living rooms have now been transformed into the funkiest of workout stations, dance studios, school classrooms, art canvases, meditation rooms, hubs of laughter and creativity. I have to insert here a HUGE shoutout to Zoom, FB, Instagram, Skype, the dance community, the organised singing seminars, pilates classes, gym and fitness enthusiasts sharing their hacks and people simply channelling their inner therapists to help motivate and inspire from the heart of the home. Everyone seems to know everyone’s struggles at the moment, although every person is battling their own individual fears. Even when practising social distance, I have never felt so connected to complete strangers. Passing each other in the streets saying hello from the other side of the road and almost mentally checking in with each other with a polite nod to let them know “yep, I know this sucks, but I’m ok, thanks for caring, I get you”. Isn’t this so beautiful? Speaking to a friend last week she mentioned something that really resonated with me. She said that she wants to make promises to herself to carry on doing some of these positive things when all of this has passed. What a wonderful idea? All these amazing moments and conversations I’ve shared with people where we buzz off how we are making the most out of this situation, taking comfort out of stillness and working things out in a way we have never done before, what awesome new thing we’ve tried or what simple action has allowed for so much contentment in one's day. I can just picture it now, walking the streets full of people who are enjoying those pleasures that we once took for granted. Looking up out of our phones, catching eyes with each other, smiling and wishing everyone all the best. And now is the time to start laying those foundations. How exciting. I wonder if this is what it feels like to plan a wedding! Focusing on these moments of joy, I’ve put into practice an exercise that I found online to help get lost in the wonders of the world around me, every day. Amidst all this madness, it is so important to find things we can be grateful for and this has helped me no end. As I walk, I focus solely on these things, in this order: 5 things I can see. 4 things I can feel/touch. 3 things I can hear. 2 things I can smell. And 1 thing I can taste. A time when health is paramount, all we really must focus on right now are our bodies, so why not delve right into the magic of our senses? Try it. I dare you. Relish in it. Ok, it’s not going to whisk away all the problems of the world but it will make you feel more present and connected to this very moment. And there is so much to be grateful for, I sure am. In this sense, gratitude is the key to unlocking a more open and rewarding attitude to this situation and broadening of one's perspective to life in general. There is so much power in the unity we are collectively experiencing and displaying and like Ghandi, we can overcome these fears and turn this into a life-changing passage of action, acceptance and aid. Another friend mentioned to me yesterday the idea of turning ‘have’ into ‘can’. “I have to work out”, hey I’ve got some time – “I CAN workout and make my body stronger”. “I have to stay at home” AKA “I CAN read that book I got for Christmas about starting up that new business venture”. "I have to find things to fill my time" Bingo... "I CAN put into place a plan and start bringing routine into my life". An interesting concept. Tonight, pre-Corona, I was supposed to be in Hong Kong en route to Bali. Sad. BUT - thanks to the amazing humans around me and the wonderful artistic industry who are keeping us all connected, I’m still able to enjoy life’s little wins. I CAN sit down with the luxury of watching a fabulous play streamed by National Theatre Live on YouTube, in my onesie, dinner on my lap which I CAN now spend time cooking and experimenting with, Madeira wine on the side table and my cat curled at my feet. Ok, it’s not quite the beach holiday of my dreams but I’m so grateful. You see, there is light at the end of this tunnel and I CAN taste the ice cream. I guess what I’m trying to say here is, every night, every morning, HELL all day every day, don’t forget to remind yourself and your loved ones of those 3 magical words: ‘There’s Always Hope’. Take care, keep safe and keep washing those hands! Already grateful that I can write to you again soon... Your Positive Potato x