To ask what you've learnt about yourself during lockdown?

[Lsquiggles]

I used to always wish I had the time to garden, it looked so fun and relaxing. Now I have the time to garden I bloody loathe it, it's too hot and never ending. Will happily give that job back to DP

That I really did like my part time job, including the commute. RIP flexible part time hours.

That I'm not built to be a SAHM, but DS doesn't seem to mind.

That I was spending more than I should have been on stuff to wear.

I married the right man.

That I bake a mean scone!

That I have a strong mind, but clearly a weak body. (Coronavirus for 12 weeks).

That I love to go out and work, I just hate the job I have.

That I love growing things.

I hate painting.

That a lot of people are selfish and thick (Dp's family I'm looking at you all).

That I'm more of a rule follower than I expected

I've remembered lots of things from my childhood that explain why I am the way I am

That I haven't really missed people except my close friends

That I'd be quite happy to only 'go out' and socialise every couple of months

That I really love being at home

That I am more creative than I imagined

That all the jobs in the house will never be done

That I am not very good at managing my time and minimising distractions

That I have even less patience than I suspected!

That I'm so much happier when I'm not at the mercy of other people's time in my working day. From the minute I get in, to the minute I leave, I don't have much control over my own time and it's very stressful.

That even though I miss socialising, it has been quite nice to not feel like I'm stretching myself too thin.

That my biorhythm is definitely very odd and I should really get a night job. Sleeping better than ever but up to 3am each night and feeling very happy about it. Getting a good 7-8 hours sleep and being very productive during the day.

That I am quite happy to be by myself for months on end.

I hate cycling.
I love not wasting 2 hours daily on commute.
I have more time, but i still have too many hobbies :)

That I don’t need a full face of makeup every day to make myself look better. I look better without it, with a nice healthy glow.
I haven’t worn a single bit of makeup for 2 months now, and it’s like my skin has renewed itself with nothing clogging it up.

That I loathe cyclists. The lycra louts and the families having quality time on wheels . They are all a menace on the road.

Maybe loathe is too strong a word

That years of reading and watching science fiction with a generous helping of historical fiction alongside plus my parents' tales of WWII and rationing was a very good way to prepare.

That I really miss going to our little family run Japanese restaurant.

That our government really is what I thought they were.

That I get really cross when people don't do their own thinking and fact checking and let the government do it for them.

I HATE COOKING

That I really don't like my neighbours. I'm normally out by 6.30am and back around 8pm but working from home full time and so are they and they are so loud during the day (we are ground floor, they are above). Perhaps it's my more my problem though. We normally just hear them in them evening and to be honest they are not too bad. I probably just need to get out more and be back in the office.

This thread is so interesting.

No matter how much I exercise, if I have chocolate and alcohol every night, I will get fat! I put on well over a stone in the first 2 months of lockdown and am now starting to get rid of it.
I don't hate DIY as much as I thought and fresh paint makes a huge difference to my house.

That I am stronger than I give myself credit for. Dh came down with a virus (tested but not covid just every symptom 😳)
Meaning he had to isolate in the house until his results came back leaving me with two kids under 3 to care for. Plus him. I was also in isolation within the house so had to rope people in to do shops etc.

It wasn’t fun. It was bloody hard. But I did it.

That I could stop my job tomorrow and I'd be quite happy.
That I get on well with my DH and daughter.
That I like looking at the garden but hate doing it.
That my neighbours are lovely.

That retirement isn’t going to be as bad as I thought.
Having children had turned our focus off one another and I/we only had headspace for work and kids. Holidays with different expectations, rushed weekends and tired conversations before bed were the best we could offer each other.
Now after three months of Italian lockdown and WFH, a few weeks before we celebrate 25 years together, I realise we’re still compatible.
Well done 27-year-old me. You picked a good’un.

Nothing.

I know myself pretty well.

I definitely have even less patience than I thought.

I cannot bear being constantly interrupted when I'm trying to work, go to the loo, tidy up, send someone a message...the list goes on!

Despite being an introvert I do miss the office and being able to chat to people.

I am absolutely not cut out for home schooling!

I would much rather spend a significant amount of each day out on walks in the countryside instead of cooped up in an office.

I always thought I absolutely had to live in a city but I would be totally happy to live more rurally now.

I've always had a great horror of being stuck in the house all day with the kids and not able to get out but I CAN do it.

That I would happily never work again. Also, that we were way too busy as a family before and that we need to cut down on what we're trying to fit in. We're all happier keeping it simple it transpires.

That I really enjoy running by myself.

The other stuff (that I enjoy my job and I'm not sure how I'd have got through lockdown without it, love my family, like cooking but hate housework and gardening, like socialising but don't actually need it) isn't much of a surprise. This has just confirmed it.

That my 12 yr old is growing up and I need to back off and let him make his own decisions about some things. We had a massive fall out over homeschooling, and for the first time, he totally dug his heels in. Our relationship has changed, and part of me is mourning the loss of my baby (I know that sounds unhinged). It’s like his gaze has switched from us (me) to his friends and peers. I know that’s normal, and his friends are lovely but... it’s left me reeling a bit.

That my 9yr old is very self contained, and a worrier.

That I miss socialising a lot less than I thought I would. A lot less.

That I would be quite happy wfh - but only if my children aren’t around! And that my boss / employer are totally under skilled in terms of how they manage distributed networks of employees.

That wine doesn’t solve anything - it just blurs thé edges for a while, and the next day the problems are still there, with added headache and guilt.

That I’m getting older, and I feel trapped by my bad habits: I just can’t seem to muster the oomph to go for a daily walk never mind take up any regular «thing». Exercise / sport has never been part of my daily life, but pushing 50 I don’t think I can get away with this any more.

That my decision 13 yrs ago to be a SAHM for various (not the usual) has gone from feeling like a great choice for us all, to feeling like I’ve wasted my life / education / PhD. I’m working now but it’s very basic, nothing I trained in.

That our decision to live away from f as moly and friends (we aren’t in the UK) was a mistake, and that caring for / protecting our ageing parents is a real burden for our siblings who have stayed there.

Gosh that’s a lot! Too much time for introspections...

That I enjoy socialising more than I thought I did.

That not needing to see family members regularly has been really freeing.

That my older sister is selfish beyond anything I thought & really doesnt think about anyone but herself ......not even her own children.

That I can work from home, but I actually liked going to the office.

That we can save money by not spending on meals out etc.

That my relationship with my husband is solid as a rock.

I love cross stitch.

Yoga every day is the answer.