Can you remember the last time you did anything with a flourish?

Signing on the dotted line - well, holding a pen, particularly with another in witness, has now become Inherently Dangerous.

Making an entrance - well, if you live on your own, you're probably trying to avoid talking to the four walls, and if you live with others, you're probably trying to avoid talking to them as we roll round to 10 months of pandemic life.

Blossomed in your personal life - well, this Philosopher-In-Residence gets that flourishing is not exactly the order of the day amongst claiming furlough, home schooling, re-profiling finances and Staying Home. I've been reflecting on this element of flourishing for a while now and since it's invariably easier to follow someone else's advice, here is what I've been trialling recently in a mission to turn frowning into flourishing, as we face the reality that early 2021 is unlikely to be the salve to the slog of 2020…

Slow burn gratification

Credit cards and buy now pay later are all about fast finance, not facilitating flourishing. Last week I put away the plastic and pulled out some post-it notes. Each time I stick to my self-care plan, a £5 post-it note goes into a treat tin, to re-acquaint myself with the value of saving up for something.

The emperor's clothes

I'm never going to be the kind of person who pontificates on Wearing Lipstick Under Masks - Yay or Nay, but since I've definitely given my athleisure collection a hammering since March 23rd, I've started a spring clean of my wardrobe, with things I don't need going to the clothes bank and the occasional non-elasticated ensemble making it to my body since January 4th rolled round.

Anticipatory rest

I've got to give my occupational therapist the credit for this one. I was introduced to the principle during a cognitive fatigue management session. Since my bout of bacterial meningitis last February, one of the things I've struggled with the most is getting "brain-tired" much more quickly than I used to, and in response to different triggers.

Think how you feel after a day with more coffees than hours of sleep, and being on the go non-stop - and then imagine feeling like that sometimes randomly and for no apparent reason, or sometimes (a bit like when you've already eaten too much when you start feeling sick) going from powering away at work to feeling so ill and dull you can't carry on until you've had rest.

Anticipatory rest is simply planning out a series of 10 minute breaks of doing Absolutely Nothing during your working day, so you are geared up for flourishing, not frazzling.

For the avoidance of doubt, Absolutely Nothing does not include: checking your phone, using social media, surfing the internet, eating lunch, making a drink. Doing Absolutely Nothing feels curious in this omni-optimised world in which we dwell - but it makes a lot of sense to me and I'll keep you posted on how I find it if you promise to try it yourself too.

Happy Flourishing.

Next fortnight, I’ll be musing On Anticipation. Please get in touch with any particular aspects of this topic you’d like me to write about.

In the meantime,

Happy Planning