Lockdown, whilst inconvenient, is a great opportunity to self reflect, and to work out what you really want from any relationship. Being forced to be on your own (or on your own with a pet) gives you time and space to think. It’s a great time to think about any lessons you’ve learnt in your love journey.

During this recent lockdown, I’ve reminded myself that communication and trust are the most important things in a relationship. That you should be with someone who supports you no matter what and raises you up not down. That you shouldn’t settle for less than you desire or deserve. And that sometimes the best things come along when you least expect them. Perhaps my most important reminder came about when I wrote the blog entry about the need to love yourself a week or so ago: you should use your smile to change the world – but never let the world change your smile.

One thing lockdown breeds is resilience. You’ve got to be able to feel hope at all times, and believe things will get better. You’ve got to persevere and try new things, when your normal freedoms are reduced. That might mean trying new ways of keeping a friendship or distant relationship alive. Having to physically distance yourself from those you love can be hard. Keeping in touch with Skype, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp is a great alternative. This reduces the feelings of isolation, and allows you to photogenically connect to each other. If your phone has only basic connectivity, then sexting on your phone instead can be fun…

Drawing a picture of the one you love and sending it to them via post or even digitally can show you care, even if you’re not a great artist. It’s a personal gift that shows your interest and dedication in that person, and it’s much nicer than a personalised greeting card! If you’ve got the budget, Interflora flower delivery or similar is a nice touch too. Hey, even surprising the one you love with a paid-for supermarket delivery of food can work wonders!

Being physically separated forces you to get your ass into gear, and make real efforts to keep your connection with your partner. Physical time apart does allow for anticipation to build, which can make things really amazing and passionate when you do eventually catch up together… but you’ve got to keep things humming along during the time apart first. And so keeping in regular communication and sending thoughtful texts and gifts throughout is an important strategy that you should apply here.

Looking for ways to keep passion alive – for life, for each other, for yourself? Think about getting back in touch with your creative and artistic sides. I’ve taken up blog writing again because I’d let that slip for a while. I always thought I was too busy with my main job – but now I’ve prioritised. I realise it’s important to find that work-life balance. Having passion for my creativity will help me to keep passionate in my journey of love. And taking up creative pursuits is a great time user during periods of home lockdown.

It’s easy to develop lockdown bad habits, like spending too much time on your phone reading social media, and becoming insulated and isolated. Concentrate instead on your creativity, and on reaching out to others, and you’ll find lockdown much more tolerable. Is there a future after lockdown, and after the Covid-19 pandemic goes away? Absolutely there is.

The whole lockdown scenario is a reminder of just how precious life really is. As the Blues Brothers once said, “everybody… needs somebody… to love”. It’s so true. Don’t go through life on your own when there is someone out there just waiting to connect with you. Start your journey today! Whether you’re currently in lockdown or not, realise that the only true prison is your mind – and that you can reach out to connect to others wherever you are.