I should hope that like most of you in the UK right now, I am currently sat in my kitchen looking at my four walls thinking about what snack I should have next, is it worth baking anything today or should I put a bit of makeup on to make me feel better. All thoughts running through my mind recently…
From the outset I’d initially planned to start the ‘Lifestyle’ section of my blog discussing exciting restaurants I had visited recently, underground bars I had recently danced the night away to or amazing independent coffee shops i had stumbled across on my habitual Sunday walks. However, I thought it was more relevant to talk about the world pandemic going on right now. So, let’s jump in and see how Isabella Sophie is managing with self-isolation and Covid 19.
1. Has Covid 19 affected my job?
Unfortunately, yes. In January, I took a gamble and decided to leave my full-time job in order to pursue a career in fashion journalism. In February I started an internship with SheerLuxe and then moved onto an internship with Stylist.
After the internships had finished I spent the whole of a gloomy Monday sourcing and contacting every single email address I could find on the internet with relation to my favourite high-end fashion magazines. Not expecting any response, I managed to confirm internships with Cosmopolitan, Grazia and Glamour with immediate start, one following on after the other.
I was honestly over the moon to start and filled to the brim with excitement. However, this dream all went quickly south. night before I was supposed to start my internship I receive a text to say that the office was closed until further notice, this left me stuck.
Rent to pay, bills to pay and no fixed job, I started to panic. I tried applying to local pubs for evening shifts or coffee shops for a few shifts to make a little bit of money but of course with the UK on lockdown, this was impossible. Luckily, the team at Stylist have been amazing and offered to hire me as a Freelancer giving me a few days of the week to be working and earning a bit of money.
In the meantime, I had to think of this situation positively. Self-isolation has given me so much time to do things I had always wanted to do but I was always too tired after a full day at work or just had zero motivation to start. Finally, after years of saying I wanted to do it, I set up this blog. Every day, I complete my morning workout routine and then it’s straight to the laptop to write down new blog ideas and write as much content as my brain can take. Now that I have all the time in the world, be prepared for endless blog uploads and fun content to keep you entertained during these tough times. I can’t wait to share it all with you.
2. Have I been able to exercise during lockdown?
Most of the people who know me understand how much I appreciate my daily gym routine, not just to remain healthy and fit but also to improve my state of mind. Finding that the gym was closing its doors for the unforeseeable future left me feeling a little deflated, yes, I know you must be thinking how sad but the gym for me is my personal way to unwind. A few years ago, when I was at University I decided to run a half marathon which I loved every minute of. Due to self-isolation I have got back into running and I forgot how much I missed it. I love listening to a podcast with my Nike running app on to track my distance and I just let my thoughts run wild whilst I pound the pavements of South London.
Home workouts have also become a habitual part of my morning routine. I enjoy going for a run and then coming back to do a home workout to target my abs, glutes and legs. I always used to have a bit of a vengeance with home workout videos as I didn’t believe that they necessarily did the job. However, this opinion has been changed and I have started watching YouTube workout videos from my favourite fitness influencers to help my blood get pumping, I just love it. I have also noticed that lots of personal trainers on Instagram are going live each day such as Bradley Simmonds who I have tuning into at 8am some days to follow a live workout.
Hopefully over the next few weeks I will become a pro at home workouts and I will get my isolation buddy, also known as my boyfriend Seb to take a few photos so that I can share it with you.
3. What activities have I got up to whilst self-isolating?
Whilst taking a quick break from writing this blog, I decided to whip up a banana bread using some very brown, speckled bananas lying in my fruit bowl. This was then shortly followed by making eight gooey, chocolate chip cookies. It’s activities like this which I have just loved.
Baking, reading, cooking, dancing, writing, the list is endless of all the activities I have taken up again whilst being in isolation. All year round I love reading but actually having the time to sit down with a book and a cup of tea is the best feeling in the world whilst also feeling guilt free.
I have made a promise to myself to not just keep nipping to the shop but to instead use up what I have in the cupboard and create new recipes that I wouldn’t have tried before. The other night I made a delicious chilli con carne using left over burger mince, a quarter of an aubergine, chickpeas and array of spices but it made the tastiest dinner. Not to mention chopping up a stale tortilla wrap and making it into spiced tortilla chips.
As a global community we need to remember the positives and not just focus on the negatives. Pick up a new hobby, pick up that book you left on the shelf six months ago, pick up that paint brush and continue painting, take the opportunity now whilst you can to focus on your being and really promote your self-care routine.
Isabella Sophie x
Isabella Sophie Style 