Some of you reading this may already know and some of you may have guessed from a change in my social media posts. But I wanted to share this.
The last 6 months has been hard on everyone, the whole world. It’s been challenging, tough, eye opening and brought about change we could never have foreseen.
This has definitely brought about change for myself and Alex.
Alex and I had thought about swapping our flat in Salford and city centre living to a house nearer the countryside. We considered moving closer to the sea within the North West. We were done with flat living and had out grown the flat.
We had rocketed into an outdoor way of living but without the space. We had accumulated a dog, 2 bikes, several wetsuits, and a paddle board (stored in the bath). When Alex purchased a Wayfarer dinghy and I found a set of sails and a rudder in our spare room, I knew it was time.
This idea was put on hold as we entered lockdown in March this year and we sat grateful for our cosy home. But over the coming weeks as the pandemic unfolded this notion started to shift.
I was told I’d be working from home for the foreseeable future (March 2021 at the earliest). Alex had left his co-working space. Both working from home. Trapped in what felt like 10 foot square living space, a dressing table as a desk, no outside space and a city that was getting predominantly further from what we fell in love with. We started to question what we wanted, what we needed and importantly why we live where we do.
When you are told you can work from home and you no longer need to commute, this completely swifts your focus and perspective. Why Manchester? Why Greater Manchester? And then why the North West of England?
Most people even without commuting to work still have commitments whether that is children in schools, looking after relatives or just having strong roots in one place. And wouldn’t want to up root their lives like we have done. However without these things it made me think about what was important and what we loved.
We were exploring areas of the South Coast, dreaming of not having the 4 hour drive back to Manchester. Wishing we could stay there. Before we knew it, we signed for a rental property in the coastal town of Lymington, in the New Forest, Hampshire.
We packed up the flat and moved mid August to a detached bungalow with a garden.
Since moving, I feel like I can breathe. I feel more connected to the sea and nature which is what I longed for. My mental health has improved dramatically and not to mention my way of life/work life balance. I have seen a lot in the news since the ‘working from home’ announcement in regards to people leaving crowded cities and headed to the country or the coast. Not to mention those lucky enough to work from second homes. And why not.
Being told I won’t have to be in the office until at least March 2021, still poses risks, I’d have to deal with that as the time came but for now I am doing whats right for Alex and I.
If your circumstances have changed during this pandemic, I urge you to look at it from a different perspective. Try and make good out of a bad situation and make it work for you.
Let me know if you made any drastic changes during 2020!
Ness x
Ness' bit of everything 