Last word
Helen Burge is staying grounded as she gears up for the summer holidays
I
sincerely hope we all get to have a summer holiday this year, whether in this country or maybe even overseas. Either way, it’s likely
to be the longest journey we’ve been on for a while, and probably, therefore, a bit of an undertaking. So how can you prepare? Aside from the practical considerations (such as making sure your car is roadworthy and checking that everyone who should be in the car is actually in the car) what else can you do?
Be realistic Expectations are funny things. After all this time at home, it’s easy to feel anxious and overestimate potential problems. Your imagination could overrun with issues you may face on the journey, such as fi nding yourself worried about being caught up in traffi c at the M5/M6 interchange just when everyone is desperate for
a toilet break! Alternatively, you may have a rose-tinted vision of your holiday as the perfect getaway from the stresses of last year. My advice is to stay grounded,
be aware that events and problems may happen, and plan for what you can do to mitigate their effects. For instance, stay mindful and present as you lock up the house to avoid any nagging doubts about whether you really did close the back door, and take earlier stops at motorway service stations!
Expect emotion Sometimes no one knows what journey you’ve already been on and how it’s affected your spirits. Likewise, we don’t fully know how lockdown has impacted those closest to us, even if we do share a house with them. So, stay aware that whether you’re going somewhere
that’s just down the road or travelling further afi eld, the summer holiday might feel overwhelming for some of us. It could be intensely emotional too, especially if you are meeting up with family you’ve not seen since the start of lockdown. Just remember that this past year
has given us all a crash course in fl exibility, adaptation and the ability to change things at short notice. Meltdowns are to be expected, of course, but try shortening them with love and hugs rather than lengthening them with irritation.
Smile The fi nal destination post lockdown might be described in one way by the government or pictured clearly in your head. Over time, plans might have to be adapted for reasons beyond our control, and we have to accept another slightly different destination, despite all setting out from the same place. It’s a scenario similar to when
GRANTS
Mindfulness Perspective Flexibility
Consideration
you’re on a coach transfer abroad, sitting expectantly as your fellow passengers are dropped off at their amazing hotels. Then, further down the road, you’re dropped off outside your own hotel, which fails to muster the same kerb appeal. But by the next morning, you’ll all be lounging under the same sun. So smile, and enjoy your new perspective! We’ve all experienced our own
versions of lockdown and will all have our own journeys out of it, with their own pace and method. Good luck, be a considerate traveller – and bear in mind that we are all a little out of practice!
Helen Burge is deputy chief operations officer at The Priory Learning Trust and SRMA with Cotswold Beacon Academy Trust. @DeputyCOOatTPLT
58 SUMMER 2021 FundEd
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