“I’m on a little wellness journey at the moment.”
Spending the last three months or so in lockdown seems to have affected everyone in very different ways. Some people have found being cooped up indoors and not being able to see friends and family quite a challenge, whereas others have used the time to focus on hobbies or better their mental health.
In her latest video, Lucy Moon opens up about some of the thoughts she’s had whilst in lockdown, including its impact on her mental health and wellness.
“For me, lockdown has been a series of realisations and epiphanies triggered by being out of my comfort zone,” Lucy says, setting a very relaxed, chatty atmosphere that makes it feel like you’re having a coffee with a friend.
Her first lockdown realisation encompasses the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained an increased amount of traction after the death of George Floyd in the United States. “Social media has become an attention economy,” she states, explaining how, up until recently, she viewed social media as being a place for creativity and communication. Yet, over the last few months, it has become apparent that a lot of people are using social media as a performative platform.
Referencing the Black Lives Matter protests, Lucy explains how some white influencers only recently had a kind of ‘awakening’ to the racial discrimination and police brutality occurring across the globe, and two weeks later were posting photos and TikToks at the protests. “It seems to have become a trend-led thing, to a certain extent, and it makes me uncomfortable,” she shares.
In some ways, there’s nothing overtly wrong with this; the more people who are on-board with the movement, the closer we come to achieving equality. But what about a person’s motivation for supporting a movement like Black Lives Matter? Are morals important, or is the ultimate goal of raising awareness via social media the most important thing?
“There’s a sense of people trying to one-up each other on how much of an ally they are,” Lucy says, posing the idea that celebrities and influencers that are often pressured by their followers into responding to a situation like this don’t always lead to a thoughtful outcome.
It also assumes everyone uses social media to the same degree. Some people might be posting clickbait of purposefully controversial pictures or videos, in order to grab attention for their own benefit and not for the benefit of the movement. On the other hand, a person may be far less active on social media, but be donating money, volunteering for charities or attending protests without broadcasting that to the online world.
Another realisation Lucy discusses is the importance of having discussions with friends offline, especially with people who might have a different opinion to you. “I have friends who are scared to share opinions for fear of being slated. It’s perfectly healthy to have friends who have slightly different opinions, but overall the same ethics and end goal,” she says. “We should work to being more open-minded towards people who don’t have the exact, identical opinion to us.”
Lucy then moves on to opening up about some personal realisations, the first being that she seems to have neglected her own wellbeing, and not focussing on loving herself properly. “Movement and keeping my body healthy has been a huge positive change. I’m on a little wellness journey at the moment,” she shares.
Lucy also emphasises how important having a proper working environment is, which is why she sets herself the goal of one day having a proper office space to avoid working at the kitchen table. “I’ve also noticed how being in tune with how my appearance affects me,” she adds. “When I put on a nice outfit, makeup and have tidy hair, I feel so much more me.” She also notes that might be the case for many struggling with lockdown. For others, being in comfy clothes with no makeup on makes them feel more confident – what’s important is that everyone’s different.
In the final portion of the video, Lucy sets her mind on the future.
“Just doing YouTube as a full-time job without a wider purpose has made me feel disengaged,” she says, explaining how encouraging voting and engaging in politics is something she’s really passionate about and would like to pursue in the future.
Thanks for sharing your realisations, Lucy! Keep up the positivity.
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