This is the space for people to be able to share their worries in isolation.
Perhaps it is:
Relationships.
Living in close proximity with family members.
Isolating from the people you live with.
Living on your own.
Anxiety.
Depression.
Missing relatives and friends.
The social isolation.
The boundaries of self isolation.
Educating children.
Work worries.
Financial worries.
Boredom.
Lack of fresh air.
Lack of exercise.
:Lack of fitness.
Getting supplies.
Getting non essential supplies.
Getting essential services.
Getting non essential services.
Or anything else.
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Great topic Erica! Thank you for starting it. Such a good place for people to voice absolutely anything that’s worrying them. Hope you’re doing well 
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Thanks for starting this thread Erica… very helpful, I will add my comments this week and hope others will add their too, I am sure we can all share tips on what is helping and ways we are coping.
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Yes so many things that effecting us all in these “odd” times as we can’t function in usual human ways and I know every single one of my friends, who aren’t like us shielding, are finding it hard going whatever their situation so I guess that much more so for all of us here with no outside and human contacts eh! I know I live alone and have gone from madly working in a busy office few weeks ago to home shielding for 12 weeks. I am grateful for my doggy company and endless friends support for food etc. But no usual rambles with dog thro lovely parks and fields, certainly a big miss so good both physically and emotionally in “normal” life and normal human contact a coffee, a chat face to face. But how good Zoom and FaceTime etc!! I keep regular coffee slots with pals via tech how nice it is! I am also getting all my pals who are out doing daily exercise to take photos for me of any beautiful trees, spring blossoms, unusual plants, flowers or ferns, even small video clips of woods with birds singing - which they do, I watch, I enjoy, I rewatch, it feels relaxing and look forward to times ahead when I am back seeing it firsthand! One friend dropped some packets of seeds in my post box and I am enjoying potting them (I am fortunate I have a garden but could be done inside) and actually having daily time to watch them progress on - and be fascinated by it. I guess it’s all part of helping our emotional welfare during difficult times, clicking us back to positive and natural things and not getting overwhelmed with news or all the ifs and buts of what may or may not happen ahead. I heard a good paragraph about such just recently so will type it here may be of encouragement to some :- take the opportunity in these isolation days to stop and use the pause button, use time to look around us (garden, thro window) and see the beauty of the planet itself, bejewelled with the diversity of life, take a moment, look at it, maybe the stars (skies are much clearer at night at the mo so many stars!) the blue sky (seems more blue in these days, tho not today when raining!) a flower budding, a tree blossoming, may be a virtual tour of creatures and scenery elsewhere, all things to refresh the soul and reset the mind, some time looking can help discharge anxiety and shift us to a safe and enduring thing, we are part of something bigger and reminds us we are all created with purpose and care 
I thought lovely words
All the best to all
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What lovely words @Jilly20, thank you so much for taking the time to share this, and also, letting us know how you are getting on and coping at this time!
You’re so right about how important it is to look after our emotional welfare and trying not to get overwhelmed with it all. It’s so good to hear that you’re still able to chat with your friends (who sounds so lovely and supportive!) via Zoom and Facetime! I think we will all be so much more technologically adept after all this!
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Wow, Jilly what lovely words you quoted. Thanks for writing your post and telling us what it is like to be you in isolation. Perhaps this time in isolation has given me the opportunity to decide what my priorities in life are, yes, number 1 is social interaction, how and with whom. I will keep thinking and appreciating what is around me and outside.
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Normally I attend a local Cancer Centre, both as a client and as a volunteer. In a recent newsletter we were asked to share our feelings regarding the current situation and/or our cancer journey. This was my response:
Precious Lives
Life feels rather fragile right now,
but life has always been fragile,
life will always be fragile.
Life is precious and will continue to be so,
precious to all,
to the individual,
to their family,
to their friends.
Life with or without cancer
is a journey.
At times the path ahead is rugged,
a tough climb,
even impassable in places.
But there are times too,
when we discover new places,
not always out of choice.
Places previously unexplored,
and we are surprised to find hidden gems.
With or without cancer
we will journey through these present trials.
We will journey together,
supporting and upholding one another,
each of us unique,
each of us fragile,
each of us precious,
each of us giving something of ourselves.
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Oh, @Gillian28, that is absolutely beautiful and just what I needed today, thank you so much for sharing it with us all. How are you today? Stay safe.
I expect, like most folk, I have good days and not so good days!
Fine today, thank you, Erica. The thing I find most difficult is having so little face to face real life conversations. This week I have seen 2 people - the Sainsburys delivery man and the refuge collector!
For the sake of my mental health I am very strict about limiting the watching/reading of news bulletins and I try to keep myself occupied with various tasks and activities.
Through my church, I support a group of people by checking up on them each week by phone. Similarly, I help the Cancer Centre to make welfare calls to clients.
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I am also not watching the endless news coverage and programmes about the virus. You are also showing how we all need to support each other through these times of social isolation. Take care and stay safe.
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My biggest worries are whether I’ll still have a job at the end of all of this as the university was already in financial trouble before Corona. I also don’t think that things will ever get back to the way they were before entirely. We’ve had our whole way of living exposed as potentially dangerous and even when restrictions are relaxed without EVERYONE being vaccinated then we’re in danger of the virus coming back. I’m scared I’ll never be able to get on a plane again or see the sea or if I do that it won’t be for a long time. Socially I’ve adapted very easily as I think my incarceration after my diagnosis was a good practice run for dealing with something like this but I can’t lie as soon as we are able I’ll be on a train or plane to somewhere before they change their minds again!
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Oh, @Franko, whether you will have a job at the end of this is a real worry and who knows. Perhaps there will also be changes of how we work. You obviously love your travel and holidays. Where would you like to go by plane, train or sea?
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@Erica thank you so much for starting this thread, I’m sure it will no doubt be so valuable to many of our members. We look forward to hearing from others and would really encourage people to share their thoughts and tips 
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