Focusing on the positive
LIVING in lockdown has taken its toll on us as a society, pushed us to our very limits. But, for the majority, this has been a silent struggle, one tackled alone.
Róisín Bullock (23) is striving to change that mindset, to bring people together during lockdown, create a place of positivity for those finding the days long and the nights even longer.
‘Just before lockdown I quit my job to pursue a career as a dance teacher, but that all disappeared when the pandemic began,’ Róisín says.
‘I had no money, everything was gone, I couldn’t apply for the Covid payment because I’d quit my job. There was a huge fear of the unknown, everything got on top of me and I just spiralled, started having panic attacks.’
Róisín reached out to her counsellor for support.
‘We had a chat and she always manages to, just with words, remove whatever blocks are in my head.
‘I have a journal full of notes and things I’d learned from her. So I thought “why don’t I share them with other people?”’
Thus my_ little_ journal notes was born, an Instagram page in which Róisín shares some of the things she’s learned during her own travails with anxiety. Having started out posting quotes and phrases, she has since taken the decision to sit in front of the camera and speak to her followers.
By discussing her own experiences and offering advice for those going through something similar, Róisín has already built up an audience, more than that, she has built a community.
‘ The response has been unbelievable from people in Bray, I’ve had people who I would have seen and thought they were doing okay get in touch with me and we’ve been messaging.
‘It’s a start, a way of acknowledging the issue. We can support one another, take small steps, ask things like “what am I thankful for?”’she says.
‘On a personal level I have found it so helpful, we’ve already built a little community and I’m really excited to see where it goes. I can see when people share one of my posts or interact with it and it means the world to me to see that.’
Although her ultimate ambition is to become a dance teacher, Róisín hopes she will be able to incorporate some of the things she has learned in recent weeks in her future career.
‘I’m already looking into psychology courses, life-coaching. I studied theatre and dance and that was so tough mentally so I’d like to be able to help young children with that aspect of things along the way.’
Underlining the impact she has made since starting the account, Róisín was recently contacted by a local fitness coaches with an offer to host a body positivity class for his clients over Zoom.
So successful was that class that another coach has since been in touch with a similar offer.
You can keep up to date with Róisín’s talks by following my_ little_ journalnotes on Ins tag ram.