So many things have changed since 2020, many of them we could do without, but there are some positives. With so many people in their homes with nothing to do, some very creative things began to occur. People took the opportunity to write a book, learn to paint, or figure out some other area they had been interested in. Here are a few of the things people found to do during lockdowns.

  1. Gardening: When being in the house was too much, we could still go out into our yards. People who had never planted anything became mildly obsessed with their tomatoes and flower gardens. You don’t have to be in an outdoor space long before you start to get ideas. Gardening can be such a relaxing experience with slow rewards and much anticipation.
  2. Home Brew: Craft beer was another growth industry during the lockdowns. When the social aspect of beer was taken away, people made up for it by becoming experts in creating it. NZ craft beer enthusiasts are now coming out of their basements with wonderful new treasures and a new reason to celebrate.
  3. Yoga: Yoga was already rising in popularity before 2020. Because it is an exercise, you can do at home. Yoga was a natural choice with people that decided to take the opportunity to get in shape. Exercise in general increased during the pandemic, indicating that people do want to be more active; they just don’t have time for it when they must go to work every day.
  4. Arts and Crafting: Craft stores were experiencing surges in sales after the first month of the lockdowns. Many people have been waiting for an opportunity to learn how to paint, sculpt, draw, or master other artistic pursuits. Similarly, other folks got busy in their shops, learning new woodworking skills, or building furniture. And the crafting hobby has never been so popular.
  5. Cooking and Baking: When you must make all your meals and have all day to think about it, you start getting some ambitious ideas. Culinary skills increased dramatically in the last year as people discovered that making great food just isn’t that hard to do. With resources like YouTube and other recipe sites, no one even needs to remember how it was done.

Hopefully, we will soon put the health concerns aside and return to a full access world and all it has to offer. It is possible to learn something new every day if you wish. Moving forward, we can continue to better ourselves and bless our fellow humans with beautiful and delicious things.