Are you making the most of your time in lockdown? You may have noticed that I’m not someone who likes to be stuck indoors for long! I have made a promise to myself to use this time productively and so I thought it might be useful to share how I’m keeping myself occupied.
Naturally, a lot of my energy is going into Gemstone Detective at the moment. I’m busy with the manuscript for my next book on Myanmar and Mogok, and I’m trying hard to add lots of informative, interesting and educational content to the Gemstone Detective blog. I’m keen to keep spreading the Gemstone Detective message, even if it’s from the confines of my office!
Though many planes remain grounded for the foreseeable future, I’m planning lots of incredible Gemstone Detective Tours so we can hit the ground running once lockdown is lifted. My mind is buzzing with all the fascinating gemstone hotspots that would make great tour destinations. Don’t forget to follow my blog for updates as they come…
Speaking of travelling, I’m keeping everything crossed that my planned research trip in June can go ahead. With any luck, I’ll be flying to South America to gather all the intel for my upcoming book Buying Gemstones and Jewellery in Colombia – this time with a particular focus on emeralds.
With that in mind, I’ve downloaded several language learning apps and I’m trying to teach myself Spanish. There’s no better time for online learning, as the whole world gets on board with remote education!
On a more personal level, I’m trying to make up for my frustrated wanderlust by recreating experiences at home. I was really disappointed that my astronomy trip to Astrocamp was cancelled thanks to Covid-19, so I’m going to set up my telescope and do a bit of star gazing from my flat roof.
Now the evenings are beginning to get a bit warmer, I’ve dug out the firepit to (safely, of course!) invoke those campfire vibes from my adventures in the Australian Outback.
And what better way to treat myself than by making some new cocktails to sip while gazing at those stars and watching the flames flicker?
On a more serious note, I know that it’s vital to keep our minds as healthy as our bodies, now more than ever. I’ve been following the Oprah /Deepak Chopra meditations, which I’d definitely recommend. One of the concepts covered is the importance of gratitude. Having gratitude expands your awareness, happiness and sense of hope – and we all need a sense of hope right now!
So, as of today I’m going to start a gratitude journal. Every day, for the foreseeable future, I’m going to write down 5 things I’m grateful for that day. It should be very interesting to look back on it in 20 years’ time!
What are you grateful for right now and how are you making the most of your time in lockdown? I’d love to know, so do get in touch!
Gemstone Detective
Be sure. Be smart. Buy with confidence