Not only that, but change itself – even a change in the “right” direction – can feel unnerving, whether that’s returning to your office or dining out for the first time in four months.

“For many, a change in circumstances represents threat. It can provoke us to create imagined realities that trigger fear and anxiety,” says mindset coach and leadership consultant Alister Gray, the founder of Mindful Talent. “The key to avoiding these feelings is to readapt to life at your own pace, by making choices that feel true to you.”

Here’s how to do exactly that, using four steps outlined by Gray to see you through this awkward post-lockdown transition.

Permission to say no: how to navigate post-lockdown anxiety by adapting at your own pace