A MESSAGE TO HER, THE GIRL I'M TRYING TO BE RIGHT NOW
My dearest friend,
I hope this message finds you well...or as well as anyone could be at a time like this.
It's overwhelming to think that the entire world is going through something absolutely unbelievable at the moment. Believe it or not this pandemic is pretty damn real & the gravity of the situation is extremely sobering. Between all of the uncertainty, boredom, worry & fear, it can be difficult to go through each day with some sort of purpose & not just crawl back into bed, safe under the sheets. I'm sure you know this, you've been living it every day since you lost your job, every day that you line up to enter the grocery store, & every day that you distance yourself from your family, friends & loved ones. I hope this message finds you well, because it's a message I think you should hear.
The world is upside down right now but if you hang from your legs on the monkey bars everything should look just fine.
There's many ways that one could deal with a situation like this.
Some people grieve, some find acceptance, some get emotional, some are in denial, some turn to creativity, some turn to numbing, some reach out to others, while some isolate more than ever.
There's no right or wrong way to cope with a situation like this. Every day is different, every day brings new changes to such an evolving situation, so it's only natural that your approach to every day varies too. It's silly to think that there's one formula to simply stop the emotional rollercoaster that you're experiencing during this time. If there's anything that amusement park references have taught me over the years, it's the importance of just riding it out.
Allowing yourself to feel how you feel is
key in moving past these difficult times &
remaining connected to your body & mind.
There's something magical that happens when you take a big deep breath, let your arms hang loose, & allow your body to do nothing else but support you.
Days seem to blur all together, time passing by without places to be or pressing tasks to complete. It must be strange to have such an abundance of time in a single day, yet not a single thing on the "to-do" list. I was proud to see that, for a while at least, you set in place some guidelines for each day with a requirement of five things to complete.
I. GO OUTSIDE/BE ACTIVE
II. CALL SOMEONE
III. DO SOMETHING PRACTICAL
IV. DO SOMETHING CREATIVE
V. DO AN ACT OF SELF CARE
This allowed you to stay busy without the pressure of having to be overly productive, to mass create or having too many expectations. These simple goals could be fulfilled by a wide range of tasks & activities. At times, the abundance of hours felt a little overwhelming, which resulted in way too much time spent on social media & watching far too many "Hot Ones" interviews.
The easy fix: Write out activities/projects that MOTIVATE YOU on single pieces of paper & put them in a jar/bowl. When you need a little pick me up & have more than enough free time, grab a slip & DO the activity! EASY PEASY!
These should be things that you enjoy so there's no excuse not to complete them :)
Although it can be hard to stay inspired & motivated, I hope you're taking advantage of all the amazing support that is accessible to you. Free tutorials, family Zoom chats, dance classes, yoga sessions, Facetime calls, online support groups, homemade recipes, live DJs, loving roommates - YOU NAME IT!
You are so fortunate to be social distancing in a space where
you can continue to create, move, dance, dress up,
stay connected to your loved ones & most importantly stay healthy.
Remember to acknowledge all that you are grateful for & appreciate the gifts that fill your life.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what exercises you did, how many cookies you baked, or how long it took you to finally clean the apartment. What matters most is being aware of how you feel by the time your head hits the pillow. Do you feel calm? Rested? Accomplished? Do you feel sad? Safe? Overwhelmed? Hopeful? Grateful? Compassionate? Lost? Unsure?
Whatever the feeling may be, know that there's a reason for it.
Listen to the message your body is relaying to you.
There's always another day ahead, another chance to feel purposeful, connected & present.
When hanging upside down, you may become uncomfortable, tired or dizzy. Don't be afraid to come back down & try again tomorrow.
STAY INSIDE, STAY SAFE
HOLD ON, HOLD TIGHT
HANG IN THERE,
IT'LL BE ALRIGHT
With love, Celine
XX
PHOTOGRAPHY: BETSY-MAY SMITH @betsymaysmith
OUTFIT ANTHEM: ALRIGHT - JAIN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MARsW26KXQg
OUTFIT DETAILS:
MEGA BLEACHED/DISTRESSED JEANS - EVA B VINTAGE
WHITE TURTLENECK - EVA B VINTAGE
WESTERN FRINGE - THRIFTED
YELLOW PLAID PLATFORMS - EVA B VINTAGE
EARRINGS - GIFTED & THRIFTED