During these unprecedented times, many of us have been granted the gift of extended down time, which has provided ample opportunity to examine ourselves and what we have chosen to give our time to. This season has afforded us the ability to slow down, to reflect, to ponder our existence. Each day, we are confronted with the fact that although we might have expected this way of life to be just a quick blip, it is becoming more and more of a new normal for all of us.
Personally, I have found this gift to be especially healing. Prior to what seemed like almost everything coming to a standstill, I had truly longed for something like this- a larger margin of space in my life. I’ve gone on an incredible journey of self-renewal over the past couple of years, and during that time, I needed to step away from this platform to do the internal work that needed to be done- albeit, I am, and always will be, a work in progress. In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of rebuilding my life, I became keenly aware of how burned out I was becoming, but I wasn’t seeing any respite in sight. So, in my mind, I had decided to just, “ride the tide,” and accept that “such is life”.
In March of this year, the gift began to present itself, only in part, and my heart felt a slight release… So many engagements were cancelled, and I was able to take a proverbial chill pill for at least a short while, as we had all initially surmised at that time. But as the weeks continued on, the gift began presenting itself more fully, and I welcomed it with open arms. I began cooking new recipes, completing old projects I had been meaning to around my apartment, reading again- just taking my sweet time. My sweet, sweet, gift of time.
It was then that I began considering my creative wellness. Having left the corporate retail industry to pursue work that better aligned with my values, I found that that outlet for artistry had been lost. I began to recall the days where I would pick up my phone or camera to capture the moments and passions of my life that I wanted to share, and how I experimented with adding my own little creative flare to it all. I thought to myself, “You have everything you need to do this thing now, so why not begin again?”
Knowing the person that I am now, I feel like I’m in a much better position to pick a passion project like this up again, but more importantly, in the way that I’d really want to do it. Before, I didn’t really know myself fully. I felt I had to be the perfect version of someone else. But, having gained a serious measure of life experience, and learning who I truly am, who I am becoming, I have changed quite considerably. I also have no doubt that I will continue to do so. There is a deep desire within me to pursue the refocusing and resetting of my life as I have now come to know it.
As I re-embark on this journey, my hope is to hone this gift of time. To reawaken an innate measure of artistry that has lain dormant. To creatively share out of a renewed place. I invite you to join me!
What’s a #StayatHome project that you’ve undertaken? How do you plan to make the most of it?
Until next time,
Kay's Dossier 