As I consider my contribution to our newsletter, I am reminded of the pivotal essay topic of my final year of senior school, Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s: “Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains” (Please try not to cringe at the antiquated 18th century pronoun use!)
In 2021, as a full-flourishing adult in an almost otherworldly reality of Life in Lockdown, I find myself now contemplating this aforementioned sentiment.
Right now, our movements are restricted, but are we completely shackled?
Do we know how to breathe in liberty ー and feel it through our skin and in our bones?
And is that enough?
With our ever-present human capacity for hope-springs-eternal, this state of limbo can very quickly move from simply hopeless to harrowing ー and harrowing it has been!
From my acute layperson’s stance of pure lived experience, this is what I have plugged into, and what I would proffer, to ease some of the malaise:
1. I allowed myself to wantonly give in to the internal torture ー justified or not.
While we are incredibly privileged living in Australia, denying or diluting one’s feelings is dangerous, so give yourself permission to hug and hold those emotions, for however long you need to do so.
2. KNOW that you are not an island
ー we are an archipelago, within reach of each other, so reach out! A text, a message, an email or a call ー Face Time or old school. Talk to and enquire, because you won’t know until you do. We are incredibly resilient and creative; We can connect during these distressing times of disconnection.
3. Get moving. I call it Lock Down’s Hall Pass ー and I am here for it!
I have taken to my local mountain with a zeal that is quite shocking for this urban gal, and OhMyGordon! There IS a God!
My body has been brimming (glutes and hammies squawking, but hey!) and my spirit soaring ー the summit is the new nirvana in my re-shuffled world.
Ahhh…and you know what, it’s phenomenal how one is suddenly geared to take inspired action ー and this is anything from doing a load of laundry and cooking an enticing dinner to writing the application and ticking at least one box on the digital detox to-dos!
4. Thanks to #blessed, we know how to point out our blessings, but do you know how to call in your bliss?
It’s pretty simple, really. Do what tickles your fancy, what makes you deliriously happy ー yes, that’s #bliss! And allow it to be unconditional. So, no guilt, no second-guessing, no regrets. Just your heart bopping with happiness.
My go-to is good coffee, preferably savoured in the sun; Books! Oh, be still my bopping-happy heart, and I am currently reading four!
Writing…and my heart just skipped a beat then, such is the joy-level; Connecting with my humans ー see point 2, and also, you can still offer a smile-infused hello, from beneath your masked mouth while doing your daily exercise 😉
And my cherry-on-top of my gateau of suggestions? Use your imagination!
imagine
/ɪˈmadʒɪn/
verb
verb: imagine
- form a mental image or concept of ー visualise, envisage, envision, picture, dream up, plan
This is play ー and play is the ultimate form of freedom!
Sending all of you, my special blend of Golden JuJu and lots of extra love to ease this new kind of living in lockdown.
lieslg GAL
xo
Liesl Gordon
Liesl is a Canberra-based creative and CBR Gals Network board member. Her forté is relationships, her soul-speak is sacred connections and her bliss, words. You can find Liesl on Instagram @guguletugirls — she’d love to get to KNOW you!
@guguletugirls
Author: Liesl Gordon
Liesl is a Canberra-based creative and CBR Gals Network board member. Her forté is relationships, her soul-speak is sacred connections and her bliss, words. You can find Liesl on Instagram @guguletugirls — she’d love to get to KNOW you! @guguletugirls
Lieslg, thank you for a great read!
Thankyou Lieslg for your invaluable advice during a horrific time for so many, especially young girls struggling to make sense of how life as we now know it has come to be. Hopefully more Australians will recognise the wisdom in your words and selflessness in your aspirations, hallmarks of a real leader.