Sunday, 18 October 2020

Emerging from Lockdown

Hey lovelies!

It's sure been a while since I last 'put pen to paper' to share some thoughts. To be honest, during lockdown my inspiration felt low, there really wasn't much that I wanted to say. I took a break from social media and found that it helped to cut down on some platforms which felt overwhelmingly toxic. It felt as if the emotions, uncertainty and confusion were all over the social media platforms, running amok in posts, comments and subtexts. These past few months have really required me to go inward, and take the time to examine what this pandemic has meant to me. And while I was immensely grateful and mindful for all of my blessings, there were some dark moments, some tearful moments, some Aha! moments and some deep thought provoking moments. 

For me, it was a time to evaluate and assess what I wanted to expend my energy on and who I wanted to share my energy with. During this time, it became increasingly clear what I needed to do for myself, for my family and for business.  I have undergone several fundamental shifts in my mindset, prompted by the enforced solitude and deep introspection. I awoke every day, with an abundance of gratitude, to my Creator for granting me another day to serve HIM. While around me I heard of new infections every day, close family members and friends losing the fight against the pandemic with loved ones in mourning; I was more aware than ever that every day was a gift. It became crystal clear how we take our health for granted; and how this crazy time has highlighted the importance of our well-being. The impact that all the sudden fatalities had on me was that I realised how blessed I am to be loved, to have loved ones around and to be able to spend time with them. 

All the other stuff, although still important, was secondary. Even as our business ground to a sudden halt, with a very slow recovery envisioned, what is evident was that as mere mortals we are in control of nothing. In this realisation, there is no other alternative but to turn to our faith and rely on Divine Guidance, which the noise of the world drowns out. This time of quiet, where the entire world was forced into isolation for an extended period of time, showed us more than anything, that complete submission to the Divine was the only way to overcome this. Without warning, the global village found itself fighting the same invisible enemy, with no cure in the immediate future. Economies stood still, airlines were grounded and food and shelter became the most important commodities. We found ourselves longing for the simple things, which lockdown restricted. Being able to experience the sea air, take a walk in nature, take the kids to the park and visiting our loved became luxuries we hoped for . 

Life was in limbo and governments dictated our movements, national curfews implemented forced the youth to spend evenings at home with their families. Kids started yearning to be back at school, to have a conversation with a friend, to complete their school work outside of the home environment; and people appreciated their jobs as others found themselves out of work. For every person, the perspective on life has been altered forever. 
As we emerge from a full national lockdown, into a 'new normal', we turn to the small things to bring back a sense of balance. For me the first thing I wanted to do was inhale the sea air and just sit back and watch the waves. I take pleasure in observing the wonders and beauty of nature, which had been denied to me for months. Being able to go out for a meal (not cooked by me) is a treat, and catching up with a friend/family member in person is a cherished moment. The person who went into lockdown is not the same person who emerged from the cocoon to Level 1. Priorities have been re-organised, my daily gratitude practices have been integrated, I understand my value and will walk on my path keeping this knowledge close. I am mindful of the greatest gift I have been bestowed and that is the blessing of being uniquely ME. There is no other version of me in the entire universe, and nobody can be me, nor do what I what I am predestined to do. My Divine purpose is to embrace the entirety of my being, and as I emerge from lockdown, this will remain my biggest priority.

These are my post-lockdown images. During lockdown, I made a conscious decision not to purchase any clothing, accessories or shoes, as I wanted to experiment with what was in my closet. I have to admit that it barely affected me. While everyone was purchasing loungewear, I was unearthing my sweats and keeping some outfits on rotation for Zoom sessions and the occasional trip to the store. Therefore my lookpost below features some oldies from the closet and a pair of sneakers thrifted from my son, which he outgrew. I have combined sweats with a dressy skirt for a bit of a change from the lockdown uniform of full on sweats. I am hopeful to carry this minimal shopping ideology forward into my 'new normal'. 

PS: I have also reactivated my online pre-loved store, go on and have a look here

What are your greatest epiphanies unearthed during this past few months?

















Outfit Details:

Mango Sweat top
Human Image skirt
Chimpel leather bag
Giorgio Armani sunglasses
Vans sneakers (thrifted)

Ciao for now, 
RuBe xoxo



 

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