Bali April 10, 2020
Day 798..... what day is it??? I ask as I chomp into some fresh watermelon listening to the ocean sitting under a frangapani tree that hangs over my balcony in Seminyak, Bali the now deserted tropical island of your dreams...... where I currently reside, thanks everyone for going home #livingthedream
Here is my update:
We have this kinda invitation to lockdown.... known as Rumah Aja meaning house only
A bunch of people were Pantai Aja or beach only until we had our cold coconut white sandy blue ocean palm tree dreams dashed by the Banjar who promptly closed all the beaches with a kris cross of bamboo, no surfing for you! Beach Closed sign at every access point even the sneaky "no one knows about this one" got bambooed.
Essential services seem to be a random list of open shops ranging from Havaianas to hardware and coffee with no rhyme or reason... Yesterday I needed a lightbulb for the fridge hopped on my scooter & 5 shops later lightbulb in hand I returned home for a shower which was the equivalent of a surgical scrub down - its easier to stay at home.
Many bule have now caved & are rumah aja'ed stocking up the gin, dusting off the Uno & blowing up the pool ponies. Even in the Gu has pulled its head in with take away coffees only & no sit down dining... lots of home selfie shots confirming social & physical distancing. The only exemption seems to be Central Denpasar where its business as usual... no tourists only locals doing their regular local thing not sure if people are just going about their lives unawares & corona carefree or if they are in a hurry to get their goods & get outta dodge.
Many villages have simply stopped allowing their villagers to leave, the local community coming together working together to support & protect one another. Some areas have been hit harder than others, Bali is 80% tourism driven so yes their are regions villages & families doing it tough. People have lost their jobs, not all stories are bad- I watched & supported in awe of the tenacity with which Wayan has built her Jamu business after loosing here job in a villa just weeks ago - She is now successfully self employed- her creativity & initiative not dulled by her circumstances. Human spirit, resilience & adaptability is truly extraordinary.
When you leave the house it is wearing "masker" masks are mandatory across the whole of Indonesia, which apart form a show of solidarity & protecting us form touching our faces ... they heighten our awareness .... I now feel they should be fashionable so have started the hashtag #motd mask of the day. I am sure there is someone crocheting rainbow masks & layering in shells & feathers - Creative maskery!! maybe this is me next week...
I am super grateful to the Wifi Gods.... as is everyone else who has now fast tracked their digital side hustle.... Has anyone else noticed the overwhelming amount of free offers has gone cray??? In the yoga world free seems to be the fall back... there are free lives, zooms & new offers raining down on my feed every second the spiritual speedway where every yogi has jumped on the bus that is careering digitally down on us... & we are not practicing digital distancing ....which leads to feelings of overwhelm & guilt cause we haven't taken that free class.... fuckity fuck ......breathe.....let that shit go... Its totally ok slow down, to eat a Snickers & read a book. Personally I have read several books & eaten way too many (mini) Snickers
But really What now??? Honestly l wish I could get eyelash extensions as regularly as this stay at home waiting game is getting extensions.....alas my eye lashes are just...a lack....any who.
While we play the waiting game, side hustles & creative maskery noted this is an amazing time for creativity! Every single human is a creative being whether you think so or not! We now have the space to uncover ideas that are hiding behind the 99 thousand thoughts that we have constantly whizzing around in our heads!
One of my creative little, not so little projects I had been working on was my Staycation Retreat - ready when you are! I am pleased to announce is now live! This was something that I had in the works for a while - Inspired by having lived in remote parts of Australia where it was not always possible to get to a Yoga Retreat - Now you can log into my 5 day Staycation Retreat form anywhere in the world!! You can follow the class plan & lessons or work it it in an around your schedule! Absolutely perfect for our current situasi.
How do we get creative?
Good news!!! Our imaginations have no limitations!!
The only limitations we have are the ones that we place on ourselves or the ones that we are patterned to believe - Meaning that we accept this as a part of our reality without ever questioning the origin of the belief...
For example.. Going to school & getting A's is a measure of success - Yes it is a measure of success, but does it actually mean that you are a failure if you don't get A's?
What if your learning style is different? or you excel at something that the school doesn't measure? This is the sort of unquestioned patterning that I am reflecting on, it makes me want to say Eff you school reports!!! & to the School Principal - the one that shut down my primary school business & tried to stifle my entrepreneurial spirit - I was making dangly feather combs at home & selling them to my school mates (it was the 70's) Eff you too.
Creativity needs frivolity & playfulness!
What would you do if you didn't care about what people thought of you?
The easiest way to look at this is to think of the times when you are with people you are totally comfortable authentic & the most you with..... like your best friend or that person who you can throw crazy ideas around with & roll around with laughter at the things that you come up with the good, the bad & the down right silly!!
This is exactly the play creativity loves, these ideas don't have to be THE idea(s) but this play is allowing you to be a creativity explorer!!
So go do something fun.. maybe climb a tree play Twister, Cards of Humanity or take that online yoga class after all and then go laughing (on FaceTime) with your besties!
Creativity needs space
As mentioned previously your creativity is lurking in the recesses of your busy brain, kind of like the kid that is trying to ask a question at assembly & no one can see his hand is up! So if you ask every one aka your thoughts to sit the fuck down & shush the chatter, then maybe you are in with a chance of hearing what he has to say!
This is where meditation will make you a seemingly a more creative being (remember you already are creative!) Tip this is why we do the yoga shapes - so move your asana this will enable you to sit & mediate longer so that you can release your creative beast within!!
Creativity needs a little confidence
In order to pout our ideas out there - i.e. once we get them to the front of the assembly we need to find a little confidence to get them to stand up & talk!!!
I think this trick is a goodie: List 25 things that you have done that you are proud of. This task has absolutely nothing to do with what other people think, that you think- they might think you are proud of... follow me here lol... Just don't worry about what other people think - just what you feel! You may have got in trouble for pulling that kids hair in the playground - secretly you know they may have really deserved it & the kid that you stuck up for has been your bestie since school - this may be a proud moment example! Maybe not to anyone else but certainly to you! This list will make you realise just how many awesome things you have had the courage to do! - It will teach you to be a more expanded human being looking beyond patterning & our perceived limitations.
Here are 5 of my 25:
1) Setting up my first biz in primary school selling my hand made hair comb creations
2) Designing & sewing my outfits as a kid - my fav being the recreation of Stacy Q's black & white dress of her 1986 video "We Connect"
3) Making a human- my beautiful daughter Catie-Jane
4) Moving to Bali
5) Learning to ride a scooter see my blog Learning To Ride Sepeda Motor
Don't feel like the four walls are closing in.... they are just walls! Remember the brain cannot differentiate between your minds eye i.e. your imagination and what it sees in reality! So if you sit with you imagination the possibilities become infinite & patterning a thing of the past!
GET CREATING!!!
Me right now I am am in a creative super space! I have enrolled in two courses online as a result of some self study & self enquiry so that I can continue to learn & evolve!
Creative explorations don't always have to be public offers products or services it could just be your personal exploration & evolution .. that leads you on a journey to another creative hotspot!
Strange, yet still kinda creative I have started to make myself insta stories that remind me & anyone else who has forgotten what day it is lol
I have installed Tik Tok & loaded my first two TT's not sure why they have not gone viral?? checks status updates daily... note to self... enrol in 3rd online course to understand Tik Tok.
These are unchartered territories & times and yet really incredible opportunities are being presented! I genuinely hope that everyone is able to find some peace in this stillness, as you reunite with your captive creative who is long time over due for release!!!
much love
kit
Commentaires