Pocket full of sunshine
How to nurture hope, happiness and a bit of sunshine during these times.
Hello lovely people, reading my first blog! I can’t believe I’ve finally got around to writing a blog. After years of deliberation and fruitless procrastination, I am just so happy to have arrived here. Since this is my first post, I’ll try to keep the sappiness to as low as possible.
When this year started, I was inches away from moving to another country and starting anew. And here we are now, mid July, sipping chai and watching patiently as monsoon ebbs and flows through India. The common truth we all shared this year comes nicely wrapped in this singular statement, ‘and then the pandemic hit, and everyday was cancelled.’ Whilst my life has pretty much remained unaffected, owing to the fact that I’ve been an independent illustrator for a while now, it does feel raw to be restricted. I also feel too privileged, knowing I don’t have anything to complain about, and in some ways I’m grateful for the way this year has rolled. It gave me the downtime to finally set up my website (it’s really been long due!), work harder on freeing my very blocked illustration voice and figure out what kind of business I want to take on for my studio. So all in all, it’s been good!
Yesterday was a bright blue day and I really enjoyed spending some time out in the sun. Since we’ve not been able to leave the house at all owing to the rising COVID cases around our city, my flatmate and I sunbaked and drank chai on the terrace of our building, catching up on some soulful reading as well. I’ve been reading The Handmaid’s Tale again after massively binging the TV show last month, and really questioning deep rooted wiring we have towards gender roles that the society expects us to play. I highly recommend both the show and the book, though I do feel the book doesn’t match up to the show’s gravity visually.
The clouds were edible and floating through the sky which somehow was the right shade of cerulean blue that I love so very much. It’s not much to ask for a slowdown in these unprecedented times, where everyday we question the uncertainty that we experience and yet we struggle. We give up the one thing that keeps us going, hope. We usually do that because we don’t know where to find it. Because maybe we forget that it’s a virtue to be cultivated and nurture, just like a habit.
“Hope” is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops - at all .
Emily Dickinson
We chase after it like we do with happiness, hoping that the more we chase, the closer we’ll get to discovering it. But the truth is, it’s within you already. Everything we want and aspire for in life is because we think it will make us happier. I think though if we were only happier first, more fulfilled in our souls first, if we only began our hunt for joy from a place a joy, we’d get there sooner. I’ve taken several steps back this year to reflect on what’s truly important to me, and setting aside time from the grind has helped so much. We usually aren’t capable of pausing or slowing down because we don’t feel worthy of it.
Time out allows us the chance to reset, realign and restore
It’s the most important gift we can give ourselves.
In another time, I would have written about hustling, but right now taking the time out to notice, observe and acknowledge your feelings should be the most prioritized tick on your checklist. Our friends are losing jobs, families across the world are struggling and with the oncoming recession, we will need as much kindness as we can muster. Some things that I am doing daily to nurture a more hopeful spirit right now, are listed below -
I pray, a lot, and it’s usually from a place of gratitude for the things I have been graced with. I also have a small A5 size diary ( I have a diary for everything!) where I religiously write a list of things I’m grateful for. Days I miss out I just mumble to the heavens before I sleep.
I drink an ocean of water daily. Water balances out most emotional rollercoasters and is super important for feeling a sense of ease in our skins. A dehydrated mind = A dehydrated life. I start my day with a tall glass of warm water + honey + pink salt and let me tell you, it’s a game changer.
I spend hours on a regular basis voice-noting, video calling and talking to people who raise me up and people I can raise up. I’m fortunate to have people in my orbit who adore me and vice versa and just taking the time to be vulnerable with them and connecting deeply for even 5% of my time in the day, goes a long way. It’s mandatory at this stage in my life to be surrounded by people who are genuinely positive, hungry for life and rich in humility as well as people who want to challenge themselves and grow out of their own blues.
I sleep more hours than recommended for an adult because I feel more refreshed when I’m well rested and the chances of me being creative are higher. Thumb rule here, try to snuggle in and take it easy when you’re starting your day. I usually linger in my bed for a while, set some intentions for my day, write my morning pages - a practice I caught hold of several years ago. The way you start your morning, is totally the way your day will go.
I listen to this song and dance my heart out in the most shattering ways possible. Moving your body in even the smallest ways makes space in our bodies to accommodate more than just a singular emotion.
Hope this helps, and I hope you can hope, if not much else.