Living a life true to ourselves when we have restrictions on our freedom?
How are you doing? No, seriously, how are you doing? I can't pretend to know your current circumstances, they may be very different to mine, but my aim in continuing to write these letters is the same as it's always been and that is to offer a little hope and wisdom into your inbox.
So I've been thinking about this question..
'How can we still live life on our own terms when we have restrictions placed on our freedom?'
I’ve been thinking about this one. If you’ve been following me for a while, you will know that my work is about bringing people to life and helping them live a life that’s true to them. So freedom and expressing who we are is important to me.
We are now needing to work as a global collective. It’s like we are all working on the same task at the same time and that requires cooperation, empathy and tolerance. AND it requires divergent thinking.
Last week I was aware that I was very consumed by external voices, guidance, opinions and facts. I wanted to understand what was going on and what I needed to do in all of this. But I was noticing more than ever that I was drawn in to a uniform way of thinking, to the point I didn’t know if what I was saying was my own thought or a mix of what I had read, heard from the government, my friends, media etc.
A collective effort is like a good soup, it needs a blend of different ingredients that are all equally delicious to make up the final meal. Tomato soup is the most dull soup going. We need a spicy noodle broth here right...
The world is going to need more divergent thinking. Yes we are all in this together but that does not mean we have to think and feel the same. This is one way you can keep living life on your own terms. Your thoughts, ideas, opinions and creativity are uniquely yours and they are needed. Be responsible, protect yourself and others, AND tune into your own thoughts, ideas and opinions and express them. Don't get lost in the noise.
This will test our tolerance and empathy for others who think differently and what a beautiful test that will be.
I really hope you find this useful and that it gives you some ways to bring perspective and hope to whatever you're feeling right now.
Photo by Gene Jeter on Unsplash