Women on the Road - Breaking the Barriers | Mildura Intimate Portraiture Mary Crump hasn’t always been an interstate truck driver, but she does wish she had gotten behind the wheel a lot earlier. The 51-year-old from Red Cliffs drives two up with her partner Michael Wisneske picking up freight. It often takes her from Adelaide to Melbourne but sometimes she ventures to places like Griffith. “I have been driving the truck for the last two and a half years,” Mary said. “I was travelling for a year with my partner before I got my HC (Heavy Combination) license.” Mary worked in aged care and disability for around 12 years before becoming a driver and began to be disheartened by seeing the people she cared for pass away. Hurting her back was the push Mary needed to decide to leave those industries and spend more time with her partner on the road. “My partner and I love the fact we can spend our time together and we have an awesome relationship, which makes it easier,” Mary said. “I love meeting lots of different people and seeing some of our beautiful country.” Mary and Michael have just purchased a brand new truck, a Scania R540, something that she thought they would never be able to do.  But with the highs come the lows, and Mary said she has encountered some rude male drivers along the way. “On the whole most people have been very helpful and supportive,” she said. “Also, because I'm only 5 foot 1 inch, it can be a challenge getting up and down the trailers but I'm lucky that hubby usually saves me the job.” Although tough sometimes, Mary said she would definitely recommend truck driving to other females because it’s a good job and very rewarding. As for what females could bring to the job that males might not; Mary said it was patience. “I do believe women who drive trucks are more careful and wary on the road,” she added. “It sounds weird but I've met a few other female drivers and they are so mindful of their surroundings and don't take the chances that some male drivers do.” Mary hopes she will be able to keep trucking for another five years, before the two of them park it up and enjoy the rest of their lives together travelling. “That's the only downside to the job,” she said. “We don't seem to do much other than work but it works for us as we only have our fur baby and she comes with us every trip". “If any other women out there think they want to give it a go, I say go for it!" “It's actually a job that I wish I had gotten into sooner."
0 Comments
Women Can Do Anything - Outdoor Vibes | Mildura Boudoir Photography GARDNER and landscaper, Neisha Nilsen loves getting her hands dirty. From Renmark, the 25-year-old has been in the field since high school, although it now plays second fiddle to her main job - a barmaid. When it comes to gardening and landscaping, Neisha does it all; mowing and whipper snipper-ing, laying turf and planting plants, pulling weeds and wheel barrowing dirt and gravel. “I enjoy working in an environment females wouldn't ‘normally’ work in to show that we can do it,” Neisha said. “The best thing about this job is feeling like I can accomplish just about anything, even in a male dominated environment.” Neisha said sometimes, being female, she finds the opposite sex don’t value her opinion, but she has proven to a lot of people that she is capable. “In saying that, I have developed a great sense of humour and have become ‘one of the boys’,” she added. And when it comes to getting the job done, Neisha said females can often go that extra bit. “I believe we females want to get a job done perfectly and have a tidy end result,” she said. “We have an eye for detail.” Asked if she would recommend gardening and landscaping to fellow females, Neisha didn’t have to think twice. “Yes,” she said. “It's a great opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and show everyone that females can do it!” Breaking the Barriers - Women Can Do Anything! | Mildura Intimate Portraiture Makayla Harrison is determined and driven and it’s because of this she is now doing what she loves every day. The 26-year-old is an A Grade industrial electrician, working in the water industry. She’s been in the field for nearly eight years having completed a four year apprenticeship, spending a year on the tools and then transitioning into her current role as an electrical technical officer. “Through my apprenticeship, I worked on motors, Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Variable Speed Drives (VSD), electrical equipment at water treatment plants and electrical equipment at wastewater treatment plants,” Makayla said. “Currently I am an office based employee undertaking project management, electrical drafting, overseeing projects completed by local electrical contractors, designing switchboards and equipment and taking lead of projects from scoping to finalisation.”  Makayla grew up on a 40,000 acre sheep station in NSW. She moved to Mildura to go to school. “Every chance I got I was back home at the farm helping Dad,” she said, “I just loved every bit of it. “I knew I wanted to be hands on; I just couldn’t see myself in a shop or behind a desk. “So that’s where it began - my passion was already behind me so from Year Nine in school, all I wanted to do was get into the workforce. “School wasn't my strong point and I really didn't love it at all.” Makayla did work experience every chance she got, including on Wednesdays and school holidays. She also did a Certificate Two in Electro-Technology while in high school. It helped Makayla establish what she wanted to do in life and, after trying cabinet making, graphic design and hospitality she struck gold in the electrical field. “My very first day was 41 degrees, pulling cables through trenches,” Makayla recalled. “I was sick that day and everyone said to me this is the worst part of it and I was like if that’s the worst part, this is what I want to do!" “I was so excited and absolutely loved every bit of it!” Makayla spent every spare minute from then on working for different electricians, gaining valuable experience and knowledge.
“I did work with anyone I could, and every three to four months, I rang every electrician in the phone book to ask if they had anything".
“I dropped my resume in at every opportunity I could. It got to the point they all knew who I was when I rang!” Finishing Year 12 Makayla’s perseverance finally paid off and she was offered two apprenticeships. She was ecstatic. “I had people try and talk me out of a male dominated career but I am so thankful that I stuck to my heart and did it,” Makayla said. “Designing a switchboard and seeing it built and on site working/pumping is an amazing achievement". “It was such an amazing day when I became an A Grade electrician!" “Through up and downs in my own life that extended my apprenticeship, it was a huge relief just that I followed my dreams and I did it!” Makayla said she would absolutely recommend a career as an electrician to other females. She was delighted to see her workplace employ another female electrician once she completed her apprenticeship. “When I first started my apprenticeship it was so unheard of for a girl to be in a trade, but now there is more and more and I think it is just the best thing,” she said. “Girls can do anything". “We can all do anything we put our minds to". “Don’t let people get you down or push you down; they will try and make it seem like you can’t do it - but if that’s what you want to do then you most definitely can!” Breaking the Barriers - Women Can Do Anything! | Mildura Intimate Portraiture JESS Smith is a diamond in the rough - literally. Currently studying to be a diesel mechanic, Jess, who is from Broken Hill, has always had an interest in fixing things. She recalls how it landed her in hot water as a child. “I have always been interested in mechanics for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I was always pulling apart everything I could get my hands on just to see how it worked." “I remember I was about 10 or 11, and mum bought this brand new toaster home - but it was one of those fancy ones that made an unusual pattern on the toast when it was cooking." “It wasn't even 24 hours old and I pulled it apart because I wanted to know how it did it." “Little did I know the trouble I was in when mum found out.”  The 23-year-old got her introduction to mechanics about five years ago when she had to complete work experience as part of her school studies. “You got a few things to choose from - things like beauty, construction, hospitality, mechanics or medical,” she said. “I ended up choosing mechanics and did my work placement at Warrnambool Bus Lines as a mechanic/trade assistant." “After the two weeks the boss was super happy at how I did things and what I knew, so ended up getting an apprenticeship out of it.” Jess said she has always enjoyed working on her own cars because she had a passion to learn. She also wanted to prove that she’s not just a pretty face - she knows what she is doing as well. “There is a lot I like about being a mechanic,” Jess said. “Each job is different to the last, which is something I really enjoy because it’s not repetitive. Also the people you meet along the way is great." “Everyone has different knowledge so there will always be someone around to help.” Of course, being the minority in a male dominated field does have its negatives. “My main hate, and I use that word strongly, is the amount of sexist people still out there - even in this day and age,” she said. “As a female mechanic you will meet some people who will belittle you and talk down to you because you are a girl.” There have even been people requesting Jess didn’t work on their vehicle because she is female and wouldn’t know what to do or make a mistake, but she’s had the last laugh at times, still carrying out the work. “Ninety-nine percent of mechanics are male and one percent female, but my thoughts on that is that everyone needs to realise and understand that no job has to be gender specific,” she said. “If you can put your mind to it, ask the right questions and are mentally prepared for the tasks anyone can be the right person for the job." “There are still a lot of women out there who want to try these kinds of jobs but are afraid and my advice for them is to give it a go.” While Jess said it’s best not to do any major mechanical repairs to your car if you don’t know what you are doing, there is maintenance you can carry out - and if you are unsure how to do these things, YouTube is always a good source to learn from. “For me, servicing your car is pretty straight forward; eg lubrication top ups, oil changes as well as adding air to tyres or tyre rotations,” Jess said, “But not everyone knows how to do it."  “I know a lot of men and women who actually don't know the basics on how to do them but there are things you can do to inform yourself and learn how to do the basics."
“You could always get someone who knows how to do it to show you a couple of times and the first time you do it by yourself just get them to stand there and watch.” She added that she thinks everyone should learn how to change a tyre. “The worst thing I have come across is people of both genders being stuck in the middle of nowhere and not knowing how to change a tyre,” Jess said. “Also learning how to tell if your engine is low on oil and radiator fluid - they are the two main things that are required to have a healthy engine." “Checking your fluids is best to do in the morning before you go for a drive." “Services are generally every 5000km to 15,000km depending on how old your car is.” As for indicators that your car needs a trip to the mechanic - she said the following are things to look out for:
Jess said it is always best to get a qualified mechanic to look at your car if you are unsure, as even the smallest things can turn into something major. “But women need to get out there and try these kinds of things,” she said. “Just because someone says you can't doesn’t mean you can't. “If you sit there and live your life listening to people that are constantly telling you you can’t, you won't be good at these kinds of jobs to prove them wrong." “Everyone can do it, it just takes a lot of experience, patience, studying and time, but if you put your mind to it, you will succeed.” Meet the Boudie Babes - Vee Finocchiaro | Mildura Boudoir PhotographyVee Finocchiaro is a ball of infectious energy. You only have to spend a short amount of time with Vee, or read through her encouraging and supportive posts on the Pure Beauty Facebook VIP group, to understand why Lauren decided to have her on her team. When Vee describes herself as chatty, funny and outgoing, she is spot on. She brings to the group an extra level of enthusiasm and positivity in her role as Elite Ambassador. We caught up with Vee (and believe me, it was hard to catch her in one spot) to get an insight into what makes the 24 year old tick:  I’m Virginia or Vee as most people know … obviously! I am Australian, part aboriginal, Italian and Scottish. I love Halloween, Makeup, Harry Potter, Singing and many other things. Pure Beauty: What is your role within our team? Vee: My role in Pure Beauty is a few things really! My full time role in Pure Beauty is continuing to empower myself, other women on and offline and other men, children and people in general. My other roles in Pure Beauty are makeup artistry for the clients who come through Lauren’s door and to be an assistant to Lauren. Pure Beauty: Talk me through your background in makeup? Vee: My background and passion in makeup started around six or seven years ago but I have always admired winged liner - it is everything! My bestie in high school (who is still one of my best friends) actually really got me into it. I learnt a lot from watching her and seeing what she used. I began loving it after high school and I had a real passion for coloured lipstick. I bought a couple of bold pigmented colours that really stood out. I basically just did winged liner and bold lips, then I started really showing an interest in becoming a MUA around 2017 and started taking on clients in 2018. By 2019 I was working and taking on more than I ever imagined and a massive thanks needs to go to Lauren for helping kick starting my makeup career!  Pure Beauty: As a makeup artist, what do you want to achieve for clients before they have a session with Lauren? Vee: What I aim to achieve with every client is comfort. I love talking to them, seeing what they are interested in and what they have in their own mind. I usually chat to them about their shoot, hoping it eases their nerves, then get excited about what we are about to do. But generally just to get the ladies comfortable and excited! Pure Beauty: To be involved in such an amazing concept, what does that mean to you? Vee: It is so amazing because I get to empower myself and others. I get to be part of a movement and it means everything. I am able to encourage and pass on beautiful vibes and share my story and be part of others.  Pure Beauty: So be involved in something that is life-changing, how would you describe it? Vee: It is truly inspirational I am so honored I can be part of this life changing process. It can be super confronting toward yourself, knowing how hard you can be on yourself and see what other women are like to themselves. So seeing women grow and being able to tell them and show them how beautiful they are is just breathtaking and exciting. Pure Beauty: What would you say your most memorable and powerful moment has been while being involved in Pure Beauty? Vee: Being a part of an ambassadorship has been powerful in itself. Every moment I have had with Lauren in Pure Beauty has been powerful and memorable but personally, my own recent photo shoot changed everything.  Pure Beauty: On that, we have chatted about being the scenes, when you aren’t the focus of Lauren’s camera. But what about when you are in-front of the lens - how would you describe how the session makes you feel? Vee: It is so hard to explain everything you actually feel having your own shoot but here goes! Everyone is their own worst enemy and critic so I recommend having a shoot more than anything! Having a shoot made me feel like a beautiful confident woman, and it still does! It made me emotional, happy and I laughed so much! It made me feel the best I have ever felt. I now look in the mirror with a smile and I am so fucking happy! Pure Beauty: What about seeing the absolute magic Lauren creates with her work? Vee: Seeing the magic Lauren creates is so fucking beautiful! That woman deserves awards; I tell you what! It really is like magic, seeing these women walk out differently, or sometimes seeing them in a few weeks or months - they are different women!
Pure Beauty: You are an inspirational and strong woman yourself, but who is the most influential woman in your life and why? Vee: My mumma! She has always taught me to be true to myself, kind and honest. My mum always told me that I was beautiful and to dress how I wanted, and she always said the right and empowering things. My mum is also the strongest woman I know. I cannot praise that woman enough! She has influenced me in the best ways possible! I love you Mumma x Pure Beauty: What about in the public area, who do you look up to most? Vee: Lauren is definitely one of the females I admire most. She’s a beautiful woman, boss and friend! Her work speaks for itself and she is an idol to myself and I am sure many others. And my friends! I look up to them because they are also kind hearted and empowering and seeing them strive for their dreams is inspiring as hell!  Meet the Boudie Babes - Kim Long | Mildura Boudoir PhotographyCHANCES are around town or through Pure Beauty you have come across Kim Long. Kim’s one of those people that dabbles in a lot of things. One of those people that you wonder how she has time to do it all. But she does and she does an amazing job; from being an elite ambassador for Pure Beauty, to her full time job in mental health, to volunteering, and of course who can forget - single super mum. Kim’s been with Pure Beauty since the introduction of ambassadors. On the Facebook groups you’ll always see her name pop up beside comments full of encouragement and wisdom. But who is Kim? What makes her tick? She shares the honest and refreshing story of Kim Long and being an Elite Ambassador below:  So, here’s me in a nutshell…. I’m a 47 year old, single mum of two amazing boys, who both drive me nuts, but I would kill for, in the same breath. I work full time in Mental Health (and love it), but have a habit of over committing and am looking to sink my teeth into some part time study in all of my spare time! Ha! I was married for 12 years, and I’m now really comfortable being on my own again after my marriage broke down 2 years ago. I hate baths, actually like long walks, on the beach or wherever! I love Reformer Pilates and practice aerial yoga at home in my aerial hammock. But who am I as a person? I struggle with social anxiety and have done for the past five years - which is interesting, considering I ran my own business, was always putting myself out there and attending launches, business events and promotional events, getting up and doing speeches, demonstrations and running events either by myself or with my beautiful clients to help back me up! I’m always the first to get up and speak publicly (for Lauren), which is why many people are surprised that I struggle with social anxiety! I am a passionate and caring person and love to give back when and where I can. I volunteer, and get such a feeling of peace and happiness in doing so, usually to the point where I cry when I’m talking about the charity and what we do! I am a fierce friend, although I’m useless at ringing people to catch up for a chat! I always try to self sabotage friendships (thank-you anxiety), but I do eventually manage to talk myself out of it. I doubt and second guess almost everything I do except for work decisions and modelling for Lauren. But I’m constantly questioning my worth to other people which is at times really overwhelming. Even while I’m with my friends I’m still telling myself that they will figure out I’m not worth it and stop keeping me around. Anxiety really sucks! I firmly believe in removing the negative and toxic relationships from my life, and living in the now and doing what I enjoy. Other people will always have a perception of who they think you are, and you will never please everyone, so I don’t push myself on anyone or try to change their opinion of me. I am a confident person (even with the anxiety), but am useless at making decisions about myself. I’m fantastic at making decisions for business and steering conversations back on track! I talk … a LOT! (And write a LOT too!) I love having time to myself - there is nothing quite as good as losing yourself in a great book. I have a great imagination and I love acting - a passion I haven’t followed for many a year now, but I love losing myself in a role and being completely swept up into that character.
Pure Beauty: What is your role within Pure Beauty? Kim: My role as an Elite Ambassador is supporting Lauren in her business in any and every way possible. This involves promotion, public speaking, sharing my beautiful images, empowering and uplifting our amazing Ambassadors and VIP Group ladies, and realistically ALL women! Talking about Pure Beauty and what it can truly do for anyone having their own shoot, considering a shoot or saving for a shoot. Knowing the business, the products and the packages available and being confident speaking about them to anyone. I am so passionate about what Lauren does and have supported her and been so excited about this since the very second she told me what she was up to. I’m a sounding board for Lauren, I offer my input and suggestions about so much. I give her advice, bring her back down to the boring, stable business decisions. I help paint backdrops. I make platters for everything. I drink coffee with her, laugh and play with her kids, try to get everything organised with lists and shopping and get to have beautiful photos taken of me that I get to share everywhere! I also do many of the client blogs for the website. Pure Beauty: As an ambassador what do you want to achieve for clients before and while they have a session with Lauren? Kim: I love it when clients come to me asking questions or to confide in me when they are terrified the day before their shoot. I love being a calming and reassuring person that they feel they can talk to, to support them and help them realise that everything will be perfect at their shoot. I want the clients to feel confident, but also to know that it is perfectly normal to feel nervous, scared, overwhelmed etc. the day before (because we do all feel that ping of self doubt and nervousness!). I love helping them to realise that they are so beautiful and they will be treated as the Goddess they are on the day and all those feelings of doubt about themselves will completely vanish. I am truly honoured that so many wonderful women have asked me questions or trusted me with their worries before their shoot and so very flattered that so many ask me if I can be there for their shoot for moral support. I also know that they are going to have the very best time on the day, will have a sore face from laughing so much and that they will probably cry at the reveal, seeing themselves the way that everybody else does - truly beautiful and flawless!  Pure Beauty: The Pure Beauty concept, what does that mean to you? Kim: To me Pure Beauty means to believe in yourself. To feel uplifted, empowered, comfortable and confident in the skin you’re in. Pure Beauty helps you see the person that you are - the way that everyone else sees you - with love, beauty and assuredness. As Margaret Wolfe Hungerford wrote, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Lauren’s eye (and camera lens) captures both your inner and outer beauty. Pure Beauty: Lauren is delivering a service to women that can be life-changing. What is it like to be involved in the process of reminding all women how amazing, beautiful and unique they really are? Kim: I really am honoured to be an Ambassador and beyond flattered that she has kept me on as an Elite Ambassador. I get very swept up in the emotions that women go through after they have a shoot - seeing how their opinion of themselves changes so much - watching them bloom and shine and their confidence building so much. Hearing them speak about themselves afterward is such a reward to me, because they are building themselves up every time they talk about their experience, their images and how they view themselves afterward. It really is a life-changing process, and having gone through it myself I get caught up in the emotions and memories of what it felt like for me. I do cry a lot!  Pure Beauty: What would you say has been your most memorable and powerful moment while being involved in Pure Beauty? Kim: I have been lucky enough to experience a few moments but the one I always think of was during the first group ambassador shoot with Vee, Jess, Bella and Kayla. My marriage had only just broken down, I was really at my lowest emotionally, in self confidence and I was terrified of what was to become of my kids and me with no job, the house to be sold, no income and bills piling up. Having this mini shoot (with complete strangers) was the only thing I felt I could throw myself into and knew what I was doing! I was so sad, and it was so hard to hold back the tears and try to hold it together. I was truly broken and out of that, Lauren got the most incredible photo of me - this is the image that I immediately think of. It’s powerful, it’s raw, it’s devastatingly beautiful! It reminds me of the fear, loss and sadness of that time, but I also see how far I have come. How strong I am and how I showed my kids that you can overcome anything if you put your mind to it. Pure Beauty: To those that haven't had a shoot before, how would you describe how the session makes you feel? Kim: A shoot can give you a different feeling each time. It can depend on how organised you are feeling, nervousness, confidence - all of these things come into effect! My very first shoot was amazing. I wasn’t scared or nervous - I was so ready! I had all of my outfits (and plenty of extras), shoes and accessories. My Pinterest Board was overflowing with ideas, I was confident, I felt amazing about myself and I wasn’t focused on any areas that weren’t my favorite. We laughed so much and I was being silly - striking 50’s housewife poses in the kitchen of the B and B! It definitely helped that I had known Lauren for quite a few years and she had taken many photos of me previously for the Babywearing Group, Breastfeeding Normalisation and Kangatraining. Needless to say, I was pretty comfortable with her taking pictures of me even if I was in lingerie or almost naked. My first ambassador shoot was so different - I was so nervous! I had placed a lot of pressure on myself! I had such a clear vision of what I wanted. My Pinterest Board was overflowing, I had so much lingerie but I felt so disorganised! Thankfully it doesn’t communicate in any of the photos though, and obviously the stars aligned, and we got up on the roof and out the back of the studio to get the industrial images I really wanted! My last shoot in the sandhills was different again. I felt confident, amazing, didn’t care about taking off my bra and throwing it away! This was by far my absolute favorite shoot and I think that this is purely because I felt more like myself again after such a long road back! Pure Beauty: How does it feel seeing the absolute magic Lauren creates through her work? Kim: Lauren is incredible at what she does! She is always studying different poses, trying out different ideas and scouting for locations and props and furniture. She did so much research about boudoir photography well before she launched her business! She really planned and thought about this in detail. Lauren can capture the most amazing and beautiful images. She focuses on areas you love about yourself, so that you don’t needlessly focus on areas you may not love about yourself. She is definitely a very talented photographer with an incredible eye. She will get the absolute best out of you every time and you will actually see the incredible beauty you are! As well as that, she has scouted the very best high end product and the images just pop on that metallic paper! The products available for your images are really second to none!  Pure Beauty: Who is the most influential woman in your life and why? Kim: I definitely have a few, but the most influential woman in my life is my amazing bestie Kylie. This woman is a powerhouse! Her heart is so huge and she has got me through so very much. She is truly my rock and I couldn’t survive without her. I’ve watched her run a national business as if it were her own, while raising three beautiful and incredible children, survive so much and still be there for so many people as their support, mentor and friend. I look up to this incredible woman and I am so damn proud that she is in my life! Pure Beauty: Do you have any idols in the public area you look up to and why? Kim: I follow several Australian women - mainly mums keeping it real. I do love Laura Mazza - Mum on the Run. Laura keeps it straight up and says it how it is. She is brutal and honest with her journey with motherhood, postnatal depression and anxiety. And being a mum from Melbourne, I find her honesty and posts to be refreshing and relatable. Pure Beauty: If you could send one message to all the females out there, what would it be? Kim: Be kind to yourself! You truly deserve the world and although you may not really believe that right now it’s true! Everyone is beautiful, everyone has infinite potential, everyone is unique. The perceived flaws you think you have, no-one else sees - most likely others see what you think as flawed, as perfect. Let your inner light shine and do what makes you feel happy. Book a session with Lauren and see yourself the way you need to see yourself! Boost that confidence. Love yourself and love the body and skin you are in, because you are exactly as you should be! Perfect. xx  THERE’S no denying the world is facing extremely difficult times right now. And no matter where you live, or what you do, it’s guaranteed to be impacting on you. Pure Beauty tracked down an expert in the mental health field to gather some hints and tips for how you can adapt to life as we currently know it – and to reassure you, you are not alone.  Photo by cottonbro from Pexels Hello lovely ladies! I hope you are all trying to stay safe in these difficult times. I just want to put a trigger warning on this blog. It will talk about COVID-19 (Coronavirus) that is gripping the country and some of the realities we may face. Before I go any further, I will briefly introduce myself. I am a social worker who has worked in the mental health field for the past four and a half years. I predominantly work with children and adolescents who have experienced significant trauma, are at risk of harming themselves or others and have compromised mental health. This work often involves working with not only the young person but also their system that includes parents, carers and other professionals. To protect myself and the families that I work with, I will remain anonymous and ask that if you do identify me, that you respect this privacy.  Photo by Markus Spiske from Pexels Anyway, back to the purpose of this blog - the words that we have heard so much about lately: COVID-19. It’s consuming the television, social media and invading our homes with fear and anxiety. I don’t know about you but I am: A) Overloaded with information or misinformation B) Worried about the impacts that COVID-19 may have on my own wellbeing C) Wish there was something else on TV because I’m also sick of hearing about COVID-19 but not having any definitive answers. I know this has certainly impacted on my wellbeing by not being able to attend the gym, catch up with family and friends that don’t live in my household and had a huge strain on my mental health. I feel isolated, alone and have had a mixed range of emotions including sadness, anxiety, loneliness, uncertainty and boredom. I imagine that many of you might be feeling some of these feelings too. I expect that these will rise in the community the longer that the COVID-19 pandemic plays out. I guess this leads me to also think about the bigger picture where I suspect that the prevalence of mental health symptoms such as anxiety, suicidal ideation, obsessive behaviours, disordered eating, low and irritable moods will increase for many. There will be an increased exposure to family violence, potential loss of employment, neglect and trauma that could also amplify these symptoms. With that being said, I just want to clarify that this DOES NOT mean you will end up with a mental illness or a diagnosis. As much as I love Dr Google all of my googled symptoms correlate with an unfounded condition that has no medical grounding. Please seek out professional help if the symptoms persist.  Having said this, I think it is so important to acknowledge that we are all in this together and it is so important that we look after ourselves (and no, this does not mean go stockpile 1000 bags of pasta, toilet paper and other perishable foods). This prompts me to think about a podcast I have recently listened to by Brene` Brown - Unlocking Us. She quotes that we must all experience a level of stress and vulnerability as this is what helps us learn and grow which is so true. If we don’t experience this, we only do things that we are already good at and we stop growing and in a sense stop “living”. Brene` talks about having a “Fucking First Time” (FFT) and in particular a FFT about a pandemic. We all have FFT’s daily but it is important to think about the steps: • Normalise it (acknowledge our feelings and feel them) • Put it into perspective (it is ok to feel a particular emotion) • Reality check expectations. For example: I feel lonely as I am living alone. I feel a deep unease in my tummy and feel tired and unmotivated (normalise it). I am normally a social person who is outgoing and busy. It feels weird that I cannot have physical contact with another person (put it into perspective). I know though that I am safe and to protect my safety I must stay in isolation. This does not mean I am alone as I can reach out to person a, b, c (reality checking expectations). Writing down our FFTs can be helpful once they have been identified. If you like podcasts I highly recommend the first episode. This leads me to think again about us.  Photo by Elina Krima from Pexels What are we meant to do in this time to help feel a sense of control, promote/uphold our social and emotional wellbeing and get through this isolation period? Here are some strategies that might be useful: • Check in with yourself. I cannot stress this enough. Recognise and acknowledge how you are feeling and think. It is okay to feel all kinds of emotions/feelings - there is no such thing and good/bad feeling. Notice where you might experience or not experience this in your body. Notice do I need help with this emotion/thought, who is my trusted person to lean on if I do need help and how can I communicate this that person/s? Sometimes verbalising this can be difficult so is there another way eg. Letter writing, having a visual mood chart in your home, keeping a journal, sending a picture, dancing it out, etc. • Check your own pulse before helping someone else. You are unfortunately not going to be helpful if you are feeling out of control yourself. Acknowledge this with the person; “I can see you are feeling overwhelmed at the moment. I am feeling this too.” Is there something you can do together to calm down? • Unplug from social media and limit your time spent listening or watching news related to COVID-19. • When you do need information get it from a reliable source such as: o The Department of Human Services o COVID-19 app o ABC Mildura Swan Hill (I love that they summarise the information clearly without having to listen to a full Parliamentary Speech). • Try to keep a routine as much as possible. Have regular wake and sleep times, regular meal breaks, regular check in with family and friends via the phone or video calling technology;, home exercise or a gentle walk or yoga. • If you are working from home have make sure you take regular breaks and have a designed workstation set up that you only visit during work hours. If you are like me, it may be tempting to push these hours, but it is important to not muddle our work routine into your home routine. • Ground yourself using the five senses: o What are five things that you can see. o Four things that you can touch. o Three things you can hear. o Two things you can smell. o One thing that you can taste. Other grounding techniques can be found online also via a Google search.
• Engage in self-care multiple times per day: o Regular meditation. Apps such as Calm, Smiley Minds or Headspace can be helpful. YouTube also has many guided meditations that will calm and put you to sleep. o Making yourself a nice drink. As much as I love a good glass/s of wine, beer or Bacardi be mindful of your alcohol intake as this can be a depressant. o Make yourself a nice food treat. o Talking a nice bath or shower. o Have fun with your fur babies or children. o Play a game with the family/friends in the household or use an app forum. o Put on a movie. o Keep a happy journal. o Read a book. o Listen to a podcast (I love Happy to Crappy). o Quiet time either by yourself (if you need a break from the kids/others) or with others. • Create daily/weekly goals of what you would like to achieve during this time. Make sure they are realistic and achievable. If they are bigger goals think about how you might break these down. It is handy to display these and tick them off as you achieve them. Be mindful about keeping yourself too busy. I know I am bad for this and have been caught out already. Having a task can be helpful as a distraction but being too busy can cause feeling overwhelmed. Any of these strategies can be used whether you are alone or have a household with others. They will assist you be in the present and focus on the here and now as we unfortunately have to sit with the distress that we cannot predict the future and have to live day by day until this pandemic ends.  Designed for Pure Beauty by Madison Ryan @alchemy_art_ If all else fails, I think it’s time to bring out our superwoman pose. That’s right! Stand up nice and tall in front of a mirror, put that sassy hand on your hip, stick out that chest and boobs, roll those shoulders back, slightly turn your chin up and point that nose as though you are doing a “resting bitch face”, raise your loose hand up towards the sky, take a deep breath and I bet you will have difficulty trying not to smile. After all that you will know how powerful and beautiful you are because you have GOT THIS GIRL! Here are some resources you can access if you need further support or this blog has raised: - Lifeline - 13 11 14 or https://www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/online-services/crisis-chat - Beyond Blue - 1300 22 4636 or https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ - Headspace or eheadspace (if under 25) - 5021 2400 or https://headspace.org.au/covid-19/ - Workplace Employment Assistance Program (EAP) as per your workplace. - Telehealth options to talk to a private counsellor via a Mental Health Care Plan. You will need to contact your GP to organise this. - 1800RESPECT- 1800 737 732. - The Orange Door - 1800 290 943. - Mallee Sexual Assault Unit – Mallee Domestic Violence Unit. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, please call Mental Health Services at any time on 5022 3500. Stay safe lovely ladies! Much love to you all, Your friendly social worker Xo (or an elbow bump given the situation) 
|
WelcomeHere you will find my featured babes, #wearepurebeauty , as well as some tips for your boudoir shoot- from lingerie shopping to hair and makeup Something to add?We are excited to announce we are now accepting blog features. If you have something you would like to add to our blog, click here
Categories
All
Archives
March 2024
AuthorMildura resident and Photographer, Lauren Southwell launched Pure Beauty in late June, 2018 & is committed to helping woman feel beautiful, sexy and empowered through the art of Boudoir Photography. |
RSS Feed