Something for the weekend
Inspiring post about retreating from Tara
Dr Camella’s Guide to Understanding the Introverted (via Sas)
I’ve shared Calm.com before, but i’ve just downloaded their app and love it
Katrina’s Photoshop course for beginners looks brilliant!
Why Stephen King spends ‘months and even years’ writing opening sentences
[videos] I’m currently a bit obsessed with online work outs
This father-son conversation (via Karen)
The art of finding your passion in your woundedness — another gem from Justine
[video] I didn’t know it was possible to love him more… and then this (you’re welcome!)
Day one
Ahhh, the August Break, how lovely. No pressure blogging — hurrah! I’ve still got a few posts brewing I’d like to share, but let’s see how it goes…
Loved checking Instagram this morning and finding so many photos hashtagged already (#augustbreak2013) — I can see this is going to be a fun month :)
Happy August Break, everyone! xo
The Permission Slip
I wrote this poem last year after a morning of internet reading. Even after seven years of blogging I still get triggered. Social media in all its forms has the power to keep us connected, and it’s a wonderful thing, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes knowing everybody’s business all the time can be draining. It’s hard to keep our eyes on our own page when “everybody else” seems to be rocking the shizzle out of their life/business/relationship (delete as appropriate).
Sometimes it’s inspiring to see what’s possible, to join the slipstream of positivity and HELL YEAHS! and be reminded that if she can do it, so can I! *shakes pom poms* But then there are the craptastic days when all it takes is a single Facebook update read in the wrong moment to make you wonder why you even bother.
Does this ever happen to you?
I’m self-aware enough to know that any time another person’s blog or bit of news or whatever triggers me, it’s because it’s probably something I aspire to myself. I also know that anyone I have a strong reaction to (read: don’t like) is likely just reflecting back the things in ME I struggle with. (When you really start to get a hold of that last point it’s amazing what you start to learn about yourself!)
I shared The Permission Slip in a Love Letter to my mailing list last week and was blown away by the amount of replies I got back. This is (still) a brave new world we are navigating. The hyper connectivity of life online brings extraordinary blessings and opportunities with it, yet more than ever we need to figure out how to exist in a space that also provokes strong emotion at times. I’ve blogged about all this before and am still trying to find my way to balance the inspiration with the energy sucking why-do-i-bothers. I love the internet, and I love that my work is internet-based. But sometimes I also need to retreat and remind myself to plug into my own wise counsel. The truth that I see with my eyes. That I feel in my heart. No Facebook updates required ;-)
As a little gift, Jo and I have created a downloadable PDF of The Permission Slip for you:
Permission Slip 1 (beige) | Permission Slip 2 (purple)
Read it. Print it out. Share it along. Remember it. I hope you find it comforting if you’re ever caught in the eye of the social media crazies (I’ve pasted mine into the front of my journal, just to be sure).
Ps. Roll on the August Break! I really cannot wait :)