Simple Things #5
Here are 5 magically mundane things I've noticed this week.
It’s been a week of unproductivity. I’ve sat at my computer countless times and just stared. I have a million things I can do, but no brain power to do them. It feels like everything inside of me is blank, and I’m struggling to come up with words or even thoughts. Do you ever feel this way?
I used to view this as a deep flaw of mine, and something I needed to *fix*. I would fight against it and bury myself in guilt and shame, which would of course send me into a negative spiral and make things significantly worse. I would cry that I’m not inspired anymore, and nothing is going right in my life. This would happen, over and over again, until I finally realized that it was just a flow of mine. I go through times where I feel like I can’t possibly contribute to society ever again and then it passes. I’ve learned that if I actually just lean into the feeling of being uninspired, my inspiration comes back tenfold and in half the time it used to. Maybe that’s just wisdom that’s come with age, or maybe I just got sick and tired of feeling inadequate.
I recently read Do Less by Kate Northrup and it blew my mind how, as a woman, our monthly cycle leads to this natural rhythm. I never realized that there was this cycle in my brain that coincided with the cycle in my body and the cycle of the moon, but ever since I’ve developed a completely different relationship with this time of unproductivity. Because it’s not actually unproductive, it’s just part of the flow of my life.
With that being said, I’ve done a lot of consuming this week vs. creating, so I’m excited to share my 5 things. Here we go…
Maverick has started WALKING! On Easter, nonetheless. I’m currently typing this as she walks across the room and it’s completely rocking my world. It’s like that last bit of baby leaves and suddenly we have a full-on human in our midst, with her own thoughts and feelings and bodily autonomy. I love it, and I’m mourning the babyhood. It’s so bittersweet.
I’ve been watching loads of Madisun Gray’s YouTube videos this week. She talks about slow living and minimalism, and I really enjoy her filming style. This video on 50 self-care ideas was really enjoyable to watch. They are so relaxing to watch but packed with a lot of wisdom. She also has a slow living course that I want to do at some point.
The Notes feature launched on Substack this week, which is essentially a chronological simple form of Twitter. I’ve gone back and forth on using it as I never really loved Twitter (don’t hate me) and it feels like another social I’ll just have to keep up with, but I also love the Substack platform so much that I believe in anything they create. So, you will probably find me there more and more sharing things I am up to, other writers I’m loving, and extras like that. I think it has good potential for growth as a Substack writer, so if you’ve thought about starting your own Substack, I think the time is now and this is a great new addition to the platform for growth. Have you tried Notes yet? What are your thoughts?
I am not a planner person, by any means. I really struggle to stick to writing out my schedule (like I even have a formal schedule, ha) and following a guide of any sort, but there is one “planner” I’ve made an exception to. It’s called The Daily Page and is an undated planner that I can just fill out on days I’m feeling overwhelmed or extra productive and want to follow a plan. It also tracks your water intake and has a health section. I’ve been using mine for years off and on and absolutely love it.
I really enjoyed this post from
on rest, the different types, and how to actually rest in our daily lives. I definitely struggle with feeling guilt around rest (as mentioned in the opening of this letter) but I loved reading Charlie’s take on it and how beneficial true rest is for our lives. I really resonated with creative and spiritual rest as those are the two types I typically utilize, but I see the value in trying all different types of rest as a way to calm our nervous systems and truly get centered. Anyway, it was a lovely post to read.
And there you have it! I’d love to know what magically mundane thing you’ve experienced this week that has brought you joy.
So happy to hear you enjoyed my thoughts on how to rest, and it's an honour to be included in your round-up! Thank you. I, too, have only just come to realise the influence my cycle has on my mood and creativity. I feel like I was never taught this in school or elsewhere, which seems criminal! My magically mundane joy this week has been watching the blossom bloom on the trees in the street outside the window next to my desk. They're only out for a few weeks in the year - it's so special!
Boring week of taxes, oil change, laundry and cleaning off my porches in preparation for painting. It actually felt nice to come back to tangible things to do. Congratulations on the baby walking. My kiddo waited over 12 months to get to that point. He walked on his knees for months. 👍