How was your literate life this week? As always, I’m here in your Inbox to celebrate our literate lives with a sneak peek into my own. Here’s what I’ve been reading, writing, learning and exploring this week:
What I’m Reading:
I can’t even count how many times I would stop reading to glance over my shoulder, look around and wonder if Laura Zigman was seeing me, hearing me and writing about, well….me. Her novel, Separation Anxiety, was exactly what my soul needed. I instantly bonded with Judy on so many levels: her struggle to age gracefully, her confusion on how to parent a teenager, her longing to go back in time when things ‘worked’ and her desperate need to make sense of the changes swirling around her. While I have not decided to carry my dog in a sling to calm my mind and brighten my spirits, I’ve realized there are things that I CAN do that might have the same effect. And that makes this book a true gift.
What I’m Writing:
I spent a lot of time at home this week, recovering from the flu, so I haven’t been writing as much as I normally would. But, I’ve kept my ‘One Little Thing’ notebook notebook close-by and tried to capture the joy in each day, even while feeling quite terrible. =) This week, I noted the little moments of joy that snuck their way into my day: my daughter’s surprise oatmeal cookies she made to cheer me up, my laughter as my teenage son brought home iced coffee (and a milkshake!) in an order gone wrong and the total admiration for my youngest who picked up HUNDREDS of pine cones from our front yard and had the pine pitch on his hands to prove it. These little things matter and I’m committed to capturing them. I urge you to do the same.
What I’m Learning:
Well, this week, I’m learning about the power of rest. In a normal week, I am always on the go from one activity to the next, thinking ahead about my to-do list and yes, stressing about what comes next. I’m always on overdrive and perpetually worry about getting everything done. But not this week. My body decided otherwise and I spent most of the week resting. But here was the shocking thing: Everything still got done, but without the stress and worry that usually accompanies it because I just didn’t have the energy. I’ve finally realized that I am the one attaching stress and worry to my do list, not the other way around. It’s all in how I look at things. And that is going to be a game-changer. Want to explore more on this idea? Then you HAVE to watch this TED Talk.
What I’m Exploring:
My time on the couch has brought lots of down time and while I haven’t had much energy to do a lot, I’ve REALLY enjoyed listening to my favorite podcasts from the couch, rather than the car. Here are some of my favorites that you might want to add to your own playlist:
Craft a Life You Love with Amy Tangerine
There you have it! I hope this inspires you to make space for more reading and writing in your own life. What are the highlights from your literate life this week?
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