I love the way you talk about roots here: It’s about seasons and cycles and believing as much in the roots below the surface as the growth above ground.
And it made me think about planting, probably because I have been obsessively planting lately. Perhaps it is even more important to establish the roots below ground before the growth above. That is how it works in nature.
Yes! And even beyond the roots, it’s tending to the soil. Is it healthy? Does it have the proper nutrients? Even the best seeds (ideas, projects, etc.) won’t thrive in poor soil. 🌻
I have a loose routine and milestones I want to reach, but nothing is set in stone because it gets too frustrating trying to stick with a strict schedule when someone gets sick, my daughter needs help with something, etc. For awhile I was writing tasks on post-it’s on a kanban board(brainstorm essay ideas, write a parenting how-to, submit one piece, 500 words of fiction, 30 minutes reading etc) and just selecting what I was up for each day. Now I do that more in my head, and it works pretty well. Creativity doesn’t want to be told what to do, it wants to breathe and choose. At least mine does! And that makes it easier to fit writing work in with everything else and not get stressed.
Been having similar thoughts! How do I make this work for me and my life without getting annoyed about it lol. All I can do is the best that I can do and some days I’ll have mastitis and be unable to show up how I want to. That’s just the way it is. Just have to keep showing up when I can!
Exactly! I think part of it is putting the human back into the picture. We’re not machines and were never meant to be. We’re something much more beautiful than that. Building flexibility into our work is so important, especially as mamas!
"without proof of success" - that stuck out to me. Lately, I've been returning to the idea of simply enjoying the process for the sake of the process alone. And it makes the journey all the more worth while and energizing and rewarding 🥰 I still hate things that take time and doing all the steps to value the process. I want to get it done and have that dopamine hit from the done-ness. But there is magic and mystery and miracles in the process. Slowing down allows me to remember that.
The dopamine hit is such a powerful response to even just be aware of. I try to think of the great artists and how much time they invested in their craft to achieve mastery…years and decades! Definitely not the instant gratification we’ve cometo expect!
I love the way you talk about roots here: It’s about seasons and cycles and believing as much in the roots below the surface as the growth above ground.
And it made me think about planting, probably because I have been obsessively planting lately. Perhaps it is even more important to establish the roots below ground before the growth above. That is how it works in nature.
Yes! And even beyond the roots, it’s tending to the soil. Is it healthy? Does it have the proper nutrients? Even the best seeds (ideas, projects, etc.) won’t thrive in poor soil. 🌻
Yes! Amending the soil is always key to a successful root structure and plant!
I love plant metaphors.
Perfectly said! I try to approach everything with more balance and less fear of taking a break, since burning out with a tech writing startup.
That’s awesome! Do you have a routine or rituals that help you find that balance? I’m so curious to see how others are approaching it!
I have a loose routine and milestones I want to reach, but nothing is set in stone because it gets too frustrating trying to stick with a strict schedule when someone gets sick, my daughter needs help with something, etc. For awhile I was writing tasks on post-it’s on a kanban board(brainstorm essay ideas, write a parenting how-to, submit one piece, 500 words of fiction, 30 minutes reading etc) and just selecting what I was up for each day. Now I do that more in my head, and it works pretty well. Creativity doesn’t want to be told what to do, it wants to breathe and choose. At least mine does! And that makes it easier to fit writing work in with everything else and not get stressed.
Oooh, I love this idea! It’s almost like playing jeapordy and having a wide array of tasks to choose from. That makes a lot of sense to me!
Been having similar thoughts! How do I make this work for me and my life without getting annoyed about it lol. All I can do is the best that I can do and some days I’ll have mastitis and be unable to show up how I want to. That’s just the way it is. Just have to keep showing up when I can!
Exactly! I think part of it is putting the human back into the picture. We’re not machines and were never meant to be. We’re something much more beautiful than that. Building flexibility into our work is so important, especially as mamas!
"without proof of success" - that stuck out to me. Lately, I've been returning to the idea of simply enjoying the process for the sake of the process alone. And it makes the journey all the more worth while and energizing and rewarding 🥰 I still hate things that take time and doing all the steps to value the process. I want to get it done and have that dopamine hit from the done-ness. But there is magic and mystery and miracles in the process. Slowing down allows me to remember that.
The dopamine hit is such a powerful response to even just be aware of. I try to think of the great artists and how much time they invested in their craft to achieve mastery…years and decades! Definitely not the instant gratification we’ve cometo expect!