Downhill isn’t easier. It’s your work coming together at a fast pace requiring the same amount of passion and focus. People often think it’s all down hill from here is the easy part. Those of us who have worked our asses off to set a firm foundation, know that downhill is a tad scary, very exciting, and hard work all at once. We see behind the scenes of how we got to the top of the hill and how it took believing when no one else could. Even physically going down hill requires you to use your muscles in a different way and at a faster pace.
Peace
Hermann Hesse: “Within you, there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at any time and be yourself.”
There are days when I am in a beautifully balanced place. It feels like peace. Inside, I’m content with what I’m putting out to the world. I am somehow able to remain calm while the world rattles on around me. My peace in these moments is an expression of acceptance and tolerance. “It’s okay,” is what my peace says.
I do have days when the peace requires more intention to access, and on those days, my all-time go-to solution is candles and a bath.
How do you find peace?
Appreciation
“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” -Dalai Lama
I appreciate everything ounce of effort you share. I’m so grateful for the way you support and the way you show up. I don’t know if you give yourself enough credit for all you do. So right now in this moment I want to thank you. Thank you for making the choice to share and then doing it over and over again.
Free Will
“Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will.” -Jawaharlal Nehru
Ultimately, the choice is yours. We are all winging it as we go here. Someone may have taken a similar path and may know some shortcuts or even have some resources to share, which is what’s great about mentors. But the important thing about taking up the mantle is that we have to find our own way. The technology we have these days is a great support system. There are some amazing supportive communities. There’s tons and tons of free information out there. If it’s not in the cards, try a different deck. Ask a different question. Change your perspective.
Break Free
A Well-Lived Life
“Happiness is not a goal… it’s a byproduct of a life well lived.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
I like to be happy, and so that means I have to be intentional about the way I live my life. I like a peaceful in-between where I’m content and working toward something great. One of my favorite things is feeling rested without having to chase it.
What does a well-lived life mean to you?
“When the week begins, think of how you will end it. Start your week with joy.” ― Ernest Agyemang Yeboah
It’s a new week with new challenges ahead! What are you planning for this week? How do you want your weekend to end? I know the top three things I want to appreciate.
- the weather with my family,
- my productivity,
- how much I’ve learned through the variety of things I will study this week.
I hope you have a great week ahead.
Fall Gratitude
“There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!” — Percy Bysshe Shelley
New England has had such a beautiful fall so far. I’ve been enjoying the weather, my walks, my drives, and especially my views. This is just the beginning of my three favorite seasons. I look forward to the growth and learning just around the corner for me and my family. I think this year is going to be fast-paced, especially once the momentum starts picking up speed. Anything could happen, but what I do know is my tribe is exactly the one I want walking with me through this life.
Experimental Fiction
“A writer only begins a book. A reader finishes it.” ― Samuel Johnson
Experimental fiction, what is it? It is a way to defy traditional writing formats. It is fun. It does come with challenges. You have to understand traditional literature in order to intentionally defy the rules. I like that over lifespans we have created many different ways to tell a story. First, it was only oral telling. Eventually, we had symbols for numbers that slowly evolved into writing mostly on scrolls. Then the printing press, books and novels, photographs, phones, radios, video, and now the internet along with AI. There’s no doubt about it, our storytelling has evolved. All these different ways of storytelling have their own rules and expectations within their field. Experimental fiction writers are the brave creators who venture to break down walls. My intention with experimental fiction is to invite infinite possibility and a bit of rebellion into our lives. I’m a lover of rules, but at the same time, those rules can’t be so rigid that they take away from the human experience.
Ladies this is for You
-Ladies this is for You-
“Every word a woman writes changes the story of the world, revises the official version.” – Carolyn See
This is inspiring to me today. The world goes round and round, but when a woman writes, the story changes. I value the voice of women. I think they have been unheard long enough. I think women should have more opportunities, time, and money to spend on themselves and with other women. I believe that if we invested in our women so that they can thrive, they would heal the world.
Ladies, have you given yourself time or money lately? I felt terrible learning to go on those artist dates. I even stopped for a while but now, Sunday is a hot date with myself that I’m committed to. Let it get easier to love you.
Needed this Poem
Quest
By Georgia Douglas Johnson
The phantom happiness I sought
O’er every crag and moor;
I paused at every postern gate,
And knocked at every door;
In vain I searched the land and sea,
E’en to the inmost core,
The curtains of eternal night
Descend—my search is o’er.
This poem hit home for me because I had a brief moment today where I felt anxiety about not being where I want to be. I had to reassess and get back into my present moment. Happiness is in the present. Plans are great, but they aren’t the deciding factor. for my happiness. I am the deciding factor. What do I have right now that I don’t need to search out? Talking myself through that and putting on some random tunes got me back on track.
How are your life plans?
Jayne.press 