It's so timely that this post has found its way to me today, Alice. Two years ago, I wrote in my Artist's Way journal that once a week, I wanted to drop my kids off at the school bus on a Thursday morning, then check myself into a hotel and stay there, reading and writing and thinking, until it was time to collect them from the school bus on the Friday afternoon. I kept that dream close to my chest, as I was my kids' primary caregiver and it wouldn't have been logistically viable. But just yesterday, for the first time, I made the dream come true. It's taken some arguments and tears and compromises - I'm not in a hotel, but in the guest bedroom in our house, not to be disturbed - but I'm getting my 36 hours, (mostly) uninterrupted, to concentrate on my own thing. And it's bliss! And feels essential! And I'll be a much better parent for regularly insisting on this time to myself! My husband is flying off on a week-long work trip tomorrow and no-one would even think to question the value of that experience, whereas I've had to fight for my one night a week... I'll keep fighting, for me and for women everywhere! Creativity and caregiving need to be given a stern talking-to and told that they need to get over their conflicts and just get on 😊💕
I love that you got to the guest bedroom and I think about this a lot--how do I make a retreat in the life that I already live. It sounds like bliss.
Have you managed to repeat it? How were the 36 hours? I had this note in an email file I haven't attended to, meaning to reply and life is finally giving me some room to check in.
I really appreciate you taking the time to check in! The 36 hours were a dream! I'd had 36 hours two weeks before, not through a retreat but just when my kids were away with school for a night, and it was then that I was finally able to teach myself how to edit audio so I could launch my podcast. It was the start of a beautiful thing! I've only managed to do it once since i commented on your post, but that's because I've had other glorious adventures, like attending and photographing a writers festival for a week, and flying to Jakarta for five days (alone!) to interview people for my podcast. But I think all those things come from the same insistence on prioritising my dreams and ambitions, and making sure everyone else respects them too. Women who are given time and space can move mountains! Thanks again for checking in. I hope you've managed to make some space in your life for retreats too 💕
Dear Alice. I’m reading you in Cartagena, Colombia in a beautiful cafe/ bookstore (my idea of the perfect spa!). I treated myself to a 10 day break from my two adolescent, amazing daughters I absolutely adore, and miss terribly. And yet - I desperately needed this time. I am a single mum without any financial support or family nearby. Life often feels like a struggle, and yet - is absolutely beautiful. My daughters push my buttons and challenge me constantly. And yet - they teach me the greatest life lessons and make me a better human being. A better writer too, I am convinced. No woman should be shamed for not wanting to have children, or, for choosing to have children. My life is definitely more complicated with my daughters, and yet- also richer! So parenting and writing is not easy, but possible. Just please, with a lot of self compassion! And by the way, I loved your reply to that woman (I hate my children). Anyway, I’m here rooting for you, as a fellow writer and mother.
I think we must do what we need to do in order to survive. I say this as I'm recovering from postnatal depression. I gave EVERYTHING to everyone else and it almost broke me. So yes, I will write. I will do the things that bring me joy and give me some escapism, because I can't (and won't) escape from my children and care responsibilities, but I can find moments that make me feel like me again. Maybe enough moments to help me through until I can find the next moments.
Thank you for your wonderful post. I keep coming back to it to re-read and absorb it all. You're doing extraordinary things, Alice 🩶
I noticed you'd taken time to comment here and I'm so grateful. I shifted from all the other things I was doing to say thank you. I really love your writing and what you're sharing in the world. And I love what you say about escaping--I'm obsessed with flowers at the moment. It seems both indulgent and vital.
That's exactly what I feel about most things I enjoy at the moment. Indulgent and vital! Sleep (or lack thereof!) being the main one 🤣. Thank you, that means a lot 🥰
Seriously your answer to that judgy woman at the gym was perfect. I love my children.... gag me. We all love our children but we are also people with our own needs and wants. I do a Word of the Year and for 2 years I tried balance and I came to the conclusion, after 2 years, that it is too illusive. We are all in and that's how it should be. Then we come up for air and rebalance and sort out priorities. You are writing now and in this season perhaps it is carved into chunks and smidgeons but you are writing. Your book (I have forgotten the correct title) on "The Fridge Door" had very few words but was incredibly impactful. But, just like the rotation of the earth, the seasons will change and things will for you as well. Till then just keep finding those tiny little batches of time you can give to yourself as you give to others. Take care. Bernie
Balance strikes me as nonsense, too! I notice when I've slid too far one way or the other, but I don't mind letting 'balance' go as a notion. Acceptance?
And thank you, as always. It's so good to hear from you. Tiny little batches of time, indeed.
Love this Alice! I’m trying to pop myself in the shoes of people who the ‘you’ve self sabotaged your career’ type comments. I’ve received my fair share. Sisters unite here.
And of course we can love our beloved kids but not want to be Velcro’d to them 24/7 - or it would mean the moment we birthed a child we’d set down ourselves. Right, yes, I heard about that memo 🤣
I’m so looking forward to featuring my interview with you about this parenting + writing thing. I feel lucky - so very lucky - time is precious. 🙏🏻
You are so right... I treasure my family and love to be there for them. Does it impact on writing? Yes, it has, both for better and for worse. Being a parent and a caregiver expands your horizons with rich experiences (as well as bringing sleepless nights and crazy days). You make time for what's important to you, and that will be different for each of us. Here in Australia, the summer holidays vary between 5-7 weeks and they never seemed quite long enough (mind you, I was a teacher so that may have had some influence)... I was never in a rush to send mine back to school, but that was me.
Alice, you nailed it when you mentioned seasons - there is a time for everything, and that isn't always when we expect (or hope) it to be.
Dream Sisters took 25 years to write. Incubation started before the turn of the century and then there were occasional forays back into the 10,000 words sitting in the document on my computer - and then the season of lock down arrived and there were no more excuses to not write.
I enjoyed having a reason to be at my computer, creating magic, creating many more sentences, creating life for my characters.
It still took 4 more years to complete - I would leave it for months while life intervened and then when I went back into the story, I could see it with fresh eyes and fresh enthusiasm.
That time away from me gave the characters a chance to decide what they wanted to happen in the plot - and when I visited them again, they had the reasons for the plot change all mapped out. I couldn't argue.
The end result of this lengthy gestation is a story I am proud of and now I call myself an author, even though I may never write another book.
The reason for this ramble is to say that you aren't self-sabotaging your writing - everything you experience in your life builds up golden material. Without life experiences, our writing is less rich, because everything we experience, good, bad and indifferent, builds a repository and our thoughts then mine that repository so we create wonderful words on a page.
So for you right now, your writing might not be your main activity, but that does not diminish its importance.
And a season doesn't have to be months, it can be moments slotted in wherever you can find them.
Once an idea is in your mind, or in your writing notes, then you can revisit it the next time the opportunity arises.
I just had an image of a merry-go-round and you watching it from the side lines. When it stops you get on for one or two circles - however many you have time for - then when you are back on the side lines living your other life , the merry-go-round continues without you, until next time.
But it is always there, waiting for you.
Find enjoyment in building your golden material compost - you will reap the rewards!
Loved your post - so much honesty is beautiful. :-)
Well done you for all that you do for everyone! I don't think it's self sabotage, as writing is something that you need, I gather. That time will come, but in the meantime, you're composting so much golden material.
Thank you, Sue. It's interesting how that comment from the writer shaped so much of my thinking. Teasing it out and looking at it changes how I feel about it, entirely. And you're right--life is full of material now.
The kids will grow and move on building lives of their own, your mother-in-law will likely need more extensive care as her dementia gets worse and you will find yourself with time you never thought would ever arrive. That is the place I find myself in now. And, I often spend that time (perhaps too much?) letting things percolate and brew instead of writing. I always prided myself with "getting shit done" and wondered what it would be like and imagine what I could do with "more time." I now know! I procrastinate. ALOT. Right now, I will take my dog for a walk (usually when ideas come), and then later, before my grandsons descend for a weekend sleepover, I will sit down and write. It's funny, that without a deadline, or something that I know will compress my time, I always think I can write 'later' because I have time. It's a weird double-edged sword.
And BOO to the people that talk about self-sabotage or somehow you don't love your children because what??!! That's just rude. I talk about enjoying my empty-nest all the time and some people say how much they miss their kids and wish they could be with them all the time. I LOVE MY ADULT CHILDREN TOO! But, it doesn't mean I want to live with them! I can't turn off being a mom when they are around, even as adults and I like being my own person again AND being a mom when needed.
Ha, this turned out to be a bit of a rant. Probably because I haven't journaled yet, or maybe because I need to sit down and write as opposed to walk the dog. But, the dog is waiting patiently at my feet, looking up telling me it's time. Sometimes they are just like kids.
Loved this post. Think I might need to turn this into a post myself! Thanks for the inspiration. :)
I really value all of this, Kim. Please do write more about this. I'm really interested in the procrastination and pressure balance--I've got a lot done this week because my parents are coming to visit next week (my step-dad has Alzheimer's too, so I'll be adding to the caregiving--in a good way! I want to spend time with them... AND I have to 'get shit done' this week.) This idea of a weird double-edged sword is fascinating to me...
Hi Alice, I'm sure there's a place in heaven for you in taking on the role of caretaker for your mother-in-law. along with raising four children. I believe we have enormous inner strength when we tap into it and call upon the Almighty for help. I don't know what faith you practice, but for me Christianity has been a rock of support in my life. I have recently found prayers to the great I AM (also termed Yahweh) in the Bible to be of enormous comfort. Going within to find the divine part of ourselves provides all the answers. I will email you an incredible miracle that happened this summer when I asked for a sign about the great I AM.
Hi beautiful Alice - trust all is as well as can be given life's challenges you are facing. In response to your question I am posting a little about self sabotage as this is what I do as a freedom from self sabotage coach and systemic trauma expert. Maybe just maybe there is a golden nugget in this for you.
Break Free from Self-Sabotage and Unlock Your Full Potential
Do you find yourself actively inhibiting your own potential for greatness, happiness, or prosperity without understanding why? Self-sabotage can be an insidious force, manifesting as various addictions, ill health, or a perpetual state of “busyness” or chaos. It's time to break the cycle and reclaim your life.
Understanding Self-Sabotage
Self-sabotage is any behavior by which you actively destroy your potential, often without realizing it. It can manifest in many ways, such as joining a gym but not sticking with it, starting a diet but failing to follow through, or promising yourself to avoid unhealthy relationships but finding yourself back in the same situation months or years later. The saboteur within starts fires in your life without recognizing the patterns or understanding the solutions.
The Vicious Cycle
If you find that you are not living in the fullness, beauty, joy, peace, and freedom that you know you deserve, chances are you are self-sabotaging. When others around you succeed and thrive while you struggle despite having equal or greater talents, self-sabotage might be the culprit.
But don’t feel bad—self-sabotage is a natural response. Until we deeply know that we deserve happiness and fulfillment, we subconsciously ensure it never comes. If you believe you are unworthy of love, abundance, or success, you will act in ways to make those beliefs a reality.
The Path to Overcoming Self-Sabotage
There are concrete solutions to break these cycles and reprogram yourself for success and abundance in all areas of life. My approach involves several key steps:
Awareness of Hidden Loyalties: Uncover the hidden loyalties that bind you, with expert guidance.
Brain Reprogramming: Understand why the brain falls into self-sabotaging cycles.
Health Impact: Learn how your health influences the intensity and frequency of self-sabotage.
In-Depth Analysis: Complete a detailed questionnaire to reveal where you are actively sabotaging your life.
Personal Action Plan: Develop a customized action plan to overcome self-sabotage.
The Process ... will leave it here as I am not soliciting clients rather sharing information that may be helpful.
Thank you, Art. This is lovely to hear. The dogs were so silly this morning, almost telling me in their furry way how much of a season it is (as we stood in the morning mist).
You incorporated a couple of my favourite thinking devices - the empowerment, growth mindset of...'Yet' and the self-compassion around...'And/Both'...as part of the recent series-collaboration I'm doing with others, I'm realising how individual and unique our experiences can feel...and so, there's no right/wrong/standard/norm...just 'IS' and how we choose to express or explain it to ourselves. I like how you think about time, and 'seasons'.
I think I've always had threads of caregiving in what I do - even as a team leader in my old career. Even as I learn how to voice my thoughts in writing now, my passion is to share, care, empathise. Very much AND-ing. xo
Thanks, Victoria. I always look forward to hearing from you. And I want to know more about your collaboration with others... can I get involved somehow?
It's so timely that this post has found its way to me today, Alice. Two years ago, I wrote in my Artist's Way journal that once a week, I wanted to drop my kids off at the school bus on a Thursday morning, then check myself into a hotel and stay there, reading and writing and thinking, until it was time to collect them from the school bus on the Friday afternoon. I kept that dream close to my chest, as I was my kids' primary caregiver and it wouldn't have been logistically viable. But just yesterday, for the first time, I made the dream come true. It's taken some arguments and tears and compromises - I'm not in a hotel, but in the guest bedroom in our house, not to be disturbed - but I'm getting my 36 hours, (mostly) uninterrupted, to concentrate on my own thing. And it's bliss! And feels essential! And I'll be a much better parent for regularly insisting on this time to myself! My husband is flying off on a week-long work trip tomorrow and no-one would even think to question the value of that experience, whereas I've had to fight for my one night a week... I'll keep fighting, for me and for women everywhere! Creativity and caregiving need to be given a stern talking-to and told that they need to get over their conflicts and just get on 😊💕
I love that you got to the guest bedroom and I think about this a lot--how do I make a retreat in the life that I already live. It sounds like bliss.
Have you managed to repeat it? How were the 36 hours? I had this note in an email file I haven't attended to, meaning to reply and life is finally giving me some room to check in.
xoxo
I really appreciate you taking the time to check in! The 36 hours were a dream! I'd had 36 hours two weeks before, not through a retreat but just when my kids were away with school for a night, and it was then that I was finally able to teach myself how to edit audio so I could launch my podcast. It was the start of a beautiful thing! I've only managed to do it once since i commented on your post, but that's because I've had other glorious adventures, like attending and photographing a writers festival for a week, and flying to Jakarta for five days (alone!) to interview people for my podcast. But I think all those things come from the same insistence on prioritising my dreams and ambitions, and making sure everyone else respects them too. Women who are given time and space can move mountains! Thanks again for checking in. I hope you've managed to make some space in your life for retreats too 💕
Dear Alice. I’m reading you in Cartagena, Colombia in a beautiful cafe/ bookstore (my idea of the perfect spa!). I treated myself to a 10 day break from my two adolescent, amazing daughters I absolutely adore, and miss terribly. And yet - I desperately needed this time. I am a single mum without any financial support or family nearby. Life often feels like a struggle, and yet - is absolutely beautiful. My daughters push my buttons and challenge me constantly. And yet - they teach me the greatest life lessons and make me a better human being. A better writer too, I am convinced. No woman should be shamed for not wanting to have children, or, for choosing to have children. My life is definitely more complicated with my daughters, and yet- also richer! So parenting and writing is not easy, but possible. Just please, with a lot of self compassion! And by the way, I loved your reply to that woman (I hate my children). Anyway, I’m here rooting for you, as a fellow writer and mother.
I love all this. xoxxo
Such a beautiful post - and photos - Alice.
I think we must do what we need to do in order to survive. I say this as I'm recovering from postnatal depression. I gave EVERYTHING to everyone else and it almost broke me. So yes, I will write. I will do the things that bring me joy and give me some escapism, because I can't (and won't) escape from my children and care responsibilities, but I can find moments that make me feel like me again. Maybe enough moments to help me through until I can find the next moments.
Thank you for your wonderful post. I keep coming back to it to re-read and absorb it all. You're doing extraordinary things, Alice 🩶
I second this sentiment by adding that taking care of yourself is not selfish. How can we give give give when we run on empty??
It’s a good question. 🌺🌺🌺💝
I noticed you'd taken time to comment here and I'm so grateful. I shifted from all the other things I was doing to say thank you. I really love your writing and what you're sharing in the world. And I love what you say about escaping--I'm obsessed with flowers at the moment. It seems both indulgent and vital.
xoxoxo
Ali
That's exactly what I feel about most things I enjoy at the moment. Indulgent and vital! Sleep (or lack thereof!) being the main one 🤣. Thank you, that means a lot 🥰
Seriously your answer to that judgy woman at the gym was perfect. I love my children.... gag me. We all love our children but we are also people with our own needs and wants. I do a Word of the Year and for 2 years I tried balance and I came to the conclusion, after 2 years, that it is too illusive. We are all in and that's how it should be. Then we come up for air and rebalance and sort out priorities. You are writing now and in this season perhaps it is carved into chunks and smidgeons but you are writing. Your book (I have forgotten the correct title) on "The Fridge Door" had very few words but was incredibly impactful. But, just like the rotation of the earth, the seasons will change and things will for you as well. Till then just keep finding those tiny little batches of time you can give to yourself as you give to others. Take care. Bernie
Balance strikes me as nonsense, too! I notice when I've slid too far one way or the other, but I don't mind letting 'balance' go as a notion. Acceptance?
And thank you, as always. It's so good to hear from you. Tiny little batches of time, indeed.
xoxox
You’ve perfectly articulated how I feel about practising……..
❤️❤️ Thank you.
Love this Alice! I’m trying to pop myself in the shoes of people who the ‘you’ve self sabotaged your career’ type comments. I’ve received my fair share. Sisters unite here.
And of course we can love our beloved kids but not want to be Velcro’d to them 24/7 - or it would mean the moment we birthed a child we’d set down ourselves. Right, yes, I heard about that memo 🤣
I’m so looking forward to featuring my interview with you about this parenting + writing thing. I feel lucky - so very lucky - time is precious. 🙏🏻
Lots of love xo
Thanks again, Danusia--especially for your patience with me through the entire summer!!!
Made me laugh.. seriously but yra@
You are so right... I treasure my family and love to be there for them. Does it impact on writing? Yes, it has, both for better and for worse. Being a parent and a caregiver expands your horizons with rich experiences (as well as bringing sleepless nights and crazy days). You make time for what's important to you, and that will be different for each of us. Here in Australia, the summer holidays vary between 5-7 weeks and they never seemed quite long enough (mind you, I was a teacher so that may have had some influence)... I was never in a rush to send mine back to school, but that was me.
I read this yesterday and have been thinking about it since. Thank you ❤️
Alice, you nailed it when you mentioned seasons - there is a time for everything, and that isn't always when we expect (or hope) it to be.
Dream Sisters took 25 years to write. Incubation started before the turn of the century and then there were occasional forays back into the 10,000 words sitting in the document on my computer - and then the season of lock down arrived and there were no more excuses to not write.
I enjoyed having a reason to be at my computer, creating magic, creating many more sentences, creating life for my characters.
It still took 4 more years to complete - I would leave it for months while life intervened and then when I went back into the story, I could see it with fresh eyes and fresh enthusiasm.
That time away from me gave the characters a chance to decide what they wanted to happen in the plot - and when I visited them again, they had the reasons for the plot change all mapped out. I couldn't argue.
The end result of this lengthy gestation is a story I am proud of and now I call myself an author, even though I may never write another book.
The reason for this ramble is to say that you aren't self-sabotaging your writing - everything you experience in your life builds up golden material. Without life experiences, our writing is less rich, because everything we experience, good, bad and indifferent, builds a repository and our thoughts then mine that repository so we create wonderful words on a page.
So for you right now, your writing might not be your main activity, but that does not diminish its importance.
And a season doesn't have to be months, it can be moments slotted in wherever you can find them.
Once an idea is in your mind, or in your writing notes, then you can revisit it the next time the opportunity arises.
I just had an image of a merry-go-round and you watching it from the side lines. When it stops you get on for one or two circles - however many you have time for - then when you are back on the side lines living your other life , the merry-go-round continues without you, until next time.
But it is always there, waiting for you.
Find enjoyment in building your golden material compost - you will reap the rewards!
Loved your post - so much honesty is beautiful. :-)
Thanks so much, as ever, Justine. I love hearing from you—I read this three times this morning while the house was quiet. Even the dogs!
Well done you for all that you do for everyone! I don't think it's self sabotage, as writing is something that you need, I gather. That time will come, but in the meantime, you're composting so much golden material.
Thank you, Sue. It's interesting how that comment from the writer shaped so much of my thinking. Teasing it out and looking at it changes how I feel about it, entirely. And you're right--life is full of material now.
The kids will grow and move on building lives of their own, your mother-in-law will likely need more extensive care as her dementia gets worse and you will find yourself with time you never thought would ever arrive. That is the place I find myself in now. And, I often spend that time (perhaps too much?) letting things percolate and brew instead of writing. I always prided myself with "getting shit done" and wondered what it would be like and imagine what I could do with "more time." I now know! I procrastinate. ALOT. Right now, I will take my dog for a walk (usually when ideas come), and then later, before my grandsons descend for a weekend sleepover, I will sit down and write. It's funny, that without a deadline, or something that I know will compress my time, I always think I can write 'later' because I have time. It's a weird double-edged sword.
And BOO to the people that talk about self-sabotage or somehow you don't love your children because what??!! That's just rude. I talk about enjoying my empty-nest all the time and some people say how much they miss their kids and wish they could be with them all the time. I LOVE MY ADULT CHILDREN TOO! But, it doesn't mean I want to live with them! I can't turn off being a mom when they are around, even as adults and I like being my own person again AND being a mom when needed.
Ha, this turned out to be a bit of a rant. Probably because I haven't journaled yet, or maybe because I need to sit down and write as opposed to walk the dog. But, the dog is waiting patiently at my feet, looking up telling me it's time. Sometimes they are just like kids.
Loved this post. Think I might need to turn this into a post myself! Thanks for the inspiration. :)
I really value all of this, Kim. Please do write more about this. I'm really interested in the procrastination and pressure balance--I've got a lot done this week because my parents are coming to visit next week (my step-dad has Alzheimer's too, so I'll be adding to the caregiving--in a good way! I want to spend time with them... AND I have to 'get shit done' this week.) This idea of a weird double-edged sword is fascinating to me...
Hi Alice, I'm sure there's a place in heaven for you in taking on the role of caretaker for your mother-in-law. along with raising four children. I believe we have enormous inner strength when we tap into it and call upon the Almighty for help. I don't know what faith you practice, but for me Christianity has been a rock of support in my life. I have recently found prayers to the great I AM (also termed Yahweh) in the Bible to be of enormous comfort. Going within to find the divine part of ourselves provides all the answers. I will email you an incredible miracle that happened this summer when I asked for a sign about the great I AM.
Lovely--this is very generous of you. Thank you, Regina.
xoxox
Hi beautiful Alice - trust all is as well as can be given life's challenges you are facing. In response to your question I am posting a little about self sabotage as this is what I do as a freedom from self sabotage coach and systemic trauma expert. Maybe just maybe there is a golden nugget in this for you.
Break Free from Self-Sabotage and Unlock Your Full Potential
Do you find yourself actively inhibiting your own potential for greatness, happiness, or prosperity without understanding why? Self-sabotage can be an insidious force, manifesting as various addictions, ill health, or a perpetual state of “busyness” or chaos. It's time to break the cycle and reclaim your life.
Understanding Self-Sabotage
Self-sabotage is any behavior by which you actively destroy your potential, often without realizing it. It can manifest in many ways, such as joining a gym but not sticking with it, starting a diet but failing to follow through, or promising yourself to avoid unhealthy relationships but finding yourself back in the same situation months or years later. The saboteur within starts fires in your life without recognizing the patterns or understanding the solutions.
The Vicious Cycle
If you find that you are not living in the fullness, beauty, joy, peace, and freedom that you know you deserve, chances are you are self-sabotaging. When others around you succeed and thrive while you struggle despite having equal or greater talents, self-sabotage might be the culprit.
But don’t feel bad—self-sabotage is a natural response. Until we deeply know that we deserve happiness and fulfillment, we subconsciously ensure it never comes. If you believe you are unworthy of love, abundance, or success, you will act in ways to make those beliefs a reality.
The Path to Overcoming Self-Sabotage
There are concrete solutions to break these cycles and reprogram yourself for success and abundance in all areas of life. My approach involves several key steps:
Awareness of Hidden Loyalties: Uncover the hidden loyalties that bind you, with expert guidance.
Brain Reprogramming: Understand why the brain falls into self-sabotaging cycles.
Health Impact: Learn how your health influences the intensity and frequency of self-sabotage.
In-Depth Analysis: Complete a detailed questionnaire to reveal where you are actively sabotaging your life.
Personal Action Plan: Develop a customized action plan to overcome self-sabotage.
The Process ... will leave it here as I am not soliciting clients rather sharing information that may be helpful.
Love and soul hugs
Colli
Oh, wow. Thank you! I'm going to read this fully later today. I really appreciate this. More to come....
Beautifully put. We have been there so often for so many years, and your words strike a powerfully supportive chord. Thank you.
Thank you, Art. This is lovely to hear. The dogs were so silly this morning, almost telling me in their furry way how much of a season it is (as we stood in the morning mist).
You incorporated a couple of my favourite thinking devices - the empowerment, growth mindset of...'Yet' and the self-compassion around...'And/Both'...as part of the recent series-collaboration I'm doing with others, I'm realising how individual and unique our experiences can feel...and so, there's no right/wrong/standard/norm...just 'IS' and how we choose to express or explain it to ourselves. I like how you think about time, and 'seasons'.
I think I've always had threads of caregiving in what I do - even as a team leader in my old career. Even as I learn how to voice my thoughts in writing now, my passion is to share, care, empathise. Very much AND-ing. xo
Thanks, Victoria. I always look forward to hearing from you. And I want to know more about your collaboration with others... can I get involved somehow?
xoxxox
Aww Thanks, Alice! Oh gosh yes please do! https://www.carermentor.com/p/we-invite-you-to-care-about-crying
That's the open invite to everyone
Here's the Backstory: https://www.carermentor.com/p/sept-a-carer-mentor-collaboration
Here's the contents page https://www.carermentor.com/p/caring-about-crying-contents-page of all the articles and contributions to date.
Okay, great. I'll look at this during the week. Thank you!