“The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything, is to succumb to violence. The frenzy of our activity neutralizes our work for peace. It destroys our own inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of our own work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful." Thomas Merton. From Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper today.
Literally today?! Lol! All of this YES. "Frenzy of our activity" sounds exactly like this back to school season to me. (I still gotta sub to that newsletter!)
This is the perfect post for me to read today. I've been thinking a lot about my newsletter theme for the month take a risk/make a leap and what mine might be... and experimenting a little but nothing was feeling right and yesterday I realized my risk is to learn to feel safe. More to come but this helps!! Also so delighted when I spark a bit of insight in you, brilliant one!
Well, it seems like we are in the same basic mindset today! I️ wrote a post this morning about giving ourselves credit for small accomplishments. It’s a process and definitely something I️’m working on. Telling myself aim for one daily win and and any thing beyond that is a bonus.
Yes! Love your post and commenting over there. Love the idea of applause and cheerleading yourself! (I had a very short-lived career as a cheerleader but secretly wish I could relive those glory days!)
I do this All. The. Time. “All I did today was X.” And whatever X is, it’s rarely “enough.” For several months now I have been writing down “celebrations” or “wins” for the day — but that list never includes things like going to the grocery store or cleaning the house. Maybe I need to start adding those, too :) Or just being satisfied with one daily win, no matter what it is. Thanks for this piece!
Yeah. I don't know why my brain really resists "one daily win." If I say "Okay, I have to have 50!" then my brain actually gets excited to find things like "packed a snack for my kid" and "drank water" to add to the list! So weird.
Right. I originally had a whole tangent in this piece about the misogyny of it all. Lucky for me, my husband does do the lion's share of grocery shopping and dinner cooking!
“The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence. To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything, is to succumb to violence. The frenzy of our activity neutralizes our work for peace. It destroys our own inner capacity for peace. It destroys the fruitfulness of our own work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful." Thomas Merton. From Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper today.
Literally today?! Lol! All of this YES. "Frenzy of our activity" sounds exactly like this back to school season to me. (I still gotta sub to that newsletter!)
This is the perfect post for me to read today. I've been thinking a lot about my newsletter theme for the month take a risk/make a leap and what mine might be... and experimenting a little but nothing was feeling right and yesterday I realized my risk is to learn to feel safe. More to come but this helps!! Also so delighted when I spark a bit of insight in you, brilliant one!
Yep, yep. A wise teacher once informed me that creativity is COMBINATORIAL. ;)
that’s a wise person! :)
Well, it seems like we are in the same basic mindset today! I️ wrote a post this morning about giving ourselves credit for small accomplishments. It’s a process and definitely something I️’m working on. Telling myself aim for one daily win and and any thing beyond that is a bonus.
Yes! Love your post and commenting over there. Love the idea of applause and cheerleading yourself! (I had a very short-lived career as a cheerleader but secretly wish I could relive those glory days!)
I do this All. The. Time. “All I did today was X.” And whatever X is, it’s rarely “enough.” For several months now I have been writing down “celebrations” or “wins” for the day — but that list never includes things like going to the grocery store or cleaning the house. Maybe I need to start adding those, too :) Or just being satisfied with one daily win, no matter what it is. Thanks for this piece!
Yeah. I don't know why my brain really resists "one daily win." If I say "Okay, I have to have 50!" then my brain actually gets excited to find things like "packed a snack for my kid" and "drank water" to add to the list! So weird.
I am perpetually unsatisfied & it’s extremely frustrating! I am desperately working to break myself of this but am at a loss.
"Perpetually Unsatisfied". This would probably make a good alternate for my Substack!
Household work is so often not seen as real work. It definitely counts! If a male partner did it, it would “count.” Kudos to you!
Right. I originally had a whole tangent in this piece about the misogyny of it all. Lucky for me, my husband does do the lion's share of grocery shopping and dinner cooking!
Same at my house! Very thankful we both get this.