Calming Routines and Baby Steps
Good Morning, you strong baby steppers.
I’ve been waking up super early and I love it. Windows open, birds chirping, watching the sun come up, tea steaming. And today I felt… lighter. Better. And I think it’s riding those waves, but also I’ve been really trying to do that teeny next layer of self-care stuff that’s juuuuuuust above surviving.
For me? That’s adding a few things to my routine: Morning pages to get all the Brain Muck up and out, breakfast smoothies crammed with way too much stuff that makes it brown* (*nutritious) sludge and some kind of pilates/stretching/meditation that settles my breathing and undoes the effects of Writer Back. (An earlier bedtime is a work in progress… I’m currently in negotiations with myself). Also, I’ve finally accepted that doing ANYTHING in these realms helps. That I needed to shake the “I can only do these things if it’s for a full hour and on this app!” Nah. Like…. sometimes “meditation” is just this or me trying to get one good breath by remembering to pull my navel to my spine on the exhalation - a thing a pilates teacher said once that I was 👀, but of course turns out…makes me breathe deeper from my diaphragm and not continue anxiety gasping, stuck up in my chest. Baby steps. Do what I can.
Because all of these additions - however much I do of them - are things I know will make me feel better, but up until now all I could do was focus on Just Keep on Keeping On. And that’s okay. Because the days of Just Keep On Keeping On will definitely cycle through again. But now I know, that so will good days like I’ve had this weekend.
Baby steps.
Each Monday morning, I’ll gather:
❤️funny tweets
🤩stuff to watch, read and listen to
🤝great follows on social media
🌈 music to soothe
🕯calming things
*****
❤️
🤩
I love Drew Margary’s writing, and his Ode to the Pancake is no exception. (Thanks to Joe for this one.)
This interview with Oki Sato is so good. He breaks down the creative process so well, on top of his work being utterly breathtaking. Then follow his company’s, Nendo, Instagram account for more inspiration. (thank you to Nathan for this one)
I caught the first 3 episodes of Run and I really like it. It’s a dream team of creators - Vicky Jones + Phoebe Waller Bridge? Come onnnn - and the two leads are spectacular.
The La Culturistas podcast is great and will, like me, further solidify Bowen Yang as a beacon of all that is great and hilarious in the world.
The National Theater is streaming all of their plays on YouTube. This week it’s Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo in Antony and Cleopatra.
🤝
Follow Quarantine Frasier to finally answer the question of how the Cranes would be faring through all this.
Follow David Chang for delicious food and a super cute baby.
Follow Aroha Knits for some cozy knitting patterns and how-tos.
🌈
🕯
I love Laura Veirs and I love movie scores. What I didn’t know is that Laura Veirs composed the movie score for Hello I Must be Going and it’s a GD delight.
The On Being podcast is so good. And she put together this Care Package for Uncertain Times and it’s wonderful. (Thank you to Leila for this one)
Patti Lapel’s entire catalog of enamel pins is truly wonderful, but when my friend gave me this one for Christmas, I actually swooned.
This journal by Emily McDowell has a great feel to it - kinda soft so you can bend it a bit. And that quote by Elizabeth Gilbert on the cover? Forget it.
I mean, a little smudge spray couldn’t HURT?