13 responses so far ↓

• 1 Tuck, The Rebel Belle Jun 25, 2008

  Jennifer..I love getting your newsletters! I feel as if I’m listening to myself. Hmmm…maybe I am.

  Here’s what I’m choosing to do and lovin’ myself in the process…

  > a long, hot, sudsy, bath
  > a brisk, walk where I get to feel the sun on my face, the wind in my oh so short hair, and I talk to the flowers that call to me “see how beautiful I am?”
  > immerse myself in one of my favorite books
  > and…finally, rather than flogging myself for not doing what I’m supposed to do, I give myself the gift of attending a Tele-retreat…

  Lookin’ forward to being inspired by you…and thanks for the post!

• 2 Zigi Jun 25, 2008

  I’m totally new at this so here goes
  week’s habit- To read before bed…especially those silly, soppy chick-lit books i like!
  all rolled into one habit- exercise in the morning before work
  to support myself- keep reading all these excellent tips and ideas for living that are positively screaming for my attention!

• 3 Jennifer R Jun 25, 2008

  I think I’m going to change my name to Darling Sweetie Honey Baby Rinehart.It’s going to look really bad on my resume, but I don’t care.

  j.

• 4 Kerri Wheatley Jun 25, 2008

  Hi Jen, it’s so nice to know that other women go through the crap I put myself through. I have spent the last decade sabotoguing myself, my work, my life. Yes, I learned all sorts of other lessons but I am no where near where I want to be and I sure am not living authentically.

  So my one choice for this year, is to start to live consciously and honestly as possible and recognize where I do good.

  Thank you for being a real woman and inspiring me through your writing.
  Comfort Queen is my bible.
  Kerri

• 5 Jennifer Louden Jun 25, 2008

  I love your ideas – and the name change, Zigi, right on! I love using this blog to feel less alone for us all. Kerri, i just came back from a walk with my dear friend Ann Cheng and was kvetching (just for a moment, pinkie swear) about wasting so many years trying to hear/know/decide what I really really wanted to do and coming to the conclusion I’ll never know and it’s about doing what’s easy and fun and staying away from any big commitments. It’s the very opposite of doing one big thing or knowing anything.. and you know what Kerri, I’ve known this (and have reams of notes to prove it) for years… and yet, the process has been what it was, what (I trust) had to be. And so if this makes any sense I hope it says to you “Trust what you’ve been doing and be gentle with yourself about how long it takes — you ain’t alone!”

  Here’s to gently supporting ourselves!

  Jen

• 6 Marisa Jun 25, 2008

  When I got your newsletter and read the question “Sweetie, what would feel really delightful” I laughed. I imagined the question being posed in a British accent, and it reminded me of “Absolutely Fabulous”. At first I thought about the things that I normally think delight me: shopping, getting a pedicure, taking a bath. But I was looking for delight, a simple something that I could do that would inspire me. I decided that I would drag my books, computer, everything i need to write outside and sit on the patio. I wasn’t so sure at first, because working outside somehow seemed so indulgent (“oh, yes, I am typing my email while I let the breeze ruffle my hair, while my windchimes delight me, while I listen to a Brandenburg Concerto, how you doin”) but I did it. And it is amazing how I feel. It’s the SAME work, the same writing that I am struggling to do, but I love being outside. My dogs and I have had a delightful day togethor. It was such a small thing, but I feel totally different than I would had I tried to write inside today.

  Thank you so much for reaching out and sharing! Have a beautiful day!

• 7 Tara Jun 25, 2008

  Well, it’s visitor’s season here in the Okanagan, which means feeling guilty for disappearing on my guests to put my work hours in. (Our family takes weekends on Sunday/Monday, but unfortunately our guests are more traditional!) Other summers I’ve sacrificed my own fiction writing time while guests are here to make sure I fit in at least most of my “paid” writing hours. What I found was that I ended up feeling empty instead of filled up after they were gone. This year, I’m doing something different:

  For the past few months I’ve been in a good habit of working on my fiction for half an hour before each of my daily work sessions. I’m going to vow to keep this writing time sacred, even if it means sacrificing an hour of “paid work” here and there to enjoy a Pina Colada with a best friend or auntie.

  BTW-if you’re looking for lightness, last night I caught the first episode of ABC’s “I survived a Japanese Game show”. I’m not much for TV, especially reality junk that wastes an hour of my reading time, but my husband and I both enjoyed some belly laugh therapy with this one!

• 8 Paula Jun 26, 2008

  Okay Jen, I read your newsletter thinking, she IS peeking in my window!

  The “darling, sweetie, honey baby” just makes me giggle with glee. And highlights the contrast I’ve been allowing myself.

  For me, the choice I gift myself is permission to sparkle. Just let it out. Stop hiding. Stop pretending I don’t know what to do next. Take the plunge. Live fully, richly, arms wide open. Hold nothing back. Start today. Start now. Start right in this moment — the only moment we have.

  Give myself permission to sparkle. Wanna join me???

  Lots of love,
  Paula

• 9 Princess to Queen I Jun 26, 2008

  My goal…no dammit, I will! Open my day with my planner and my computer while in a bed… not in my office. If it is on my planner to do so, only then will I go into my office. Thanks, Jennifer for the question. Better questions being asked, will result in better answers/solutions. You’re good at crafting questions…how about you doing a training teleconference about the art of crafting questions…?

• 10 Rebecca Jun 26, 2008

  A friend emailed me and wished me a happy two week anniversary – I’ve been in early retirement now for two weeks. I’m struggling just a bit, well maybe a lot, as the world as I’ve known it changes and just opens out before me…because that is soooo scary, when the excuses are gone….and you really can do anything you want….and suddenly realize that maybe you don’t know exactly what that is or just how to go about it anyway.

  This third week I intend to reclaim, restore, rephrase….hmmm, what is the word I want? For example: I found myself writing a whiney email to my friend, how my day wasn’t going as planned, listing all the things I wasn’t getting accomplished that were on my to do list….then I stopped, and decided to Reclaim The Day…..and I rewrote my experiences from a different, more joyful and grateful, a, heck each day is my own perspective….writing down the wonderful experiences, like not having to drive in bad weather if I didn’t want to, the artists book I’d looong looked for that was found and offered to me, the three wonderful art books I discovered (in my “unproductive” time) and look forward to receiving, the ability to do just spend my day however I want even if that is nothing traditionally productive.

  Each day to breath, say thank you, look, really look and SEE, around me, and just let the creativity flow, rather then blocking the stream, let it run wild and maybe a little messy.

  It is good to have you back Jennifer. Maybe I will also reread Comfort Queen, yet again, it is still my favorite.

• 11 Tricia Jun 26, 2008

  Your question came at a pertinent time for me as I grieve my mom’s passing. I think just allowing myself to be as I need to be in every moment is really a blessing right now. I’ve resolved to give up the “shoulds” as long as I need to–that means not returning calls, emails or letters until I am ready; letting go of the guilt about etiquette and timeliness; and coasting at work if I need to. So my gift to myself this week–finally getting that pedicure that my mom gave me a gift certificate for months ago. A reminder that life is too short not to show ourselves a little slack and just indulge in a simple pleasure. I only wish she were here to share that joy.

• 12 Jennifer Louden Jun 29, 2008

  I adore your insights everbody! Marisa, when you wrote, “It was such a small thing, but I feel totally different than I would had I tried to write inside today.” And Tricia, your poignant post about your mother – sigh. I’ve sure been missing my daddy lately. I so wish he could met my new beau, he would like him so much! Rebecca, LOVE the idea of reclaiming the day. I can be that same negative Nellie. I’m also struck by how much attitude and how we start the day helps – Tara and Princess into Queen I. I’ve been thinking a lot about how multi-tasking trains us to not enjoy our lives. I’m seeing the trend since the Internet and email became widely available – in 2000 for me – and how since then the sense of depth and being able to sink into my creative and spiritual and human life has diminished. I know this is not an original thought but it frightens me. I read an article about this in the Atlantic Monthly last year that was very tongue in cheek about how are brains are being taught to not comphrend, to not take in anything. It’s complicated for me by mid-life ADD. A topic perhaps for a thirty-day blog experiment – how to let go of multi-tasking??

• 13 MG Jun 30, 2008

  I’m going out tonight to pick you up your Life Organizer to create a new habit for myself. I’ve had a difficult & wonderful, amazing exhausting roller coaster weekend.

  I have the very real sense of being in the position of creating and shaping where my life will go next – I’m waiting for my divorce to go through and am going through bankruptcy. The biggest change for me and my children, is my sister and her family, who have shared our home for five years, are in the process of moving to another city.

  While there is some sadness, when I reflect – I feel like I’m on some exhilarating journey that has something entirely new around the corner.

  Life truly feels like a messy art project that shifts from one moment to the next. When it gets intense like the last couple of days, your insights are so helpful. Your reminder to not be hard on myself is so timely! Thank you for sharing your journey with us!