I woke up a couple of mornings ago hearing the words, “Don’t be afraid of rigor.” There is a growing love in me for showing up as fully as I can through presence and choice, rather than rules and comparison (by comparison I mean seeing that someone else is doing a green juice cleanse and deciding that is my golden ticket and if I just drink green juice… like that). A growing devotion to loving, writing, and teaching, not because it always goes well or gets me attention, but for the love of it.
This feels so good!
There is also a growing clarity about giving myself the kind of self-care that supports me in creating with rigor, in having the grit to write 1,000+ words a day, to open to more love with Bob, to serve clients and students more fully rather than, as self-care sometimes has, given me an excuse to collapse and hide, to give up.
I’m relishing — savoring! — these distinctions and I’m making notes so we can explore them more fully in the fall session of The Life Navigation Course. Let’s be lovingly devoted and rigorous together.
What about you? How is your grit these days, and how does your self-care support it? Comment below – I’d love to hear.
Love,
Jen
RECENT BLOG POSTS & WRITING VIDEOS
Fuzzy no more
A short video with some post-writing a-ha moments.
How to Be Determined
A snippet of what I’m writing these days.
Maybe you need to go backwards to flow forward?
The truth about shortcuts and impatience.
WHAT I’M READING
Naked, Drunk and Writing by Adair Lara
I read a lot of books about writing so I can help my students and coaching clients. I really like this one for memoir – straight-forward, concise, and funny. Doh, you got that from the title.
The Gastronomical Me by M.F.K. Fisher
I’m embarrassed to say I’ve never read much M.F.K. – but I’m quickly remedying that! What prose! Sentences to swoon over.
The Describer’s Dictionary by David Grambs
My current favorite reference book. It’s a mind expander for words and your imagination. Very useful.
WHAT I’M WATCHING
Have you seen Last Tango in Halifax? Call me old, but watching two elderly people find love makes me so happy. A bit of a soap opera but still adorable.
Then there’s Rake, the racy Australian show about a brilliant lawyer addicted to sex, gambling, and drugs, but so darn rakish, you can’t help but root for him.
FINAL WORDS
What self-care would help you create with rigor and lightness? Ask yourself and listen to what comes to you, before you say, “Can’t. Not possible,” or “Later, when summer is over and the kids/grandkids are back in school.” I believe we sometimes don’t give ourselves what we want – whether that is a good rest or a certain pen or an hour a day early in the morning to ourselves – because we’re afraid we’ll then be compelled to take action on what we most want.
What if self-care is just a way home to yourself and the life you desire is possible right here, right now?
(Click to Tweet.)
What if?
