Whatever you are meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible
Doris Lessing
I’m sure Ms. Lessing was referring to something far more important than a blog when she said the above quote, and not only since she lived the vast majority of her life far before blogs were even invented. She was a Nobel prize winner after all.
However, in my case, this gem from my book of Beautiful Words spoke to me today because this is a post I have been dreading tackling. I want to get back to my monthly reading roundup but…before I do that I needed to catch up from the last 5 months. Why? Because that’s the type of person I am. Sigh.
Thankfully I read a heck of a lot more books than articles so this post won’t be as long as it could have been.
So, let’s do this now. Shall we?
Articles
I’m taking August off – and so are all of my staff. It’s the best decision we ever made. By Jo Hunter
Oh how this article spoke to me. Now, before I continue, I recognize that I am incredibly lucky in that I run a small business which allows me to schedule work time as I choose. In future years this could mean I can have the summers off to recharge and spend precious time with my kids. And that, dear reader, is worth everything to me. But imagine for a moment, if you will, that we stepped off this insanely destructive wheel of capitalism and onto a wide-open path that allows for both freedom of movement and moments of rest. How much better would life be? How much more equal of a society could we make? How would our collective mental health improve? I, for one, think society could use a shakeup. Regardless how much you love your job – there is so much more to us than the work we do. Life is so much more than work. Don’t we deserve to have the time and energy to enjoy it properly? After all, depending on what you believe, we only get one.
Society seems to have got completely caught up in a never-ending cycle of busyness – and when we don’t stop to pause and question it, we continue to make the same mistakes.
Jo Hunter
A moment that changed me: my parents had a dinner party – and it inspired me to find and feed new friends. By Nikita Sharma
Such a heartwarming and relatable piece. I have been very lucky in that I was born and raised and went to University in the same city so I was able to keep largely the same friend group for upwards of 25 years (and counting…they were and are great friends). But now that we have moved our family to a small town just outside of the city I lived in for almost my whole life…I’m feeling the itch to get to know people around here a bit more. Not that I have a desperate need for more friends, like I said I’m very very lucky to have so many people near and dear to my heart. But it would be nice to meet kindred spirits nearby who don’t have to drive 30 minutes to an hour to have coffee with me…Not to mention, I do love cooking! Maybe that’s a good way to make friends? What do you think?
Whenever anxiety rippled through me, I learned I only had to mix some flour, water and yeast, so I could knead my worries away instead.
Nikita Sharma
Jason Arday: he learned to talk at 11 and read at 18 – then became Cambridge’s youngest Black professor. By Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff
Just an incredibly inspiring story about someone who had society’s odds stacked against him and who continuously powered through. Mr. Arday is intelligent, eminently quotable and one of the countless individuals that prove being neurodivergent does not in any way equal being less-than. The sooner our society, and our world as a whole, understands this…the better for everyone.
If you have the will, it will always supersede skill.
Jason Arday
‘Impactful and beautiful’: how US homeless shelters are getting a radical redesign. By Sarah Sloat
It is incredibly refreshing to see all the discussions surrounding mental health having a real impact on the way we treat people. For something that seems so simple (i.e. that physical locations and how they are designed can affect a person’s well-being), it sure took us a while to get here. Regardless, this approach towards the design of homeless shelters is refreshing and brilliant in its apparent simplicity. Let’s aim for more trauma-informed design (and just experience-informed design in general) everywhere it is needed. No matter what situations they find themselves in, for whatever reason under the sun, human beings deserve to feel seen, heard, cared-for and respected. It’s truly the least we can do. Kudos to the team at Path Home Family Village and any others who have attempted such an extraordinary feat in the interest of those they wish to help. Job well done.
The goal of trauma-informed design is to help people quiet the part of the brain that stays in survival mode when in a traditional shelter setting. Instead of feeling fearful and on high alert, they can focus on actions like applying for jobs and getting their children to school. The shelter can be what it’s suited for: a short-term stopover where people can get back on their feet.
Sarah Sloat
Power of touch: how blind women are helping detect breast cancer in India. By Priti Salian in Bengaluru
This was one of those stories that just makes you stop and think…wow. Humanity can be absolutely, mindblowingly incredible. It is an example of what happens when we stop othering those who are different from us and rather spend our energy much more judiciously harnessing the beautifully diverse talent of our human kaleidoscope. If we could all just accept that everyone has something to offer, beyond what someone might view as their defining feature (note: I don’t believe blindness is the most defining feature of these women. I have been told by friends with visible disabilities that this is their experience), how much more could we achieve. Together.
I wanted to prove myself and show others that I could survive in this world.
Ritika Maurya
Ozempic has won, body positivity has lost. And I want no part of it. By Rachel Pick
Honestly, this was a bit of a depressing one but it hit me hard enough that I felt it was important to include. If you haven’t heard of Ozempic…this article gives a pretty good summary of what it is and who it was actually made for (hint: it was made to treat a human illness, not one of the many people assume you must have if you dare to be in any way “overweight”). Now, look, I’m not judging you if you’ve tried it or something similar – you do you. But the reason people are clamouring to get their hands on it, i.e. to fit society’s ever-changing and arbitrary beauty standards, is heartbreaking. I personally have struggled with weight and body image issues for more of my life. And I’m not talking adult life. The first time I looked in the mirror and told myself I should lose some weight I was probably about 9. 9 years old. And my experience is frustratingly normal. As a mother of two young girls now, I desperately want to help them avoid spending decades trying to love their bodies for the amazing miracles that they are (NB. my body image issues were in no way caused by or exacerbated by my parents or family members. I’m lucky in that). But how can I even begin to do this when the very movement that espouses body positive for all falters the moment a drug is made available that could slim anyone down to a “more acceptable” size?! How about instead of constantly looking for the next miracle cure to being “overweight” we start spending our time taking proper care of ourselves and appreciating all of the amazing things that we are – which is so much more than our bodies.
And how I feel about myself is good. I like how I look, even naked. I am satisfied with what I see in the mirror. It might be hard for other people to understand that, but I feel immensely lucky to have reached a point where my health, my lifestyle and my self-image are all in places I am comfortable with. No one can take that feeling away from me.
Rachel Pick
A new start after 60: I embraced being single and became an international pet-sitter. By Paula Cocozza
I love love love this series of people’s new starts after 60. May it live on forever. And not because I’m anticipating needing a fresh start at that point in my life but rather because it is nice to know that it is truly never too late to try something new. I think this comes partially from being a young mother and watching the days zip by in a flurry of developmental leaps, snacks, tantrums, diaper changes and potty breaks wondering when in the hell I’m going to have the time and energy to dive into things that have been on my bucket list for ages like growing my own vegetables and DIYing my dream house. It’s hard to live in the moment when your brain constantly intrudes with reminders of all the other things you would like to be doing but this article was a welcome reminder that I don’t have to do all of those things right NOW. I have time. So, for now, I can enjoy the little humans Louis and I created fully knowing before I know it, I’ll have much more time for me.
Life gets busy just raising your kids as best you can, giving them a stable base. You put all those travel wishes on the back burner. They are still there, but you bury them with everyday life, because that’s the best thing for your family.
Bernadine Swale
A new start after 60: I left the civil service – and started dressing in Tudor costume. By Emma Beddington
Those who know me know how much of a history buff I am with, let’s say, a bit of a flare for the dramatic. So, as long as I don’t end up unexpectedly single in my 60s, which I truly hope doesn’t happen since I adore my husband, I can totally see myself doing something similar to this woman. Then again, who’s stopping me? I could start anytime! And if, god forbid, I end up unexpectedly single in the latter half of my life…I can always become a traveling pet-sitter.
History’ says it all: it’s his story. I want to try to tell her story.
Rosemary Griggs
A moment that changed me: I failed to impress my orphan cousin — until I learned to laugh at myself. By Meg Clothier
Who among us hasn’t been there? That delicious sense of superiority when babysitting kids a whole 3 years younger than you, or when watching a younger sibling or cousin or, hell, when you have kids of your own and are for better or for worse put in charge of caring for them for the foreseeable future? It always starts out great with plenty of bravado and strutting about confident that you can keep some kids entertained for a few hours since you’re obviously so mature and awe-inspiring that they’ll just follow you around like adoring fans lapping up every bit of advice and squealing with delight at every carefully-planned activity. And then reality hits and your realize that rather than adoring fans they are intelligent humans with their own wants, needs, preferences and opinions and unless they are particularly young children, they sure as heck don’t think you’re worth idolizing. It’s taken me years to get to this point but I have finally realized that there is no need to put oneself up on a pedestal and expect kids to keep you there. Much better, I say, to learn to laugh at the overall insanity of being a human regardless of your age and accept that no one has it all together. Doesn’t that make everything easier? Oh and those kids? They’ll obviously realize how magnificent you are all on their own.
I could no longer cosplay the omniscient grownup. I was just a klutz who couldn’t work a clutch.
Meg Clothier
Brazilian TikToker goes viral showing the ‘cheerfulness of the favela’. By Constance Malleret in Rio de Janeiro
Humanity is complex. That statement should be obvious but with the amount of stereotyping rife in this world, and especially coming from the “West” against countries outside of their exclusive club, you would think we haven’t grasped this concept yet. You can’t paint a whole people, race, culture, religion, country, or even neighbourhood with the same brush and people like Raphael Vicente are working hard to remind us of this important fact. There may be some serious issues with TikTok but the social media platform’s ability to give people a voice who otherwise would have struggled to be heard is astounding and laudable. Read this story and then go check out Vicente’s content. I highly doubt you’ll regret it.
The TikToker wants to use his fame to change the way favela residents are perceived in Brazil and show that there is much more to these communities than crime and poverty.
Constance Malleret
Kate Beaton wrote her graphic memoir Ducks at a ‘hedgehog corner desk’ in her dining room. By Kate Beaton
I still have yet to read this book (though it is on my list!) but I remember giggling away at Beaton’s Hark! A Vagrant comics when I was in university. However, what spoke to me about this article was not what she was working on but how she was working on it. As a mom of two young kids, I am intensely aware of how hard it can be to find space (both mental and physical) to get work done when everything is beautiful chaos. It’s a wonder I get anything done at all. And that’s WITH an incredibly supportive family and husband… So, if you’re feeling at all overwhelmed from the pressure of trying to get it all done, read this. We are not alone!
I am sure my husband wishes the corner wasn’t an eyesore (sorry Morgan), but I guess I am like a little hedgehog that way: I burrow in, and where everything is makes sense to me, at least. The children don’t mind — they are one and three. They are busy making the entire house a messy burrow.
Kate Beaton
BLOGS
CAN MOMS HAVE HOBBIES? 10 REASONS TO FIND THE FUN. – Mumtastic Life
After my last post, this likely will not come as much of a surprise but I really struggle to fit time for me into my life as a Mum. And, boy, do I need it. I’ve always had a ton of hobbies and interests and they certainly have not gone away just because I’ve birthed two children. This blog was a welcome read reminding me that I’m not the only one who benefits when I take this time to take care of me.
Your kids don’t need you to be the best mom. They want a present happy mother and taking time for your self care might help you achieve that.
Amanda from Mumtastic Life
How To Make The Most Out Of Every Day (Even The Bad Ones). By Stuart Danker
I’ve featured Stuart in these posts a few times and for good reason! He is a great writer who does not shy away from tackling topics I would probably prefer to avoid as a chronically procrastinating writer. This blog was no exception. If you’re having a bad day, this is the one for you!
Life always changes. But one thing that remains constant is that you will still be you. You’ll live. You’ll breathe. And you’ll face your day, voluntarily or not.
Stuart Danker
Books
According to Goodreads, between March and the publishing of this blog post I have read 13 books. Full disclosure, most of these were read in audiobook form because, kids, but that still counts as reading!
In the interest of not making this post too much longer than it already is, I’ll just add their pictures by rating below but I’m truly hoping to catch up on some reviews soon. At least my streak of great reads continues. Stay tuned!
5-Quill Rating
4-Quill Rating
All right. I think that’s enough writing for now. It’s past 11 at night on the evening before this is to be published and I’m exhausted. But I did it…despite what I felt to be impossible circumstances. And that is worth celebrating.
Remember, no matter how long you leave tasks unfinished… Life is beautiful.
xo Erin
Erin of the Hills 