Whatās feeling nourishing/joyful for you these days? šæā ļø
Personally, Iāve been trying to find ways to slow down and to not always be slightly over-stimulatedāto notice when I need to come back to the basics of being present and taking care of my body. Iāve been trying to find ways to move towards ease, to listen for what feels good and nourishing rather than always depleting. We all have things we wish weād make more time forāItās good to remember why they are meaningful to us, how it feels when we finally show up, and what we leave with as we return to daily life. When I leave nourishing spaces and containers of time, I usually feel a sense of gratitude, belonging, and wholeness.
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Feeling more connected to photography is one of the ways that living in Stockholm inspires me. When I first moved here, I quickly noticed the beauty aroundānature, architecture, spaces, colours, how it feels to walk around the cityāand I couldnāt resist pausing to take pictures. A friend and I happened to get new cameras around the same time last month, and itās been fun to play with photography in another way. Weāve gone on walks, noticing what stands out and what each of us like to capture.
Thereās often a feeling of ease in connecting over similar interests in this wayāan invitation to share delight and a sense of ease in being seen. These moments can happen when I give myself permission to express the things that delight me, and while being present in the delight of others. While writing this, I learnt that another word for delight in Hebrew means to be soft and tender, and I think thatās beautifulāto find spaces where we can be soft and tender.
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Iāve been spending time at a pottery studio since I took a wheel-throwing course last year, and itās become a sacred practice for me. Itās a space where I slow down and also learn to be softer with myself. Through time working with clay, Iāve been reconnecting with the creative process and discovering my rhythms. This space reminds me of the necessity of play, experimentation, and process. It reminds me to trust myself and to find my pace. Itās been healing to reconnect with a sense of creative freedom and joy through this medium.
Finding my way through building a practice has been a journey of learning and unlearning, and itās been necessary to learn from many others. Iāll share some of my favourite substacks on art-making and creative living at the end of this post.
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Iām back to working full-time this month, after 6 months off. While adjusting to the experience of returning to work, Iāve also been finding moments of gratitude because it helps me remember what is good and true in this present moment. Iāve learnt that this is a helpful practice for meāto remember what is good and what is true in my life.
Iām grateful for how this time off has allowed me to reframe this point in my life. Itās been necessary to reflect on how I move through timeāto remember lifeās non-linearity, cycles, and lessons. To remember and find gratitude for what is already good, while intentionally moving toward what continues to be life-giving. To notice what I turn to when Iām not working towards external measures of meaning or achievement. In all this time, I havenāt defined goals on a timeline, but Iāve taken note of what I value, my intentions, phases of work, and whatās not essentialātrying to be more present.
Some questions Iāve been keeping in mind:
What is my own pace? What actions feel aligned with that pace?
What do I value? What brings me peace & joy?
What feels nourishing for my mind-body-soul, and what would I like to continue doing?
Where can I allow for more ease in my life and moment to moment?
How do I want to be of service?
What are the things I think I āshouldā be doing, āshouldā I really?
Itās been fun to treat my different endeavours during this time like experimentsāreleasing control and leaning into the possibility of what could be or what I might discover. This space and time has reminded me that there is ease to be found in allowing for unfolding, acceptance of what is, and trusting in my timing. There is ease in intentionally moving towards what endures and what continues to be life-giving, at my pace.
Itās important to find our own ways to tune inwards, to find our own pace, to slow downāto be able to listen and remember all that is already within us.
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Iāve tried writing on a different topic recently, and even though I got to the point of āfinishingā it, it hasnāt been the smoothest process for me. Iām taking it as a sign that maybe itās not what I want to publish here right now, and thatās okay. Itās okay to show up here when I can, in a way that feels good and true.
Writing this post is a way of finding some flow, rather than what feels like swimming against the currents. It seems easier to find that flow when Iāve been present over time, and when I can write in a way that feels like stream of consciousnessāa recollection of what Iāve been noticing and what has stood out to me over time. Iām still learning to find that flow with writing to publish.
I hope youāre having a nourishing and delightful summer āØš±šæ
~ Cool things ~
Iāve been documenting my time with clay on Instagram. I also started selling my ceramics this year, and itās a special experience that Iām still learning from.
A great essay on slowness, taste, and living well by Isabel.
Rewilding ā discovering the practice of orientation, a helpful guide on regulating back to the bodyās natural biorhythm by Meryl Rowlands.
Loved the conversations on place making in Looking Up: Finding Place with Flock Together, a birdwatching collective for people of color.
Morgan Harper Nicholsās A Necessary Imagination is so inspiring.
Austin Kloenās summer (un)schooling guideāNo. 5 āStart a diary. (A garden for ideas.) Pay attention to what you pay attention to.āāstuck with me. It seems to be a prompt that I return to in times of wondering what I want to create/contribute.
Avaās thoughts on containment vs. leakiness have been on my mind lately.
And lastly, some of my favourite substacks on art-making and creative living are:
Thank you for reading, and thanks for being here! If you enjoyed this, feel free to comment, share whatever resonates and subscribe to receive future letters from me šš¾
Thank you, Al! I donāt have US shipping atm but I hope to some day! ššš¾
I enjoyed reading this Funmi š¹ such a great reminder of our need to make space for our ease, especially this part: āThis space reminds me of the necessity of play, experimentation, and process. It reminds me to trust myself and to find my pace.ā
Thanks for sharing!