This was very timely for me, and been feeling this strongly. I do feel thus us the year that lots of creative slowly step away from socials as they are currently set up.
I'm even struggling to process other people's substacks, and this is my favourite medium (and obviously glad that i read yours this morning!). I'm just finding that I am craving less noise and more real connection with every inch of my body. I'm struggling to write my own newsletter because I just feel I am adding to people's noise! Not sure what to do with any of this, but I appreciated your thoughts this morning x
oh I totally hear all of this! I love Substack BUT it is still online stuff and has social media elements too. Once I started adding IN things did get better. I have tried this with my son too - weekends as a teen are tricky and it's too easy to just stay screen based - which does nothing for his mood or sense of motivation! so he adds things in where screens aren't available, going for a run, bird watching at a local hide, setting himself a reading challenge. It was when I was working with him on HIS stuff that I realised I needed the approach too!
So true Sarah! I find calligraphy is good, as I enjoy it and can't even listen to podcasts while I do it...something to do with writing words and listening to words that doesn't work!
Oh, this is wonderful. I absolutely love this approach. I've been finding myself really overstretched recently and a bit scattered from trying to spread myself too thinly. You've given me some real food for thought here.
the adding not subtracting really appeals to me! I do have to still make sure distractions are removed, so walking with no phone, leaving phone downstairs when I read in bed etc.
I've decided to add in some baking, as it's something I love to do but rarely find the time. Plus it has the added benefit of putting my phone out of reach while I'm doing it.
that's a good one. If you also make an effort to keep the baking cupboard stocked up, you know you can always do it. I find baking so soothing after a stressy day, plus you get something great at the end of it.
This is exactly how I’ve thought about any habits I have that I don’t want. Instead of berating myself to stop it, I’ve started asking myself, well what habit DO I want instead? And focus my energy on building that habit. Or even my own self talk. Like if I don’t replace the habit, then there’s just this vacuum left over and I get sucked back in to more of what I don’t want.
This is a great reminder and encouragement, thank you 🙏🏻
I’m in the process of moving. I feel exhausted and all my art supplies are in storage. It is too easy for me to be online because I’m tired and I want to defragment my brain. I am in a creative women’s circle. I joined in with only a pen and a piece of paper. I got into the flow easily. I’m saying what I added was very simple yet I got the rewards. Brilliant article.
This was very timely for me, and been feeling this strongly. I do feel thus us the year that lots of creative slowly step away from socials as they are currently set up.
I'm even struggling to process other people's substacks, and this is my favourite medium (and obviously glad that i read yours this morning!). I'm just finding that I am craving less noise and more real connection with every inch of my body. I'm struggling to write my own newsletter because I just feel I am adding to people's noise! Not sure what to do with any of this, but I appreciated your thoughts this morning x
oh I totally hear all of this! I love Substack BUT it is still online stuff and has social media elements too. Once I started adding IN things did get better. I have tried this with my son too - weekends as a teen are tricky and it's too easy to just stay screen based - which does nothing for his mood or sense of motivation! so he adds things in where screens aren't available, going for a run, bird watching at a local hide, setting himself a reading challenge. It was when I was working with him on HIS stuff that I realised I needed the approach too!
This is really lovely Sarah, I really enjoyed it x
thanks Laura! what do you add into your days to squeeze out the less helpful stuff?
So true Sarah! I find calligraphy is good, as I enjoy it and can't even listen to podcasts while I do it...something to do with writing words and listening to words that doesn't work!
ah yes! also, such a nice skills for your business but a very different creativity to your business creativity of floral art!
Oh, I love that idea. Calligraphy is something that's always appealed to me.
Oh, this is wonderful. I absolutely love this approach. I've been finding myself really overstretched recently and a bit scattered from trying to spread myself too thinly. You've given me some real food for thought here.
the adding not subtracting really appeals to me! I do have to still make sure distractions are removed, so walking with no phone, leaving phone downstairs when I read in bed etc.
I've decided to add in some baking, as it's something I love to do but rarely find the time. Plus it has the added benefit of putting my phone out of reach while I'm doing it.
that's a good one. If you also make an effort to keep the baking cupboard stocked up, you know you can always do it. I find baking so soothing after a stressy day, plus you get something great at the end of it.
This is exactly how I’ve thought about any habits I have that I don’t want. Instead of berating myself to stop it, I’ve started asking myself, well what habit DO I want instead? And focus my energy on building that habit. Or even my own self talk. Like if I don’t replace the habit, then there’s just this vacuum left over and I get sucked back in to more of what I don’t want.
This is a great reminder and encouragement, thank you 🙏🏻
Saved
I love this idea of adding in to squeeze out the other stuff
I’m in the process of moving. I feel exhausted and all my art supplies are in storage. It is too easy for me to be online because I’m tired and I want to defragment my brain. I am in a creative women’s circle. I joined in with only a pen and a piece of paper. I got into the flow easily. I’m saying what I added was very simple yet I got the rewards. Brilliant article.
Yes! You added in what you could and what was needed :)