10 Comments

I so appreciate this post. It usually takes me one or two days from travel to feel grounded I need one or two cycles of home-vound habit to feel right again. I traveled twice in October and it was too much. But then again I'm not acclimated to regular travel the way others are. I often feel like time is my enemy, cursing it under my breath. There's always not enough time. On my one week off from work and family life this August, I read a ton of short stories, drew as much as I could, ran as much as my body would let me, and then exhausted on a whim downloaded Seneca's "On The Shortness of Life" on Kindle and read it on a walk my face buried in my phone narrowly tripping over small dogs and cracks in the sidewalk. Of course I skimmed probably half of it, but I came away feeling a bit more motivated to integrate living into every day of my "regular" life. I realized I was cramming life into one 5-day vacation and I was exhausted. I'm a little better about it now. I find pockets of time throughout my day to do a little of what I love everyday and to pay attention to the people I love everyday. Not easy, but it's a practice right?

Expand full comment

Emily, thanks so much for your thoughtful response. I am glad this topic resonated with you. When I was a lot younger I could travel without too much impact but as I age it definitely takes a toll! I think your point about integrating living into our regular life is really insightful. Sometimes we get so in that mindset of work work work and then try to enjoy ourselves for a short period of time. It is not easy to break that habit but you are correct, when we find those pockets of peace, joy, family, and life in the midst of the chaos then it is so much better.

Expand full comment

I only started to figure this out when someone gave me James Clear's atomic habits. It helped a lot! Interspersing joys into the things we have to do has definitely helped me have more balanced, integrated and rich life. Thank you for sharing your insights...they get me reflecting!

Expand full comment

I have not read Atomic Habits yet but my wife bought it for me and I plan to read it soon!

Expand full comment

The evolution of your newsletter's name reflects a beautiful shift. It's a dance between rediscovering normalcy and embracing the new rhythm life offers. Looking forward to more chapters in your literary exploration!

Expand full comment

Thanks so much Winston! Appreciate your support.

Expand full comment

Looking forward to reading more of your newsletter. For me, nature offers the grounding I need. This afternoon I really needed that grounding - and a walk at the beach, sticking my feet in the water, that was the best medicine.

We are about to travel overseas for a month and the magnitude of it hit home today.

Expand full comment

Have you read Dr Edith Eger’s books? Very much inspired by Frankl (his book had me in tears).

Expand full comment

I have not read Dr Eger's books. I will check them out. Thank you for the recommendation as I am always eager to explore new authors.

Expand full comment

Thanks Monique. I am a big nature lover as well. I did a lot of hiking when I was younger and am hoping to do more of that in the coming years. Just getting outside in the fresh air is something special. My daily walks with the dog are a real treat! Hope you have a great time on your travels. It is no small thing to leave our homes for extended periods of time but it can be so rewarding as well.

Expand full comment