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Miha's avatar

After burnout, being still in recovery from it, I find it difficult to honour that ebb and flow. I don't find the energy to do many things, yet I blame myself for not having that capacity. I'm learning to give myself the space, to delegate, to trust, that everything will come into place, that in the end, everything will be enough.

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Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

Oh, Miha, I’m so sorry about your burnout. My husband is two years post his and still has to be careful.

Becoming your own best friend is important—treating yourself with kindness and compassion. I think we exist in a system that wants us to push and push, which is why we get burnout and exhaustion. Everything you do to honour your ebb and flow is a poke in the eye of patriarchy and capitalism!

You are enough. You’re a magnificent Queenager! 💖

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Elina Haverinen's avatar

My creative practice? I pondered this for a while. To hold in my hands the steadiness of old pines, and the mischief of wind through dry leaves. To walk into my study and rearrange the air. To drink ridiculously good coffee. All this in random order.

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Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

This is exactly what it can mean! Even counting the birch leaves or listening to birdsong, or watching the clouds move 💖 it’s whatever you want it to be!

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Elina Haverinen's avatar

Yessss!

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Liza Debevec's avatar

Yesterday, I struggled with morning pages and then I sketched myself in the hammock writing my morning pages. By the way I love your doodles. And I hope the storm was not to hard.

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Bronwen Leigh's avatar

I am not always good at recognising when I need to rest more, but I’m getting better. I know if I overdo it I get ill, so it’s actually more productive to have regular breaks and time outs than make myself ill trying to do everything at once.

As for creative practice - this ebbs and flows into the spaces I have for it, and again, I’m starting to get better at planning it into my week and allowing or giving myself permission to explore and experiment :)

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Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

It’s fascinating to me how long it’s taken us Gen Xers to recognise the signs in our bodies. Coming from Boomer parents it was a a case of “move it!! Come on! Migraine? Walk it off!” kind of vibe.

Well done for listening to yourself. 🥰

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Bronwen Leigh's avatar

Ps - hope you are surviving the storm!!

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Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

Survived! It wasn’t as bad here as they predicted 😁

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Edward Lock's avatar

A perfect Friday boost

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Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

Thanks, Edward 🥰

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Adam Roberts's avatar

Thanks again for the Friday (Thursday?) flucks. I’m the full time caregiver for my daughter who has special needs and so find myself struggling a bit with finding my own flow and with a regular creative practice. At the end of the day, it can feel like a heavy lift to dive into self reflection and creativity.

Always inspired by your weekly talks. Thanks.

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Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

I hear you, Adam. There’s not much space left, is there? I was carer for my very ill child for 5 years. I found small things, not daily, not regularly, but weekly. Like doodling, or even gardening was a beautiful creative release. The pressure to do it regularly can feel heavy but “regular” is what you make of it. Even monthly is “regular”.

Can you involve your daughter some way?

Anyway, thanks so much for your comments & responses Adam. I really appreciate it! 💗

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Adam Roberts's avatar

Hi Lisa. I’m sorry to hear about your experience. I’ve been able to find pockets or bursts of “regular” over the years. My whole Substack in fact came out of one. But involving my daughter… Now that’s a brilliant idea I’d never considered. Will think on that. 😊

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Lisa Bolin 🌸's avatar

Life throws us all sorts of challenges, doesn’t it?

My kids used to eye roll when I’d get out the colouring pencils 😜 but they always joined me 🥰

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