I am glad that you are surfing again and making it a priority to find moments of joy. This year has been difficult for me. I have been dealing with pain from autoimmune illness, my close friendships are no longer close, my daughters are starting their teen years and no longer need me like they used to. I am approaching a milestone birthday in the fall and your last two posts have reminded me to find the tiny moments of joy. So today I will be out at the nature reserve. Thank you Jamie. This was the post I needed to read today. Have a good weekend.
Thanks for sharing Heather. I’m sorry that it’s been a hard season. You deserve connection, close friends, and moments of joy. I hope you have a beautiful time at the nature reserve.
I’m so happy for you that you have rediscovered parts of yourself. I know how that feels. I love the lyrics you listed and wholeheartedly agree with them. To the point it kind of slapped me in the face. Sometimes i feel like if i could be “important” in my job (read: higher up and further into a career) then things would magically get better. But at my soul - and especially with my current mental state - i just want to live. Live a life i enjoy and find worth living. Thanks for the song rec.
Thanks Jaden. Thanks for your kind words and thanks for choosing to share. I think a lot of people can relate to wishing their career looked different. I know I can. At the same time I'm glad you're listening to your soul, choosing to stay and wanting to enjoy life. On that note, check out "Say Yes to Life" and "Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane" by Gang of Youths as well. I think you will connect with both.
“Who you are has always been enough. What you love has always mattered. You deserve some things that bring you joy, some things that feel like yours, whether others understand or not.”
I think the thing that sometimes keeps me from things is wanting deeply for others to understand and accept. Learning to do things just for my own joy has been a process. It is such a good one though.
Thank you for the sweet reminder and I’m so glad you are back on the board and sharing it with us 💛
I’m glad “the waves were awful” isn’t keeping you from doing it anyways. As you’ve mentioned in other writings, there’s clearly still something about the ocean, the wave, the board, and connection (today more so with those elements) that is worth doing.
I’ve always identified as an athlete and that has gone away this year. Guess I’ll get back in the gym because, much like surfing fills you mentally and physically but it’s easy to put off because “I’m too tired” or “the waves suck,” I’ve never regretted moving my body even in less than perfect conditions because I feel and think better after. And that was the easy answer, the harder answer is that I’m a photographer, and I need to reconnect with art. I have a batch of photos from...March? that I should probably work through. Perhaps that’s now my plan for after work tomorrow - choose some music to put on and sit down and work through the photos. Thanks for the encouragement through your own story, Jamie.
Thanks for sharing Colleen. I'm excited for you to get back in the gym and perhaps even more excited for you to reconnect with photography. The encouragement is always a two-street so thanks right back for that.
I am glad that you are surfing again and making it a priority to find moments of joy. This year has been difficult for me. I have been dealing with pain from autoimmune illness, my close friendships are no longer close, my daughters are starting their teen years and no longer need me like they used to. I am approaching a milestone birthday in the fall and your last two posts have reminded me to find the tiny moments of joy. So today I will be out at the nature reserve. Thank you Jamie. This was the post I needed to read today. Have a good weekend.
Thanks for sharing Heather. I’m sorry that it’s been a hard season. You deserve connection, close friends, and moments of joy. I hope you have a beautiful time at the nature reserve.
I’m so happy for you that you have rediscovered parts of yourself. I know how that feels. I love the lyrics you listed and wholeheartedly agree with them. To the point it kind of slapped me in the face. Sometimes i feel like if i could be “important” in my job (read: higher up and further into a career) then things would magically get better. But at my soul - and especially with my current mental state - i just want to live. Live a life i enjoy and find worth living. Thanks for the song rec.
Thanks Jaden. Thanks for your kind words and thanks for choosing to share. I think a lot of people can relate to wishing their career looked different. I know I can. At the same time I'm glad you're listening to your soul, choosing to stay and wanting to enjoy life. On that note, check out "Say Yes to Life" and "Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane" by Gang of Youths as well. I think you will connect with both.
All of this.
“Who you are has always been enough. What you love has always mattered. You deserve some things that bring you joy, some things that feel like yours, whether others understand or not.”
I think the thing that sometimes keeps me from things is wanting deeply for others to understand and accept. Learning to do things just for my own joy has been a process. It is such a good one though.
Thank you for the sweet reminder and I’m so glad you are back on the board and sharing it with us 💛
A good one indeed. Thanks Sara. I appreciate your kind words always.
I’m glad “the waves were awful” isn’t keeping you from doing it anyways. As you’ve mentioned in other writings, there’s clearly still something about the ocean, the wave, the board, and connection (today more so with those elements) that is worth doing.
I’ve always identified as an athlete and that has gone away this year. Guess I’ll get back in the gym because, much like surfing fills you mentally and physically but it’s easy to put off because “I’m too tired” or “the waves suck,” I’ve never regretted moving my body even in less than perfect conditions because I feel and think better after. And that was the easy answer, the harder answer is that I’m a photographer, and I need to reconnect with art. I have a batch of photos from...March? that I should probably work through. Perhaps that’s now my plan for after work tomorrow - choose some music to put on and sit down and work through the photos. Thanks for the encouragement through your own story, Jamie.
Thanks for sharing Colleen. I'm excited for you to get back in the gym and perhaps even more excited for you to reconnect with photography. The encouragement is always a two-street so thanks right back for that.