Monday Mission Possible: Listening as a way of feeling

small brave thing #183

Hello beautiful human,

Last week I published Monday’s Mission Possible and then disappeared for a bit. I dove into the work of poems, the writing life you don’t see—reviewing drafts, culling journal entries, listening for the rhythms and cadences of the lines beneath the pen point.

As a writer, I can tell you that movies about writers tend to be sadly quite boring because writing, inherently, isn’t very interesting to watch. Someone sits at a desk or a table somewhere and…fiddles with a pen or a keyboard. Making the decision to get a cup of coffee is a big shift. Breakthroughs are interior. Excitement is a syllable.

So much of what a writer—or any creative spirit— does is behind the scenes—and it’s important to remember that in this “content creator” moment of time. We can’t always be putting things out there. Not every day, week or year is productive, from an external perspective. Time away behind the curtains is deeply, vitally necessary.

Another way to say this might be … living a life?

It’s a dance between living the life and creating the things, a dance between retreating to our creative caves and emerging into the sunshine and glare of public audience. We have to feel for the balance.

But then, that’s just generally true, isn’t it?

Last week I pushed myself too hard—not around the writing I’ve learned that lesson I hope, but around trying to do all the things and get them done. I fell into sickness and exhaustion by the end of the week. I’m still learning what my personal energy flow feels like and how not to overdo, in this post-covid, post-divorce life.

And it’s not just about covid and it’s not just about a divorce. We aren’t the same one decade to another, one year to another.

Maybe you’re learning to listen all over again too?

xoS

That leads to our Monday Mission Possible this week:

Listening Is a Way of Feeling

When you stop to think about it, we live in a pretty brutal moment in history and culture, where we learn we should live according to the schedules of computers, automations, apps and a churn of constant productivty. Our soft animal bodies have a different truth. We’re not linear beings we’re not consistent on a weekly, or yearly basis. We have times we need rest and times we need activity. As we cross the Equinox moment and nights get longer here in the North, we have an opportunity to take a minute, to quiet and listen for what our bodies need. To sleep? To stretch? To rest? To stroll out into the world? To retreat to the shade? What does your body want in this moment? In this season? In this year?

Take two minutes today (set a timer!) to feel into the questions and see what answers arrive.

Monday Mission: Possible. But if you want the theme music from that other kind of mission to inspire you, here you go.

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Don’t be afraid to go beyond the original Mission Possible. Follow your inclinations and inspirations and see what arises… Let the week take you playfully where it will, if you will.

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Today’s invitation: If you don’t love my Mission Possible above, if you don’t feel inspired by it, there’s always the option to invent another one for yourself. Find some small step or act here at the start of the week that can take you just slightly outside of your usual rounds and routines. Follow your nose out into the day and through the hours and keep awake for the assignment. It might surpise you.

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Looking to grow the connection and the energy? Here are some possibilities:

Your attention and time are the true gifts. Thank you. xoS