Last Updated On November 1, 2021
"Part of the delight of my garden is that you just get lost in it before you've even started to do anything." -Ross Gay
End of November 2021 Wrap-Up!
The Garden of Delights 30 Day Writing Challenge was a success. I got so much out of it and I hope you did as well. What a gift you offered me with your witnessing and sharing- thank you so very much. Whether you were a participant this time around or not, I have all the links below of my posts during the month as well as the newsletters I sent out to lend support. Play along at any time.
These are the links to posts during the challenge:
These are the newsletters I sent to the participants of the challenge:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Garden of Delights.
I’m very excited to say it out loud.
Because it’s been rolling around conceptually for awhile.
I like how the sentences look like a staircase. That is a respectable start.
I’ve recently been called on by my highest self to do some inner work. I’d found myself in a place where I felt at the mercies of my circumstances, my emotional responses, my habits. I was growing more entrenched in relentlessly toxic inner dialogue, numbing distraction and social disconnection. My highest self knew I could live better with effort, awareness, and prioritization. I engaged many resources in this process that at some point I will archive here in case its a helpful starting point for anyone else. My goal has been to shore up the three C’s: Congruence, Compassion, Connectedness.
I lean hard on the wisdom of my highest self- she’s not a chatty Cathy, she gives me plenty of latitude to fuck up before she steps in. Which is good because when she does decide to speak up, it tends to blow through my veils of illusion, I listen. I understand her urgency. On the heels of pandemic drama, I have medical drama and I fore-see trials ahead. Not specifically. I don’t believe in predicting the future, it is much too malleable for that but I do believe in standing in possibility and not avoiding/ignoring the winds of change. I am reminded of that monologue in Raising Arizona when HI has a premonitory dream of the Lone Biker of the Apocalypse, “He left a scorched earth in his wake befouling even the sweet desert breeze that whipped across his brow. I didn’t know where he came from or why. I didn’t know if he was dream or vision. But I feared that I myself had unleashed him.” I’m not expecting a cyclist from Hell, but I respect seasons- if this is the season for change (and the in-betweens, Autumn and Spring often are) I will follow.
The Garden of Delights derives from my wrestling with the oft referred to “gratitude practice” or “gratitude journal” as a path to greater happiness. I have so much trouble connecting to this concept even though theoretically it makes so much sense. In some ways we are such limited creatures, what we notice shapes our experience and honestly- we kind of suck at noticing. There was a psychological experiment where participants were asked to count free throws while watching a video of a basketball game- most everyone counted the free throws correctly but totally missed a person running through the court beating their chest in a gorilla costume. Can you imagine how many gratitude gorillas we miss every single day? So I get it, I’m not in denial of the importance of recognizing and expressing gratitude I just think maybe the implications of the term “gratitude” rubs me the wrong way (and I’m a big baby about words). “Be grateful for what you have”, in other words- shut up and stop complaining (NOT the vibe I’m going for with my inner work). I also have a guilty feeling about focussing on what I have when others are without, writing in a gratitude journal feels very indulgent to me and I KNOW there are so many flaws in my logic here so don’t hate me.
I thankfully (ha!) stumbled upon the idea (not mine) of juxtaposing the term “delights” for “gratitude” and it has freed me up immensely. Lisa Loeb’s Garden of Delights has been connected to my existence for a very long time and I just recently picked up Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights where he challenges himself to a yearlong delight-writing challenge beginning on his birthday. I had been contemplating (and avoiding to some extent) my Garden of Delights idea for awhile but once I saw an interview with Ross about this book I was like holy shit he’s a gardener too! I felt endorsed by both he and my highest self so it was clearly GO time.
Can I improve on identifying the delights in my life? Yes I absolutely can. And I can write about them. And so can you. I am challenging myself to honor a daily delight for the next 30 days of November and I invite you to join me. Write a sentence or a missive, poetry or prose- the garden accommodates all. Sign up here and I’ll provide you with a warm welcome and start-up kit. Be sure to include your cell number if you would like to get a daily text “delightification” to serve as a reminder and encouragement.
Since I seem to be drawn to predicting the future this morning, I am already imagining how living in the Garden of Delights is going to be a game changer, repeat after me:
My level of mindfulness is going to be sharpened exponentially.
If I am going to detect delights, I’ll need to have my antennae up.
I won’t be distracting myself with bullshit, letting my gratitude gorillas pass unnoticed.
If I am to be a conduit from garden to experiencing to writing, I’ll have to remain open and receptive.
I’ll have to make hard decisions, good decisions.
I’ll be forced to prioritize experiencing and expression over laundry and dishes.
Mindful living will greatly reduce my tendency to gravitate toward addictive, numbing behaviors in the name of coping or relaxing.
I’ll have to treat myself well to stay in delight detecting form.
I’ll start to see the potential for delight in every living thing I encounter and around every corner I turn.
I will slow down.
I will allow.
Last Updated On November 1, 2021
"Part of the delight of my garden is that you just get lost in it before you've even started to do anything." -Ross Gay
End of November 2021 Wrap-Up!
The Garden of Delights 30 Day Writing Challenge was a success. I got so much out of it and I hope you did as well. What a gift you offered me with your witnessing and sharing- thank you so very much. Whether you were a participant this time around or not, I have all the links below of my posts during the month as well as the newsletters I sent out to lend support. Play along at any time.
These are the links to posts during the challenge:
These are the newsletters I sent to the participants of the challenge:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Garden of Delights.
I’m very excited to say it out loud.
Because it’s been rolling around conceptually for awhile.
I like how the sentences look like a staircase. That is a respectable start.
I’ve recently been called on by my highest self to do some inner work. I’d found myself in a place where I felt at the mercies of my circumstances, my emotional responses, my habits. I was growing more entrenched in relentlessly toxic inner dialogue, numbing distraction and social disconnection. My highest self knew I could live better with effort, awareness, and prioritization. I engaged many resources in this process that at some point I will archive here in case its a helpful starting point for anyone else. My goal has been to shore up the three C’s: Congruence, Compassion, Connectedness.
I lean hard on the wisdom of my highest self- she’s not a chatty Cathy, she gives me plenty of latitude to fuck up before she steps in. Which is good because when she does decide to speak up, it tends to blow through my veils of illusion, I listen. I understand her urgency. On the heels of pandemic drama, I have medical drama and I fore-see trials ahead. Not specifically. I don’t believe in predicting the future, it is much too malleable for that but I do believe in standing in possibility and not avoiding/ignoring the winds of change. I am reminded of that monologue in Raising Arizona when HI has a premonitory dream of the Lone Biker of the Apocalypse, “He left a scorched earth in his wake befouling even the sweet desert breeze that whipped across his brow. I didn’t know where he came from or why. I didn’t know if he was dream or vision. But I feared that I myself had unleashed him.” I’m not expecting a cyclist from Hell, but I respect seasons- if this is the season for change (and the in-betweens, Autumn and Spring often are) I will follow.
The Garden of Delights derives from my wrestling with the oft referred to “gratitude practice” or “gratitude journal” as a path to greater happiness. I have so much trouble connecting to this concept even though theoretically it makes so much sense. In some ways we are such limited creatures, what we notice shapes our experience and honestly- we kind of suck at noticing. There was a psychological experiment where participants were asked to count free throws while watching a video of a basketball game- most everyone counted the free throws correctly but totally missed a person running through the court beating their chest in a gorilla costume. Can you imagine how many gratitude gorillas we miss every single day? So I get it, I’m not in denial of the importance of recognizing and expressing gratitude I just think maybe the implications of the term “gratitude” rubs me the wrong way (and I’m a big baby about words). “Be grateful for what you have”, in other words- shut up and stop complaining (NOT the vibe I’m going for with my inner work). I also have a guilty feeling about focussing on what I have when others are without, writing in a gratitude journal feels very indulgent to me and I KNOW there are so many flaws in my logic here so don’t hate me.
I thankfully (ha!) stumbled upon the idea (not mine) of juxtaposing the term “delights” for “gratitude” and it has freed me up immensely. Lisa Loeb’s Garden of Delights has been connected to my existence for a very long time and I just recently picked up Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights where he challenges himself to a yearlong delight-writing challenge beginning on his birthday. I had been contemplating (and avoiding to some extent) my Garden of Delights idea for awhile but once I saw an interview with Ross about this book I was like holy shit he’s a gardener too! I felt endorsed by both he and my highest self so it was clearly GO time.
Can I improve on identifying the delights in my life? Yes I absolutely can. And I can write about them. And so can you. I am challenging myself to honor a daily delight for the next 30 days of November and I invite you to join me. Write a sentence or a missive, poetry or prose- the garden accommodates all. Sign up here and I’ll provide you with a warm welcome and start-up kit. Be sure to include your cell number if you would like to get a daily text “delightification” to serve as a reminder and encouragement.
Since I seem to be drawn to predicting the future this morning, I am already imagining how living in the Garden of Delights is going to be a game changer, repeat after me:
My level of mindfulness is going to be sharpened exponentially.
If I am going to detect delights, I’ll need to have my antennae up.
I won’t be distracting myself with bullshit, letting my gratitude gorillas pass unnoticed.
If I am to be a conduit from garden to experiencing to writing, I’ll have to remain open and receptive.
I’ll have to make hard decisions, good decisions.
I’ll be forced to prioritize experiencing and expression over laundry and dishes.
Mindful living will greatly reduce my tendency to gravitate toward addictive, numbing behaviors in the name of coping or relaxing.
I’ll have to treat myself well to stay in delight detecting form.
I’ll start to see the potential for delight in every living thing I encounter and around every corner I turn.
I will slow down.
I will allow.
Last Updated On November 1, 2021
"Part of the delight of my garden is that you just get lost in it before you've even started to do anything." -Ross Gay
End of November 2021 Wrap-Up!
The Garden of Delights 30 Day Writing Challenge was a success. I got so much out of it and I hope you did as well. What a gift you offered me with your witnessing and sharing- thank you so very much. Whether you were a participant this time around or not, I have all the links below of my posts during the month as well as the newsletters I sent out to lend support. Play along at any time.
These are the links to posts during the challenge:
These are the newsletters I sent to the participants of the challenge:
_________________________________________________________________________________
Garden of Delights.
I’m very excited to say it out loud.
Because it’s been rolling around conceptually for awhile.
I like how the sentences look like a staircase. That is a respectable start.
I’ve recently been called on by my highest self to do some inner work. I’d found myself in a place where I felt at the mercies of my circumstances, my emotional responses, my habits. I was growing more entrenched in relentlessly toxic inner dialogue, numbing distraction and social disconnection. My highest self knew I could live better with effort, awareness, and prioritization. I engaged many resources in this process that at some point I will archive here in case its a helpful starting point for anyone else. My goal has been to shore up the three C’s: Congruence, Compassion, Connectedness.
I lean hard on the wisdom of my highest self- she’s not a chatty Cathy, she gives me plenty of latitude to fuck up before she steps in. Which is good because when she does decide to speak up, it tends to blow through my veils of illusion, I listen. I understand her urgency. On the heels of pandemic drama, I have medical drama and I fore-see trials ahead. Not specifically. I don’t believe in predicting the future, it is much too malleable for that but I do believe in standing in possibility and not avoiding/ignoring the winds of change. I am reminded of that monologue in Raising Arizona when HI has a premonitory dream of the Lone Biker of the Apocalypse, “He left a scorched earth in his wake befouling even the sweet desert breeze that whipped across his brow. I didn’t know where he came from or why. I didn’t know if he was dream or vision. But I feared that I myself had unleashed him.” I’m not expecting a cyclist from Hell, but I respect seasons- if this is the season for change (and the in-betweens, Autumn and Spring often are) I will follow.
The Garden of Delights derives from my wrestling with the oft referred to “gratitude practice” or “gratitude journal” as a path to greater happiness. I have so much trouble connecting to this concept even though theoretically it makes so much sense. In some ways we are such limited creatures, what we notice shapes our experience and honestly- we kind of suck at noticing. There was a psychological experiment where participants were asked to count free throws while watching a video of a basketball game- most everyone counted the free throws correctly but totally missed a person running through the court beating their chest in a gorilla costume. Can you imagine how many gratitude gorillas we miss every single day? So I get it, I’m not in denial of the importance of recognizing and expressing gratitude I just think maybe the implications of the term “gratitude” rubs me the wrong way (and I’m a big baby about words). “Be grateful for what you have”, in other words- shut up and stop complaining (NOT the vibe I’m going for with my inner work). I also have a guilty feeling about focussing on what I have when others are without, writing in a gratitude journal feels very indulgent to me and I KNOW there are so many flaws in my logic here so don’t hate me.
I thankfully (ha!) stumbled upon the idea (not mine) of juxtaposing the term “delights” for “gratitude” and it has freed me up immensely. Lisa Loeb’s Garden of Delights has been connected to my existence for a very long time and I just recently picked up Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights where he challenges himself to a yearlong delight-writing challenge beginning on his birthday. I had been contemplating (and avoiding to some extent) my Garden of Delights idea for awhile but once I saw an interview with Ross about this book I was like holy shit he’s a gardener too! I felt endorsed by both he and my highest self so it was clearly GO time.
Can I improve on identifying the delights in my life? Yes I absolutely can. And I can write about them. And so can you. I am challenging myself to honor a daily delight for the next 30 days of November and I invite you to join me. Write a sentence or a missive, poetry or prose- the garden accommodates all. Sign up here and I’ll provide you with a warm welcome and start-up kit. Be sure to include your cell number if you would like to get a daily text “delightification” to serve as a reminder and encouragement.
Since I seem to be drawn to predicting the future this morning, I am already imagining how living in the Garden of Delights is going to be a game changer, repeat after me:
My level of mindfulness is going to be sharpened exponentially.
If I am going to detect delights, I’ll need to have my antennae up.
I won’t be distracting myself with bullshit, letting my gratitude gorillas pass unnoticed.
If I am to be a conduit from garden to experiencing to writing, I’ll have to remain open and receptive.
I’ll have to make hard decisions, good decisions.
I’ll be forced to prioritize experiencing and expression over laundry and dishes.
Mindful living will greatly reduce my tendency to gravitate toward addictive, numbing behaviors in the name of coping or relaxing.
I’ll have to treat myself well to stay in delight detecting form.
I’ll start to see the potential for delight in every living thing I encounter and around every corner I turn.
I will slow down.
I will allow.