My new book: Finding Your Authentic Self: An Illustrated Journey to Well-being
Thank you to everyone who’s ordered a copy and left a review. Your support means a lot to me and helps the book reach even more people.
Hello friends,
New visual story: What grief feels like
A few months ago I almost lost someone very close to me. Suffice to say, it was a frightening time and it shifted my perception about life and endings. Thankfully the danger passed, but I was still flooded by a wave of grief and dark visions as we brushed up against a terrible reality that almost came to be. With time, I’ve been able process the experience more fully. What’s emerged is a visual story, which I’ve paired with poetry and music…
Creative inspiration
On a brighter note, I woke up to a sweet Valentine’s message from Aman last week. I’m not much of a gift-giver, but it was enough to inspire me to record this song for him. “Nothing” by Bruno Major brought me a lot of comfort during my single years. I would play it on repeat while curled up under covers, dreaming of sharing these sweet nothing moments with someone. I now wake up to this reality every day and am deeply grateful.
What’s on my mind lately
My last few weeks have been filled with deep and nourishing conversations with friends. Some of my favourite topics and personal reflections:
How do we navigate the messy and confusing transition of shifting from the “story of separation” to the “story of interbeing”?
Many of us are realizing that our current way of being is out of alignment with our true selves and that there are many layers of old programming to shed. We have also tasted a new way of being that fills us with peace and contentment. Yet the path to fully embodying that life is unmarked and there are many false signposts along the way that sneakily take us back to our old ways. For me this has shown up in wanting to be “perfectly” authentic, or turning writing into something achievement-oriented. Social media and the dominant culture of extreme capitalism don’t help. It’s like learning to walk on a tightrope - moving towards what calls us while not falling into pits of suffering along the way. Even having written about these pitfalls, I often need reminders and community to keep me on the right path. Knowing the workout routine is very different from going to the gym every day.
How to embrace the quiet simple life?
This question relates to the first one - I find that the more that I’m connected with my true self (an INFJ and enneagram 4w5), the more I’m content with a quiet simple life. In a hyper achievement-oriented society, it can feel wrong to slow down, but it’s important for us each to find the lifestyle that works best for us. There are far more options than we think. Below is how one woman has chosen to design a life for herself, flowing against the typical narrative. I don’t plan to move to Bali, but my partner and I are happily cultivating a cozy life in Toronto with meaningful work and plenty of time for our friends, family, and creative endeavours.
How to thrive as a multipotentialite?
Several of my friends are multipotentialites and I am constantly inspired by their creativity. We share many of the same struggles such as being torn between multiple passions. Lately what’s been helpful to me is thinking about projects and interests in terms of “seasons”. I’ve decided that this is my season for writing and helping my loved one with their health recovery. I’ve been wanting to put more time towards music, but I’ve decided that will be my focus for a future season and I’m at peace with not having the capacity for it right now.
Cultivating a supportive community of fellow multipotentialites has also been very helpful. If you identify as one, please say hello!
If any of these explorations resonate, I’d love to hear from you. Feel free to send me a private or public message. You might also wish to drop by…
Virtual Cozy Cafe - Next Tuesday @ 5:00 pm (EST)
I’ll be hosting another virtual Cozy Cafe next week. Grab some tea and join in for a casual chat or creative co-working. I loved the last one and look forward to seeing what emerges at this next one.
When: Tues Feb 27 - 5:00 - 6:00 EST
Til next time,
Jessica