Creative Wellness Letters - You're doing great (seriously!) 👍

Hi Reader, 

Happy almost-summer solstice to you! 🌞 (Or almost-winter, if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere.)

June is a time of shifting schedules for many of us, perhaps with summer breaks from school or activities, and perhaps you’re also recovering from a busy spring (I can relate!)

I also perhaps feel tired from processing the general feeling of the month of June. My last 6 Junes have been stressful, for different reasons, and our bodies often remember the stress being tied to the same time of year, even if our brains don’t.

Add to that the residual stress of 2+ years of pandemic, and you may also be feeling like you need to take a summer break from some things.

In that spirit, I’m re-sharing some older Creative Wellness Letters this summer, and Being A Whole Person is also on summer vacation with reruns.

You might agree (I hope!) that the kind of stuff I typically write about contains good reminders, even (or especially) when repeated, because we humans need to hear things more than once for them to sink in.

So, here’s a slightly-updated letter from June 2019, right before I moved from Minnesota to California - a pep talk to myself, and to you! 💗

_____

This was a big week for me - my last Modern Spark Trio gigs (a wedding weekend double-header) and last two days of teaching at MacPhail Center for Music, where I've worked for 13 years. So, it's no surprise that I'm continuing to feel ALL THE FEELINGS lately.

While teaching my last lesson, I was surprised by a sudden burst of anxiety, despite the fact that it was an enjoyable lesson.

Of course I didn't enjoy the anxiety, but instead of reacting to it and going down a spiral of anxiety-about-anxiety, I chose to breathe, get through the lesson, and read it as a signal that I have a lot to process right now.

I then realized that, even 2 years ago, there is NO WAY I would have been able to react this way. 2 years ago at this time is also when I realized that my anxiety had really been creeping up without my knowing it, which was really tough, but forced me to grow in many positive ways.

Do not be mistaken - I have not "mastered anxiety", nor do I respond with grace every time it comes up. 

But, every time you deal with a situation, you are practicing your reactions, and naturally get better at dealing with it, even if it feels like a struggle.

So even though I'm overwhelmed by all that a cross-country move entails, and I often have unrealistic expectations about how much I can accomplish, I'm doing the stuff or letting it go when needed. I'm not lying on the floor crying and paralyzed by anxiety. (And it would also be okay if I were, that wouldn't last forever!)

I'm actually doing great.

How often do we fully acknowledge all of the work that we're putting in, including emotional labor?

How often do we really give ourselves credit for processing emotions or other intangible emotional work?

How often do we realize that sometimes it’s better to preserve energy by doing the minimum required, and that our expectations of ourselves can be relaxed?

I know that for many of us, the answer, is, not often enough!

You know what? You're doing great, too, even if you don't think you are. 

(I'm especially looking at you, Type A overachiever people.)

——

2022-me here, again:

If you feel the need to do less as we move into summer, regardless of whether you have “big stuff” going on in your life or not, I hope you can feel free to give yourself permission to take a break, reduce, or set a boundary with something in your life that isn't totally necessary. 

Doing less and doing great can coincide!

Are you going to do less this summer, even in a small way? I would love to hear about it. Hit reply if you'd like to share!

Stay well, my friends - I'm always rooting for you. My inbox is always open, so please feel free to reach out if I can help in any way. 

I always love hearing from you!

Have a lovely week! ⁠

Rebecca

• Amahra Spence: Radical Imagination on the Hurry Slowly podcast - This conversation about the power of building communities rooted in mutual thriving, how to create space for the imaginations of Black, trans, queer, disabled, and working class people, and what it means to imagine beyond our current paradigms was really inspiring to me.
• Self-care isn't enough. We need community care to thrive - On not putting all of the responsibility on the individual - self care and community care are interconnected!
• Power Of The Pack: Women Who Support Women Are More Successful - I have fully believed in #shinetheory for a long time, but it's good to see it emphasized!

• E26: Create A Fresh Start Anytime You Need It

If you’re tired of feeling stuck, spinning your wheels, and not moving forward with that creative project you've been planning on starting forever, this episode is for you. Often we wait for “just the right time” to start, which can actually defer the project further, but we can create that fresh start anytime we decide to! 

Listen in for some tips on how to get started, so you can get that creative momentum going in a supportive and self-compassionate way.

Join us in Compassionate Creativity Coworking Club 

(Your first session is free to try!)

Book a free discovery call to learn more about coaching and get a mini-session

Coaching Offerings:

• Rise Above the Overwhelm: laser-focused 1-time sessions

• Creative Season (3 month package)