When we think of self-care, do we forget to count downtime? I'm thinking here not so much about downtime that is scheduled, as it were, but rather that which is almost circumstantial. In other words, what are the positive spin-offs we derive from the "negative spaces" in our lives, as well as the activities we do that require us to either access or create space?
Author: Fran Laenen
Words and music. Ponderer. Wander woman.
Nothing is enough.
A handful of insights, gathered from various sources, about productivity, rest, and self-worth. Photo by Kyle Collins on Pexels 1. Permission to start at zero. I’ve been listening to a series of short talks called “Time Management for Mortals”, delivered by Oliver Burkeman, who wrote a book on the same topic, on the Waking Up … Continue reading Nothing is enough.
The journey of a kombucha bottle filled with Ganges water
The first time I swam in the Ganges was the first morning after our arrival at the Ashram. I had set my alarm early enough to get a walk in before morning asanas, and headed upriver. I was feeling the effects of a 05h30 wakeup after not such a great night’s sleep – daytime temperatures … Continue reading The journey of a kombucha bottle filled with Ganges water
Swapping Notes: An exchange with a taxi driver in India
The game of getting around as a solo tourist in Indian cities is a topic of its own. This is the story of one interesting exchange I had with a taxi driver in Jaipur. We didn't speak each other's language but, well, money talked (kind of).
Struggle and Acceptance: How to avoid giving yourself uphill
During a recent three-week hiking trip, there were times where I felt more than a little "on edge". I took these moments of struggle as an opportunity to reflect on something broader: that we can be in a certain amount of discomfort or pain, or generally in a bad situation, without suffering. Assuming we are not being faced with a mortal threat, and leaving aside extreme and lifelong hardship for the time being, is it possible for something to be challenging without it being a "fight"? Can something be a struggle without us struggling with it?
Solo: Reflections on solitude on an overnight hike
In April 2022, I did a solo overnight hike in the mountains of the Western Cape in South Africa. My objective, if I can put it that way, was not so much to hike but to observe. Accordingly, what follows is not so much a hike report but a collection of observations or field notes, both outer and inner.
Past Tense: The anxious voices of history
Whereas in my last piece I considered anxiety as fear of the future, in this post I reflect on the ways in which it might in fact derive from the past. Rather than being a “fear of future feelings”, as I put it, perhaps anxiety can be viewed as a way in which our fearful past selves keep up with us.
Temporal Whiplash: Anxiety and Fear of the Future that is Now
I once heard that the source of all anxiety is fear of the future, and the source of all depression is dwelling in the past. As a rough shortcut to understanding these two very common mental afflictions, this has appealing simplicity. But as one who has experienced both depression and anxiety, I have had a few reflections on the relationship between suffering and our orientation towards time. When we are anxious, where in time do we tend to be placing our focus? Or rather, where do we believe we are placing our focus, and are we sometimes fooling ourselves?
All & None of the Above 