14 Comments

Those are such great ideas! I love the idea of snail mail and have tried to send more but then I forget and now I feel bad for not being able to follow through. Do you have tips / strategies to remember to do it or does it just happen more easily for you?

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In the past I have generally done it pretty sporadically, and also often only remember when someone sends me mail first, so I would just reply immediately so I don't forget. Since I want to get more serious about it, I made a short list of people who I'd like to reach out to more often for way reference, and I'm scheduling time for correspondence.

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It's so interesting - I have resisted scheduling time and adding structure for so long, but it keeps popping up for me. The right kind of structure is actually really helpful for me; it just cannot feel forced and like a demand, so it's such a careful balancing act. It's time I build some gentle structures and I can see how it would be helpful for me to schedule time for it.

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I've definitely had to be gentle with myself about scheduling things that I really want to do. Somehow, the things that have actual deadlines and are less fun are often easier that way. I think it helps to be flexible and realistic about my energy, and also to remember that I deserve time to do things like this that I know will bring me joy.

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Love the intentionality of community and connection. It’s so easy to get lost in our own worlds, and never stop to wonder why we feel so disconnected when we can just keep scrolling.

That interview is still one of my best read posts! I loved that you said yes ❤️

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Yes! Trying to stay off my phone as much as possible probably should've been its own item on the list lol.

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I’ve been practicing using my phone less and turning it off when I start feeling discomfort in my body when I do check in to socials, and it’s actually quite amazing how quickly I’ve started to feel just less overwhelmed in my brain. Even when you curate your content, there comes a point of diminishing returns!

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Yes! Noticing the discomfort can be a struggle for me, but I'm working on that, too!

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You are doing so many great things, A. So great to witness all the ways in which you've been deepening your self-intimacy. I enjoyed your guest post, too - I found it relatable, wise and self-supporting.

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Thank you so much, Keith. 🧡

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I like a lot of these ideas. Some of these are a bit tricky to implement, because of the issue of securing transport. However, I have had success with connecting with others via Zoom, namely through The Remote Body and RestFest.

Regarding scheduling friend time - there's a friend of mine that's looking to have lunch or dinner with me at some point. They want to know what's going in my life. Just gotta figure out what place I want to go to...

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Transportation is definitely tricky! I don't personally drive at this point, and my husband and friends are thankfully able to do that for me. But this definitely wasn't meant to be prescriptive! I struggle a lot with video calls, so that wouldn't work for me, but knowing what works for you is what's most important!

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Love this, community and connection is so important! So much of this resonates with my thoughts about it too. Loved doing the art for your friendship piece 💖❤️

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Thank you so much for reading! And for collaborating! I think your art added an important layer to the post. 🧡

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