This letter is very timely. My mental health has fallen down a deep ravine over the past 1.5 years, while trying to build a business online. This week, I started a new in-person, part time job at a local farm-based, Waldorf-inspired school. I cannot express how quickly my nervous system is rearranging itself. A necessary remembering. I feel rather lost at the moment in regards to my business, which is exactly where Im realizing need to be - away from it, away from screens, outside, with children and other humans who appreciate and understand this cellular need for presence with what is present. Love your letters Ema, thank you 🕯
Oh Kat! Thank you for sharing! I’m so sorry to hear your mental health has been a struggle lately. It’s stories like that that make me worry about how we’re using the internet…and yet I wouldn’t have your words without the internet. What a conundrum. I’m so glad you found that job; it sounds delightful and I hope it can continue to be nourishing to you. “This cellular need for presence with what is present.” Yes. I’m writing that down on some lilac purple paper (a meaningful color to me) and taping it up on the wall behind my desk. 💙
Lilac... ooooh that color! Honored to have some words on the wall behind your desk. I know that to be a sacred space, as I decorate mine in a similar fashion.
Just loving this voiceover feature so much! My full time job is on screens all day, and to be able to hear your voice and participate in this way has me overjoyed! Thank you for recording it. I currently feel over stimulated and at max capacity of what I am taking in and how to process it- so this is so timely to ‘read’ (hear!). I’m not entirely sure how to disconnect more yet so I can fill myself back up better and not become devoted to this internet space...🤍
Oh good! So glad you like the voiceover. I think I’m going to keep up with and/or create a podcast feature (which I need to learn more about; let me know if you have an opinion). It’s only *slightly* painful to hear my own voice. :D
You bring up a good point for me to remember, Kelsey. I personally really have a lot of sway over how much time I spend on screens and very aware of that. Others don’t have as much choice because of their jobs. You’ve really got me thinking with your wording though: filling ourselves back up better when screens have to be so present in our lives. I’m going to be chewing on that one.
As a long term expat I've built up a healthy community of folks around the world in the past 20 years. However, since my IRL life was so contricted during the beginning of the pandemic, I've felt lop sided. Its going on four years but I just cant seem to get an in peraon community going. And just being a head on a screen online is super lonely. My entire business is online too, ahhhh. Am looking into how to balance this out again. I know with time I will but this post resonated with me so much. So so much. Thank you!
Thank you for reading and sharing, Steph! It’s interesting to hear the ways other people are experiencing the imbalance of too much screen time, too little face-to-face. And I totally understand the feeling of lacking in person community. I just want to have people come eat soup at my house!
This letter is very timely. My mental health has fallen down a deep ravine over the past 1.5 years, while trying to build a business online. This week, I started a new in-person, part time job at a local farm-based, Waldorf-inspired school. I cannot express how quickly my nervous system is rearranging itself. A necessary remembering. I feel rather lost at the moment in regards to my business, which is exactly where Im realizing need to be - away from it, away from screens, outside, with children and other humans who appreciate and understand this cellular need for presence with what is present. Love your letters Ema, thank you 🕯
Oh Kat! Thank you for sharing! I’m so sorry to hear your mental health has been a struggle lately. It’s stories like that that make me worry about how we’re using the internet…and yet I wouldn’t have your words without the internet. What a conundrum. I’m so glad you found that job; it sounds delightful and I hope it can continue to be nourishing to you. “This cellular need for presence with what is present.” Yes. I’m writing that down on some lilac purple paper (a meaningful color to me) and taping it up on the wall behind my desk. 💙
Lilac... ooooh that color! Honored to have some words on the wall behind your desk. I know that to be a sacred space, as I decorate mine in a similar fashion.
Just loving this voiceover feature so much! My full time job is on screens all day, and to be able to hear your voice and participate in this way has me overjoyed! Thank you for recording it. I currently feel over stimulated and at max capacity of what I am taking in and how to process it- so this is so timely to ‘read’ (hear!). I’m not entirely sure how to disconnect more yet so I can fill myself back up better and not become devoted to this internet space...🤍
Oh good! So glad you like the voiceover. I think I’m going to keep up with and/or create a podcast feature (which I need to learn more about; let me know if you have an opinion). It’s only *slightly* painful to hear my own voice. :D
You bring up a good point for me to remember, Kelsey. I personally really have a lot of sway over how much time I spend on screens and very aware of that. Others don’t have as much choice because of their jobs. You’ve really got me thinking with your wording though: filling ourselves back up better when screens have to be so present in our lives. I’m going to be chewing on that one.
Thank you as always!
As a long term expat I've built up a healthy community of folks around the world in the past 20 years. However, since my IRL life was so contricted during the beginning of the pandemic, I've felt lop sided. Its going on four years but I just cant seem to get an in peraon community going. And just being a head on a screen online is super lonely. My entire business is online too, ahhhh. Am looking into how to balance this out again. I know with time I will but this post resonated with me so much. So so much. Thank you!
Thank you for reading and sharing, Steph! It’s interesting to hear the ways other people are experiencing the imbalance of too much screen time, too little face-to-face. And I totally understand the feeling of lacking in person community. I just want to have people come eat soup at my house!
Ohhhh, soups is the best!