Weekly Roundup
Why it motivates me:
Billie Jean is, of course, legendary for the strides she has made for gender equality, not only in sports.
She shares her struggles with an eating disorder and the immense work that she has done to find healthier copying mechanisms for her pain.
She states that ‘Goals are numbing’ – it is after the working hard that we have to deal with our own pain. A great reminder to not use overworking as an outlet.
She totally loved the cause she fights for and brings her full self to the journey.
You can see the full transcript over on the Momastery website.
What to do with your life, eh?
Oh, the options.
Usually we are asked, ‘what do you want do when you grow up?’, or, ‘what do you want to do when you… leave school… graduate… *insert typical milestone here*….’
The latter questions are often promoted when handed a leaflet of pre-determined choices and given unsolicited advice from well-intended others.
We are now, thankfully, moving towards the age of the unconventional, the ‘portfolio career’, the squiggly career. I say thankfully as my own life path has taken some twists and turns in comparison to the norm. I welcome open minds and the normalisation of veering away from the ‘typical’. And I say, ‘moving towards’, as I truly don’t think we have normalised the wide variety of things on offer that ultimately can fill our lives with meaning.
Sure, you might want to have a life with mainstream education, a partner of a different sex and a job that sees you climbing the hierarchy.
But I’d also be asking, what makes your heart sing? When does time pass quickly? How do you look after your mental and physical health? How will you learn and develop and give back and care for those that you love?
Resources that I have used include:
‘Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People’
So, I’d encourage you to go explore. And reflect over time as your life twists and turns.
It’s the small things.
Every day we make millions of small decisions – whether to sleep longer, what socks to wear, whether we have enough jam on our toast….
I’m an ideas generator, a lateral thinker, someone who can solve complex problems… but when faced with the ‘everyday’ decision, I’m useless.
I can tell you all the options all the time. I can do cost-benefit analyses for each one. But sometimes you just want to not think about everything. This PsychCentral article sums up this experience as ‘analysis paralysis’. Interestingly, although there is research to show autistic people struggle more than neurotypicals with decision making, in groups, neurodivergence is a competitive advantage. Great for the bottom line, not so brilliant when trying to bottom-out your weekend plans.
There are some great principles in the book, ‘Don't Overthink It: Make Easier Decisions, Stop Second-Guessing, and Bring More Joy to Your Life’ by Anne Bogel, I’m just trying to decide which bits I should start using first…
Corrin, an actor who defines as non-binary (does not identify as male or female, and uses the pronouns ‘they’), has been speaking about their challenges in being nominated for gendered awards.
If someone does not identify as male or female, it does seem contradictory to then be nominated for a ‘best actress’ award.
People may make the case for keeping gendered awards as it allows for representation. The entertainment industry can be sexist (The Guardian reported that 99% of women have experienced sexism). By having gender neutral awards, it may reduce the profile of women.
What’s the solution? I’m not sure. I really appreciate the honesty in this Stonewall blog by Prishita Maheshwari-Aplin who admits there is no simple answer. Reading their blog, however, shows why we need to be looking at this to make a truly inclusive society, ‘I still dream of a world where gender is not a chore, but a celebration; where the status quo is not one where we must fight daily simply to be included, but one where the diversity of the human existence is woven into the fabric of society. We must continue working to dismantle the binary categories that restrict all of us, and throw the boxes in the recycling bin where they belong.’
Self-care Sunday
Things I’ve been doing this week to take care of my mind and body:
Stretching… by doing yoga outside wearing a bobble hat.
Meditating…. With Glenn Harrold
Connecting… with others on Facebook groups. Digging into social media for likeminded souls.
School of Life Spotlight
‘Learn, Heal, Grow’ – content that resonated with me this week.
‘Why it’s so hard to live in the present’