"The thing is: It takes a lot of energy to be creative. You don’t have that energy if you waste it on other stuff." Austin Kleon
I just came off a full week of inspired activity and what I call "pre-paving" for my next chapter. It was glorious, productive and affirming. Even my newest Love List oozed the good stuff!
I took time off Too Good Triangles and off social media and even off my favourite man to do this, just like I did a year ago at the same time when my girl moved to Montreal. You can read about last year's heaven here.
I didn't know what would come up during this time or specifically how I would spend it, I just left a wide open space for whatever wanted to show up.
I was not disappointed.
Last year's mini sabbatical was primarily about physical self-care. I ate well and mindfully, I went to the gym daily, I slept a ton, and I thoroughly enjoyed my very first week being truly child-free and living with myself quietly. It was perfect. Read about it here.
This year's sabbatical brought endless creative ideas (as seen in the picture of post it notes) and almost all of my waking hours were spent on my computer.
I barely ate or exercised. I lived primarily on apples, water and good thoughts because when the muse hits, you gotta go all in. She won't be there forever but the meals and the yoga will be so I do what needs to be done.
Below I've included some of the highlights and insights that transpired over the past week and I hope something I've included resonates with you or inspires you to take your next step towards your creative vision.
With love and a laser beam focus,
Mandy xo
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P.P.S. Have you read my yummy non-fiction soul story, The Poet & The Butterfly, yet? You can explore my greatest love here.
Highlights:
"Self care is taking the time to recover. It’s sabbaticals to clear your head and chart your course. It’s leaving. It’s investing. It’s asking for more. It’s being protective and tender and limitlessly compassionate with yourself. Treat yourself like the divine creature that you are, and then get a pedicure and have a pint. Self care is a divine responsibility." Danielle LaPorte
- I created my BIGGEST newsletter of the year and I'm so proud of it.
- I covered my living room table in post it notes (as pictured) full of ideas for my next chapter in addition to 100+ ideas I added to an app on my phone.
- I promised myself that I wouldn't log into Facebook during my sabbatical - not even once - and I honoured that commitment.
- I created a yummy project that I've been contemplating for a year or two and it is now launched into the cybersphere but you might never know about it because I won't promote it or attach my name to it.
- I refined my website and also revised my About page and added a Books tab at the top.
- I compiled all my reviews for The Poet & The Butterfly and finally brought my book to the forefront of my site.
- I did a ton of cyber housekeeping relating to Mandyland including going through thousands of emails that have collected over the years through Too Good Triangles and Mandyland and GODS & DIVAS and I sorted them ALL! Deleted thousands as well!
- I only went to the beach twice (I usually go daily) and left my house only a handful of times because of how inspired I was with all the things I was working on.
- One of my outings included a night of dancing and I met a trio of fellows that were friends and they were each competing for my affection which was both flattering and highly entertaining. Two of them got my number. One got a goodnight kiss.
- My only other outing was to Jolene's and Omar's for some Omzz Burgerz on the BBQ while we had drinks by the fire. A perfect ending to the weekend.
- Drake's album "Views" was the main soundtrack for the week and although I often skipped the slower tracks, I'm a legit Drake fan as of this album. He's in his prime on this one.
- My week, like most of my days, felt like a big shroom trip. When you're in the zone and in the flow, there's nothing but magic and you can connect unseen dots like a mofo.
Insights
"You can train yourself into a freer way of being if you have enough self-love to honour when you most naturally want to work, play, and rest. It’s so ironic, but we need courage to follow our natural impulses — mostly because social and work structures manage to wring those instincts right out of us. Conform, achieve, conform, achieve. Hi ho, hi ho." Danielle LaPorte
- I feel the sexiest, the most alive, the most free, the most happy and the most powerful when I'm creating magic within the matrix of technology.
- This is my time and I've got nothing left to prove but plenty of ish to do.
- I know what I'm doing and I'm doing it well.
- I got from there to here so I can get from here to there just as easily.
- I am more amazing than I thought. You are, too.
- I am a pure, powerful, infinite creator. As are you.
- You can start again at any time.
- You can change yourself, your thoughts or your life at any time.
- No matter how bad it is, it always gets better.
- No matter how good it is, it always gets better.
- It's all coming together beautifully.
- The quality of your life and your relationships is in direct proportion to the quality of your relationship with yourself.
- Mirror work works.
- I am 100% responsible for all my joy and all my pain. Or rather, I am 100% responsible for my perceptions and how I choose to experience and deal with what arises, so I choose wisely.
- Complaining gives you even more of what you're complaining about.
- Gossip is toxic and ugly. It only serves to bond people through mutual pollution and dysfunction.
- When you make your relationship with yourself and your soul's work the main focus of your life, everyone benefits because of that choice.
- Writing my weekly Love Lists has changed my life. I'll write about that more fully in the future.
- When you mark and celebrate the miracles and abundance in your life, the good multiplies like crazy.
- Some people think I'm awesome. Some people think I'm an asshole. Both are right.
- I love the darkness like I love the light. Both are there to serve and transform me.
- I don't miss the people from my past because I know they're not in my present for a reason.
- It would be wise for me to take a day off social media once a week and a week off social media each season; not just once a year. It feels so good and produces so much. I hope I remember to do this. The pay off is so worth it. Even Chloe was amazed!
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