Hello,
First things first - to say thank you for allowing me into your email inbox, I promise to never use the phrases “new normal”, “all in this together” or “unprecedented times”.
And secondly, welcome! I’m writing this from my garden in Dubai, where I’m sweating profusely and pretending it’s not 35C and 95% humidity, so I can keep an eye on my cat while he gets some fresh air. That already tells you a lot about me.
I guess if I were to sum up the theme of this newsletter in one word, it would be “trying”, which is also a good way to sum up 2020 as a whole. This year is testing us, and we’re all *trying* to do something - whether that’s pushing through with our goals or just striving to make it through the day feeling vaguely okay.
I started this newsletter because I wanted to write about the things I’m trying to do right now - like writing a book alongside my full-time job while battling anxiety and ADHD (surprise! More on that fun diagnosis later!). Or just generally trying to be creative and productive against the backdrop of a global pandemic.
Which is nuts, right? It’s like if Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Jurassic Park felt bad because he couldn’t maintain his blog while the dinosaurs were all escaping.
BUT! The good news is, I’m also writing this to share all the things that are helping me get through it. The articles, the podcasts, the people, the pop culture, the weird little self-care rituals, the excellent snacks. I’ll be sharing my drawings, bits of writing, some links and maybe, one day, interviews with people way more qualified than I am to be giving advice.
To start, here are three things that have been making my days better recently:
An article about the little things
I really love this post by Caroline Donofrio about ‘tiny anchors’.
‘“Traditionally, an anchor is “a device that prevents a craft from drifting due to wind or current.” Similarly, a tiny anchor helps ground us amidst the currents of our days.’
Finding joy or calm in small moments and simple routines feels essential. For example, my tiny anchor is my morning shower accompanied by a playlist I made called ‘Aggressively Cheerful Music’. I’ve been listening to its since March and I always welcome new song suggestions.
A book I keep re-reading
I’m a huge fan of Austin Kleon, a self-proclaimed ‘writer who draws’ - and his most recent book Keep Going is my favourite. It’s all about how to carry on making art when you feel overwhelmed by everything going on the world, presented in cool illustrations and bite-sized chunks of good advice.
A podcast episode that soothes me
Finding Fred, Episode 1 - A Genius of Empathy
Having grown up first in South Africa and then in the UK, Mister Rogers’ Neighbourhood was not a fixture of my childhood. So I was surprised when I found myself ugly-crying in my car 5 minutes into this episode. Carvell Wallace and guest Ashley C. Ford are just wonderful as they talk about how the late Fred Rogers, a ‘genius of empathy’, can help us make sense of the world today.
That’s all for this week. I’d love to hear what you think. What are your ‘tiny anchors’? What would you add to my Aggressively Cheerful Music playlist? Is there a podcast making you cry (in a good way)? You can leave a comment or come and find me on Twitter and Instagram.
I’m excited to see where this newsletter goes, so thank you for being here with me. Or, to quote Samuel L. Jackson in Jurassic Park: “Hold onto your butts!”
Sending love,
Stacey