I love this. It helped me to read it because it made me slow down and sit with some of the challenges we've faced recently, which made the hopefulness at the end all the more authentic and substantive and chill-inducing. Hang in there little flower!
I’ve enjoyed this writing and the analogy of gardening for your life/dream💗 I especially loved the end. “With some stubborn hope, humility, and lots of help from above, I can still break through the dirt and soil…..hot to flourish in a rugged, yet surprisingly magnificent world.” That’s where I am at too! Love you, Erichan, my courageous daughter!
First off, love your reflection on planting your wildflower bed in the dark. It's a truly radical act to scatter seeds and try to put some roots down in such an unpredictable landscape. Im so happy that beyond hope, they bloomed for you! Blows my mind how much we can learn about living from the garden.
I really appreciate your honesty surrounding disappointment Erica! I so relate to the experience of vulnerability when your hopes are unexpectedly dashed. its also my tendency to attempt to try and buffer myself against feelings of loss/grief through an endless string of productivity. This line made my heart ache "When I returned home, I gathered all the chores, responsibilities, and to-dos that I could, piling them on myself till you could hardly see who or what was underneath"- so devastatingly relatable!
To answer your question, "How do you keep going when you’ve collided with disappointment, disillusionment, or drooping dreams? What do you find helpful?"- I think the number one practice that has helped me is gratitude. If i can get myself to write just three things that remind me that Life is on my side-even on the days when I feel most deflated- I often find I do have what i need to keep going.
Thanks for your vulnerability and speaking to such an important collective experience!
Shannon, it's always an honor to hear from you! 🤗 I love getting to read your thoughts and your insight is refreshing. Thanks for taking the time to share. I'm sorry you can relate to these feelings, but grateful that since this *is* the reality of our lives right now, we can find solace in knowing others also have similar experiences.
I'm a big fan of your gratitude practice. Aaron and I try to do our "thankfuls" at the end of each day. Sometimes, it feels like I'm poking around a dried up peanut butter jar trying to find some goodness. But, there is alwaaaaays something to find. Even if it takes more of an oomph to see it.
Thank you for your sweet words Erica! My participation in the online world tends to be a bit sporadic, but you always make me feel welcome!
Thank you also for consistently sharing such honest and thoughtful experiences. I also find your insight refreshing :).
hah! the dried up peanut butter jar is an excellent metaphor. You're right though, there is surprisingly always something to uncover. It certainly helps to be in community to help provide that extra oomph when you need it 😉.
Oh gosh, such a great post! Erika, I love the sound of treading the seeds into the soil with your feet - what a beautiful idea. I'm so sorry about the bad news, the disappointment. You've got this, though, you really have. What you've said here is so important:
"As for me, after a stretch of feeling smushed—or like those seeds, compressed into the ground—I’m trying to reframe how I think about and react to my life and my story."
Reframing is such a good attitude. I'm trying to do this, too. I know it's a different story entirely, but I've been lacking in energy in a big way recently, and am finding it much less frustrating now that I'm not using up the energy I have in struggling against how I'm feeling! Instead I'm finding alternative ways of not only doing things, but of thinking about them, too. Does that make sense?
Sending smiles! And sunshine, for those gorgeous flowers. xxx
I love this. It helped me to read it because it made me slow down and sit with some of the challenges we've faced recently, which made the hopefulness at the end all the more authentic and substantive and chill-inducing. Hang in there little flower!
🌻 I'm so glad we have each other!
Thank you, Erika, for this vulnerable, colorful, and timely essay. I enjoyed it very much.
Of course! I'm so glad it was timely. Thanks for reading, Julie!
You are most welcome, Erika.
I’ve enjoyed this writing and the analogy of gardening for your life/dream💗 I especially loved the end. “With some stubborn hope, humility, and lots of help from above, I can still break through the dirt and soil…..hot to flourish in a rugged, yet surprisingly magnificent world.” That’s where I am at too! Love you, Erichan, my courageous daughter!
P.S. I love your wreath! So dreamy🥰
❤️ thanks for your kind words! がんばります!
Wish we could make wreaths together—that would be such a fun activity.
I know! I need to make a trip to your home to make an autumn wreath together😊
Sending lots of lovely warm rays and nourishing fertiliser to help you peek out of the dirt and flourish!
I’m so glad you wrote about it, that act alone is so healing. I hope you get a chance to do a hit of guilt-free hibernation. 💕
I accept all the rays! Thank you Mika—for reading and for cheering me on! 🥰
First off, love your reflection on planting your wildflower bed in the dark. It's a truly radical act to scatter seeds and try to put some roots down in such an unpredictable landscape. Im so happy that beyond hope, they bloomed for you! Blows my mind how much we can learn about living from the garden.
I really appreciate your honesty surrounding disappointment Erica! I so relate to the experience of vulnerability when your hopes are unexpectedly dashed. its also my tendency to attempt to try and buffer myself against feelings of loss/grief through an endless string of productivity. This line made my heart ache "When I returned home, I gathered all the chores, responsibilities, and to-dos that I could, piling them on myself till you could hardly see who or what was underneath"- so devastatingly relatable!
To answer your question, "How do you keep going when you’ve collided with disappointment, disillusionment, or drooping dreams? What do you find helpful?"- I think the number one practice that has helped me is gratitude. If i can get myself to write just three things that remind me that Life is on my side-even on the days when I feel most deflated- I often find I do have what i need to keep going.
Thanks for your vulnerability and speaking to such an important collective experience!
Shannon, it's always an honor to hear from you! 🤗 I love getting to read your thoughts and your insight is refreshing. Thanks for taking the time to share. I'm sorry you can relate to these feelings, but grateful that since this *is* the reality of our lives right now, we can find solace in knowing others also have similar experiences.
I'm a big fan of your gratitude practice. Aaron and I try to do our "thankfuls" at the end of each day. Sometimes, it feels like I'm poking around a dried up peanut butter jar trying to find some goodness. But, there is alwaaaaays something to find. Even if it takes more of an oomph to see it.
Thanks again for such a thoughtful comment!!
Thank you for your sweet words Erica! My participation in the online world tends to be a bit sporadic, but you always make me feel welcome!
Thank you also for consistently sharing such honest and thoughtful experiences. I also find your insight refreshing :).
hah! the dried up peanut butter jar is an excellent metaphor. You're right though, there is surprisingly always something to uncover. It certainly helps to be in community to help provide that extra oomph when you need it 😉.
Haha, glad you liked the metaphor. 😆 You’re so right about that community piece—it’s something I long for more of in my offline life.
Oh gosh, such a great post! Erika, I love the sound of treading the seeds into the soil with your feet - what a beautiful idea. I'm so sorry about the bad news, the disappointment. You've got this, though, you really have. What you've said here is so important:
"As for me, after a stretch of feeling smushed—or like those seeds, compressed into the ground—I’m trying to reframe how I think about and react to my life and my story."
Reframing is such a good attitude. I'm trying to do this, too. I know it's a different story entirely, but I've been lacking in energy in a big way recently, and am finding it much less frustrating now that I'm not using up the energy I have in struggling against how I'm feeling! Instead I'm finding alternative ways of not only doing things, but of thinking about them, too. Does that make sense?
Sending smiles! And sunshine, for those gorgeous flowers. xxx