I’m letting go of the guilt over my dog passing. We did the best we could, and he was a happy dog. Things weren’t perfect. But beating myself up over things I can’t change won’t help.
I'm so sorry, Katie. Your dog loved you and if he was a happy dog, that means he had a great life. I'll give my dog some extra rubs in your dog's honor
So this week I let go of an unpleasant vocational breakup by writing to my boss about how I’ve learned to grow and take accountability in life and in work. I did mention the idea of returning properly. (We parted post-pandemic)
The boss was pleased with the letter, and while no positions are open at the moment, the boss wants me back in their department as soon as can be.
I went to a cabaret show this week and was able to say good riddance to my social anxiety. I got the nerve to go up to some of my fave performers and tell them how much I enjoyed the show. Usually I get too nervous and just say something on Instagram days later.
Amber, in light of what you wrote last week, another book for you: Disney High, about the rise of Disney Channel in the 00s. You probably won't care about the goings on of High School Musical and Lizzie McGuire like I did, but there's a lot in there about what the child actors went through how they were exploited, especially financially.
One of my many takeaways is how mainstream it was in the 00s to sexualize child actresses the second they hit puberty while also demonizing the same actresses when they did anything to show they were growing up.
I've been working at school for several weeks now. I'm learning that as you build relationships with the kiddos, you start to get attached to them in a way. Sometimes, I have too much empathy and when they struggle it hits hard. My let go this week is that I can't solve every problem I see, no matter how much I want to.
Last year, I let go of submitting work to publishers after two decades of constant rejection had eroded my mental health. After making that decision, I realized I had submitted a batch of poems to The New Yorker. It was a quandary. Do I withdraw the submission and stay true to never submitting again? But if I do that, it would turn out that batch of poems would have made me rich and famous somehow in a country that hates poetry. Or do I get my hopes up one last time while preparing for heartbreak? It took eighteen months for them to get back to me, so mostly what I did was forget I had submitted at all. Periodically, I would remember, and ruminate over the things I just mentioned. When the rejection came a few days ago, my submission to them had slipped my mind. An unwelcome surprise, but not unexpected. I have to let go of the idea that I have any kind of value as a writer.
This was beautiful Amber. What a wonderful enriched life you are living and what a blessing to have you share it with us. I keep trying to let go of things I think might be coming over the horizon that I cannot control. Good luck to me. 🤓♥️
I'm getting ready to say goodbye to my German B1 level (Next week, i take my B1 Classexam, for which i'm excited, but also worried [Because lately i've been lagging behind my German class. Although i'm trying to get back on track, but i need more time to do so]). Also, my parents and i are saying goodbye to cherries and saying hello to plum tomatoes and plums in our villa-garden.
I'm letting go of my need for control. In daily life and especially in writing. The more I experiment, the easier it is for the poem to tell me what it needs. Also, the time I give myself to step away before the each round of edits brings a clarity I can trust.
Omg Sarah! You just spoke directly to my heart with this comment. It sounds like for you, as for me; the process of healing teaches us gratitude and perseverance while helping to uncover and understand our pain. Grieving missed opportunities, relationships and choices has been rewarding and pain doesn’t leave, but understanding makes a difference! Hope I’m making sense and best to you in living life to the fullest ❤️
I let go of needed to explain everything. Not everything needs to- or should be- wrapped up with a big bow to make everyone more comfortable than me. Bows are so in right now, I'll just decorate my hair and walls with them instead, lol. No more justifying myself, etc... I can finally just be.
I’m letting go of the guilt over my dog passing. We did the best we could, and he was a happy dog. Things weren’t perfect. But beating myself up over things I can’t change won’t help.
Oh Katie. I’ve been there. Such a hard experience. Sending you so much love today.
I'm so sorry, Katie. Your dog loved you and if he was a happy dog, that means he had a great life. I'll give my dog some extra rubs in your dog's honor
I'm so sorry for your loss. 🩷
So this week I let go of an unpleasant vocational breakup by writing to my boss about how I’ve learned to grow and take accountability in life and in work. I did mention the idea of returning properly. (We parted post-pandemic)
The boss was pleased with the letter, and while no positions are open at the moment, the boss wants me back in their department as soon as can be.
I’m calling this the victory.
Absolutely a victory.
Thank you Amber et al.
I went to a cabaret show this week and was able to say good riddance to my social anxiety. I got the nerve to go up to some of my fave performers and tell them how much I enjoyed the show. Usually I get too nervous and just say something on Instagram days later.
Amber, in light of what you wrote last week, another book for you: Disney High, about the rise of Disney Channel in the 00s. You probably won't care about the goings on of High School Musical and Lizzie McGuire like I did, but there's a lot in there about what the child actors went through how they were exploited, especially financially.
One of my many takeaways is how mainstream it was in the 00s to sexualize child actresses the second they hit puberty while also demonizing the same actresses when they did anything to show they were growing up.
Chris Cillizza, my favorite political writer, gave LITD a plug: https://chriscillizza.substack.com/p/13-more-substacks-to-check-out
Ohhh thank you Sam!
I've been working at school for several weeks now. I'm learning that as you build relationships with the kiddos, you start to get attached to them in a way. Sometimes, I have too much empathy and when they struggle it hits hard. My let go this week is that I can't solve every problem I see, no matter how much I want to.
Love this Audra!!
Last year, I let go of submitting work to publishers after two decades of constant rejection had eroded my mental health. After making that decision, I realized I had submitted a batch of poems to The New Yorker. It was a quandary. Do I withdraw the submission and stay true to never submitting again? But if I do that, it would turn out that batch of poems would have made me rich and famous somehow in a country that hates poetry. Or do I get my hopes up one last time while preparing for heartbreak? It took eighteen months for them to get back to me, so mostly what I did was forget I had submitted at all. Periodically, I would remember, and ruminate over the things I just mentioned. When the rejection came a few days ago, my submission to them had slipped my mind. An unwelcome surprise, but not unexpected. I have to let go of the idea that I have any kind of value as a writer.
This is so powerful. Thank you for sharing.
This was beautiful Amber. What a wonderful enriched life you are living and what a blessing to have you share it with us. I keep trying to let go of things I think might be coming over the horizon that I cannot control. Good luck to me. 🤓♥️
♥️♥️♥️♥️🙏🏻
I'm getting ready to say goodbye to my German B1 level (Next week, i take my B1 Classexam, for which i'm excited, but also worried [Because lately i've been lagging behind my German class. Although i'm trying to get back on track, but i need more time to do so]). Also, my parents and i are saying goodbye to cherries and saying hello to plum tomatoes and plums in our villa-garden.
I'm letting go of my need for control. In daily life and especially in writing. The more I experiment, the easier it is for the poem to tell me what it needs. Also, the time I give myself to step away before the each round of edits brings a clarity I can trust.
i am letting go of my notion of what life SHOULD look like and embracing life and those i love as is.
letting go of a search for healing and embracing here and now brokenness with wonder.
Omg Sarah! You just spoke directly to my heart with this comment. It sounds like for you, as for me; the process of healing teaches us gratitude and perseverance while helping to uncover and understand our pain. Grieving missed opportunities, relationships and choices has been rewarding and pain doesn’t leave, but understanding makes a difference! Hope I’m making sense and best to you in living life to the fullest ❤️
best to you as well.
pain doesn’t leave.
understanding is so good.
and, i also am learning to live in the unknowing.
I let go of needed to explain everything. Not everything needs to- or should be- wrapped up with a big bow to make everyone more comfortable than me. Bows are so in right now, I'll just decorate my hair and walls with them instead, lol. No more justifying myself, etc... I can finally just be.