Robots, swords, and the little things

Hi Friends,

It’s chaos around here. As if *everything* (I’m waving my hands around in the air to indicate the gravity of all of it) were not enough right now, we moved.

So the past week has been about unpacking boxes and finding the best place for my eight-foot-tall robot named Maria.

Yes, Maria.

Anyone recognize her?

She’s from Metropolis - the classic 1927 German science-fiction film by Fritz Lang. I got her when I was living and working in LA. She is not the original from the movie but was apparently created from the original mold. Maria is pretty bad-ass and I like the fact that she watches over me as I work. My office is clearly still a mess, but I thought I’d give you a sneak peek of the progress as we settle in. Still so much to do — like find a place for that sword on my desk. I got it in Prague when I was working on Beautician and the Beast. That was such a long time ago that they let me bring a two-and-a-half foot long sword on the plane as carry-on when I flew back from Europe.

So, I’ve got some strange things in my office.

But Olive has a bed and blanket so that’s really all that matters.

The little things are now the big things

I was talking with a friend recently about how these days the “little things” feel massive. We are all so on-edge that when something small goes wrong, we lose it. Logically, I would think it would be the opposite, that with so much legitimate pain happening, that we would not be sweating the small stuff. But so many of us are feeling super sweaty all the time.

I’m seeing this so clearly in myself. A stubbed toe brings me to tears. Another canceled plan breaks my heart, even though I knew there was no way it was happening. Olive’s nails scratching up our new floors finds me frustrated.

None of this even registers on the scale of REAL THINGS. And yet, I find myself feeling like death by a thousand papercuts. If you feel this as well, just know that emotional exhaustion is legit. Find the self-care that works for you. Know that you are not crazy, you are just a human person trying to make it through life.

But I also think there is something amazing about the little things being the big things now. I am finding gratitude in minutia. The tiny details are filling up my heart. The smallest gesture of kindness renews my spirit. There is something beautiful in that.

So this week, as we continue to look for the phone charger and trip over empty boxes, I’ll keep coming back to the practices that help me recharge and remember my priorities. Yoga, meditation, mindfulness tricks when the anxiety hits, walking with Olive, exercise, eating well, and connecting (at a distance) with friends. And I’ll keep connecting with you, my friends, in whatever ways I can.

Thank you for being here, for reading and supporting and for being part of this community. I hope you are finding joy in the little things.

Much love,

~Lisa