Hello Dear Friends,
I am back from my December hiatus, which was wonderful and refreshing and I feel deep gratitude for the fact that I can take that time. And now I’m trying to remember what it is exactly that I, like, DO at my job.
I’m going through my inbox and it’s full of emails about “lessons.” Things people learned in 2023. Things they will try to learn in 2024. Things they will do more or better, or stop doing altogether. I’m getting everyone’s life report card.
Admittedly, I’m a total sucker for self-reflection — I can peel the layers of that onion all day. But for whatever reason, I can’t write that for you in this first newsletter of 2024. I don’t want to tell you you should have a morning routine or drink lemon water or breathe deeply. I’m not going to offer you a meditation or a journaling prompt. I don’t want to pretend I have the answers to fix anything. I don’t want to inspire you to do a single goddamn thing.
You’re here. You’re alive. And I’m so grateful for that.
Maybe that’s enough.
Sometimes you’re doing great, sometimes you are in the grips of a doom spiral that pins you to the couch.
Maybe that’s enough.
Sometimes you find the positivity and the light, sometimes you rehearse the most painful details of the worst-case scenario at 3 AM.
Maybe that’s enough.
Sometimes you are kind and compassionate, sometimes you are thoughtless and impulsive.
Maybe that’s enough.
Sometimes you get shit done, sometimes you watch five episodes of The Great British Baking Show.
Maybe that’s enough.
Sometimes you make people proud, sometimes you disappoint them.
Maybe that’s enough.
Maybe being human is enough.
I hope you enjoyed this letter. I hope you’ve learned nothing.
Here’s what else happened this week:
Jet lag
I’ve been in the grips of jet lag after our trip to Prague. It was a wonderful experience for the most part. The mass shooting that happened the day we arrived is still kind of haunting me, and I’m not totally sure how to talk about it. Maybe another time.
But here’s a video recap of the lovely parts, of which there were many:
What I cooked
I remembered while on my hiatus that I like cooking. This vegetarian recipe looks fancy (grapes for dinner???) but it’s pretty straightforward and super tasty.
Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Browned Butter-Grape Sauce & Farro
What I watched
Under Pressure: The U.S. Women's World Cup Team
My un-sporty-ness is well documented around here. But oddly, I do enjoy watching documentaries about the lives of athletes. The psychology and sociology aspects are fascinating. This docuseries about the women of the World Cup team covers topics like equal pay, injuries, expectations, processing failures, and group dynamics. Plus, it inspires me to lie on the floor and stretch my hamstrings while I watch, so win/win. (I don’t think win/win is a thing in sports, but maybe I’d like it all better if everyone won?)
What I read
How Mark Duplass Fights the Sadness
“The door to the darkness is right next to me, and I try to open it just enough, but not so much that it’s going to suck me in. I hope that, in a couple of weeks, I can open it up a little more, be a little stronger, and examine some of those issues. This will be with me for the rest of my life. But it’s manageable.”
What I loved
by David Gate
It feels wonderful to be back at work and back writing to you, friends. I wish you ease and joy in 2024. Thanks for letting me do this life thing with you.
Oh, and Blue Mala members, don’t forget you’ve got new classes dropping each week, and I’m back at live office hours, too. Hope to see you there.
Much love,
~Lisa