Friday Musings—26/01/24

I had a lot going on this past week, so I took a little time off from this space. I went to my first appointment with the functional medicine doctor, kept up my weekly sessions with the psychologist, and also had a "high-vibe healing session" with an Australian acquaintance who generously offered it to me as a free session (I was a bit skeptical, I'll admit, but it turned out to be a really cool experience). As a result, I gained some new insights that I've been pondering on my own and have also started discussing with my coaching besties. It's interesting that different professionals, with completely different backgrounds and approaches, all identified some common themes and repeating patterns. The next step is to turn these insights into actionable steps, keeping in mind, as everyone has told me, that progress (both mental and physical) won't be quick nor linear 😬

As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm organizing a Zoom meeting (which will probably take place Saturday February 10th around 4-5pm CET) where we can get together and take some time to think about where we are, reflect on our future vision, and identify a few steps we can take to move towards that vision. The objective is not to feel bad about where we are or commit to a punitive list of resolutions for 2024. My aim is to provide a safe space for self-reflection and share some inputs that have helped me open a deeper dialogue with myself. Fill out this form to participate, and you can also invite other people to sign up (just have them fill out the form as well). It will also be a chance to get to know each other better and foster a sense of community. In the meantime, if you haven't read them yet, I shared some reflections on 2023 and how I went about crafting my vision for 2024 and beyond in my previous posts.

Moving onto a few things that have piqued my interest this week.

Being heard in a world filled with distractions

I recently did a guided meditation that explored how much we yearn for profound connection and how we long to be heard. It emphasized the importance of creating spaces where we can have open and heartfelt dialogues and give and receive undivided attention. At the same time, it touched upon how increasingly rare these spaces seem to be and how modern technology is contributing to making us less and less present in our everyday conversations and interactions.

This is actually a bit of a sore spot for me, as there are people in my life who will very often let the phone get in the way of having a conversation. I try not to take this lack of attention personally, but my longing for connection and for being heard does feel wounded. At the same time, I'm finding it difficult to express this need in a way that doesn't make the other person feel attacked. Learning to communicate our needs in a way that's assertive but also respectful isn't always easy!

Reclaim your brain

As I found myself pondering the ever-increasing and seemingly unstoppable intrusiveness of our phones into our daily lives and how it's affecting the quality of our relationships, I came across this five-week coaching plan to help us reset our screen habits. Organized by The Guardian and written by the author of How to Break Up with Your Phone, it consists of weekly assignments to help us establish better boundaries with our phones. I've signed up and really look forward to the challenge.

Words for hard-to-name emotions

Have you ever experienced an emotion but couldn’t quite describe what you were feeling with words? You may find the right word for it in the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. Incidentally, if we don't take action re: our phone usage and increasing lack of presence in our relationships, I think "anecdoche" will become more and more common.

Quote of the week ✍️ 

"Being heard and understood is one of the greatest desires of the human heart".  (Richard Carlson)

As always, I welcome your insights or questions in the comments. You can also send me an email or book a call to talk about where you're at in life and where you'd like to go. Don't forget to share this with someone who may find it useful.

Enjoy your weekend and TTYS