Thank you for this reminder of how our choices are never straight forward; we can want to slow down, yet feel we are stuck at the same time. Thank you also for the mention :)
🥰 I am enjoying the discourse you bring to the table between 20th century writers and our own lives today, particularly since I am failing at my quest to read more books at the moment. 😬
I know what you mean!! I keep making 'notes' of how I 'must read more', like I used to do. Then it hit me: I am reading, just in a different way. And I'm learning, from all of these great writers with multi-varied newsletters, including yours (which I love, btw). Perhaps I need to accept that my 'reading' has developed into more than just picking up a book, rather than wishing for a bygone era when that was all I had access to.
I sometimes feel like you are writing from the other side of whatever issue I'm contemplating. At a time when I struggle with my decision to "stay" in a professional career, it's comforting to read your perspective of what it's like to have left. The closet of relic boots ...! There's no perfect answer, only choices. And thank you for these reading recs- I appreciate being included alongside such interesting pieces from writers I hadn't yet known.
I think for me, age and industry comes into play here—which might be a different situation for you? Or not?? The longer I stay out of my profession, the harder it feels like I could return in the same capacity as when I left. It's still a tough market out there for tech/design in general (probably another newsletter content in there 😂) but that is also, in small part, fueling this.
Totally, and I did not mean to make a false comparison. I think the undercurrent is relatable--whenever I think about leaving law, I'm not sure I would (want to? be able to?) go back.
Oh yeah, I wasn't thinking you were making a false comparison. Reality is that this is probably true of other professions, and I'm curious about this. For my field, specifically, tech moves so fast that it's easy to feel like you're behind software, trends, etc. Ha! regardless of the title of this newsletter!
I can’t believe how much I can relate. Between Sept 2022 and Sept 2023: I lost my dear father, lost out on a promotion everyone said was a lock, my only child left for school. Oh, and my dog died. I keep my boots, too. I only wear Gazelles, Docs, and Birkenstock. It is 1993 forever. And I think I’m ok with it. I took 7 months off to breathe. I didn’t even get to the point of regular exercise or writing like you do. You’re kinda my hero. Thanks for putting it out there.
That is a lot! I am sorry for your multiple losses and hope that you are taking good care of yourself. I keep thinking my dad died a year ago, but it's been more than 2 now. Time is so strange. And yes on the Birks. I wore them in the 90s and resisted them until last year because they reminded me *too* much of a specific time.
I've been moving every two years on average over the last decade while I've lived in the U.S. Every time I moved, I had to part away with things that hold a lot of emotional weight. It never gets easy. One thing I forgot to do was to take photos of them before I gave them away so that I could look back at the photos, at least, to comb through the memories I had with them.
Thank you so much for the mention - I am so flattered!
It’s hard for sentimental people like us (I’m assuming you’re sentimental based on this comment, but please correct me if I’m wrong) to let go of things that hold memories. I’ve been holding off on writing about this very thing partly because I’m learning how to let go of material things too.
Gosh I really really loved reading this. For so many reasons. I love that you've kept the old relics in the closet, sort of time capsule pieces. Plus, I bet you another season of change will happen after you're finally post-burnout and maybe you'll try on old shoes for your new "self". I've had a few burnouts and after my last major one, I have made a promise to myself to actively always see what I can do to have less inputs. It's little things that matter. Leaving my phone at home when I walk the dogs. Opting to just eat and do just that -- no phone, no eating at my desk. They all make a difference. I hope you find more peace soon! P.S. I find it a shame that I have only been able to heal from burnout because I come from a place of extreme privilege - my partner makes a solid income for me to explore and rest and create without having to bring in a 2nd income. Others don't have that choice and I acknowledge it's a much harder feat.
I like the idea and visual of putting my old shoes on my new self. And yes, it is the little things that matter. These are the things that are attainable, which is really important to sustain us.
I don't think you should feel any shame about this privilege, but being able to acknowledge it keeps us grounded. I enjoy privilege in many other ways; this, however, has never been one of them. Being the breadwinner brings on this heightened sense of risk, it is true. Trying not to think about that right now. 😬
I don't really know yet! I mean, I am just making videos mostly for posterity, I think, and to document my trip. Editing video is a lot of work but I do enjoy it. Not sure if I would if I was doing this much more frequently though. Content creation burnout is real, as you know!
that's why I was curious! I know editing is so time consuming, especially the quality of work you're doing. at least with my podcast, its one long interview and sound is what we mostly edit. but something stitched together beautifully like yours is another beast.
Thank you for this reminder of how our choices are never straight forward; we can want to slow down, yet feel we are stuck at the same time. Thank you also for the mention :)
🥰 I am enjoying the discourse you bring to the table between 20th century writers and our own lives today, particularly since I am failing at my quest to read more books at the moment. 😬
Thank you! I find that I am consuming so much (mostly quality) content online atm, so getting back to the books can feel like a challenge!
Exactly!! But there's so much good writing—here on Substack too—that I have to remind myself that I am, in fact, reading!
I know what you mean!! I keep making 'notes' of how I 'must read more', like I used to do. Then it hit me: I am reading, just in a different way. And I'm learning, from all of these great writers with multi-varied newsletters, including yours (which I love, btw). Perhaps I need to accept that my 'reading' has developed into more than just picking up a book, rather than wishing for a bygone era when that was all I had access to.
💯
I sometimes feel like you are writing from the other side of whatever issue I'm contemplating. At a time when I struggle with my decision to "stay" in a professional career, it's comforting to read your perspective of what it's like to have left. The closet of relic boots ...! There's no perfect answer, only choices. And thank you for these reading recs- I appreciate being included alongside such interesting pieces from writers I hadn't yet known.
I think for me, age and industry comes into play here—which might be a different situation for you? Or not?? The longer I stay out of my profession, the harder it feels like I could return in the same capacity as when I left. It's still a tough market out there for tech/design in general (probably another newsletter content in there 😂) but that is also, in small part, fueling this.
Totally, and I did not mean to make a false comparison. I think the undercurrent is relatable--whenever I think about leaving law, I'm not sure I would (want to? be able to?) go back.
Oh yeah, I wasn't thinking you were making a false comparison. Reality is that this is probably true of other professions, and I'm curious about this. For my field, specifically, tech moves so fast that it's easy to feel like you're behind software, trends, etc. Ha! regardless of the title of this newsletter!
Maybe you are manifesting a different way :)
I can’t believe how much I can relate. Between Sept 2022 and Sept 2023: I lost my dear father, lost out on a promotion everyone said was a lock, my only child left for school. Oh, and my dog died. I keep my boots, too. I only wear Gazelles, Docs, and Birkenstock. It is 1993 forever. And I think I’m ok with it. I took 7 months off to breathe. I didn’t even get to the point of regular exercise or writing like you do. You’re kinda my hero. Thanks for putting it out there.
That is a lot! I am sorry for your multiple losses and hope that you are taking good care of yourself. I keep thinking my dad died a year ago, but it's been more than 2 now. Time is so strange. And yes on the Birks. I wore them in the 90s and resisted them until last year because they reminded me *too* much of a specific time.
I've been moving every two years on average over the last decade while I've lived in the U.S. Every time I moved, I had to part away with things that hold a lot of emotional weight. It never gets easy. One thing I forgot to do was to take photos of them before I gave them away so that I could look back at the photos, at least, to comb through the memories I had with them.
Thank you so much for the mention - I am so flattered!
It’s hard for sentimental people like us (I’m assuming you’re sentimental based on this comment, but please correct me if I’m wrong) to let go of things that hold memories. I’ve been holding off on writing about this very thing partly because I’m learning how to let go of material things too.
Gosh I really really loved reading this. For so many reasons. I love that you've kept the old relics in the closet, sort of time capsule pieces. Plus, I bet you another season of change will happen after you're finally post-burnout and maybe you'll try on old shoes for your new "self". I've had a few burnouts and after my last major one, I have made a promise to myself to actively always see what I can do to have less inputs. It's little things that matter. Leaving my phone at home when I walk the dogs. Opting to just eat and do just that -- no phone, no eating at my desk. They all make a difference. I hope you find more peace soon! P.S. I find it a shame that I have only been able to heal from burnout because I come from a place of extreme privilege - my partner makes a solid income for me to explore and rest and create without having to bring in a 2nd income. Others don't have that choice and I acknowledge it's a much harder feat.
I like the idea and visual of putting my old shoes on my new self. And yes, it is the little things that matter. These are the things that are attainable, which is really important to sustain us.
I don't think you should feel any shame about this privilege, but being able to acknowledge it keeps us grounded. I enjoy privilege in many other ways; this, however, has never been one of them. Being the breadwinner brings on this heightened sense of risk, it is true. Trying not to think about that right now. 😬
I’ve been wondering and maybe I missed it from my month long substack break... how does YouTube feel during this phase of your burnout recovery?
I don't really know yet! I mean, I am just making videos mostly for posterity, I think, and to document my trip. Editing video is a lot of work but I do enjoy it. Not sure if I would if I was doing this much more frequently though. Content creation burnout is real, as you know!
that's why I was curious! I know editing is so time consuming, especially the quality of work you're doing. at least with my podcast, its one long interview and sound is what we mostly edit. but something stitched together beautifully like yours is another beast.
That is so really nice of you to say! Sometimes it feels like we just put stuff out into the void lol.
Beautifully said, and deeply relatable.
Thank you, Minna.