Your drawings are so lovely, and this really resonated with me: being fed up with fractured energy/attention, wanting, deeply, to focus deeply on just one thing: art making. I do think my happiest years are ahead of me in that respect, though i know they will be burdened in others. Thanks for great reading recs, too.
If the election goes smoothly and the way the sane people want it to, I feel like a great weight will be lifted and by Spring, we might collectively all have some energy again. 🤞🏼
I feel this on a soul level. Years and years ago, I was eavesdropping on a conversation in my local coffee shop. The woman, a yoga teacher, was mentoring another woman, who I guess, was starting to teach yoga herself? Anyway, here's what she said:
"I found that for many of my students, you have to exhaust them before they can relax into the deeper poses."
And at the time I'm sure I rolled my eyes, at least slightly. The whole scene was all a little too cliché. But I've thought about that little snippet for, like, a full decade now. And I know why it's been so sticky: I am that type of student. Gah!
So, I'm here for the era of the multi-hyphenate coming to a close. And, in this time of fast-chain-franchise-media consumption, art is essential. At least for many of us. Thank you for making it and sharing it with us. xo
Thanks for sharing that story, Jen. I get what that teacher is saying and it sounds like you do too! At this point in time and age, I am tired! As I said above, it feels like a luxury to be able to focus on a singular thing. We're so used to hustling and putting out dumpster fires. And I don't know, maybe that is what retirement is—never really thought about it in that way before. It's not just leaving a career, but it's all the juggling of life that comes with it.
Jenna, your writing about art, identify and transition touches me deeply. You bring such careful attention and honesty to wrestling with these questions, while crafting something so beautiful in the process. And your drawings are lovely. Seeing them arranged like like feels like glimpses into quiet moments of attention and presence.
This is so interesting bc I’m looking at my next phase as being able to do multiple things, but not having to do them all at once in the same job. So I might have an editing project, a design project, a marketing project, a writing project. While I’m feeling the exhaustion of doing all the things, I also don’t want to commit to only one thing, but I want to be able to set the boundaries around the who/what/when. I’m hoping this lets me embrace both sides of that equation.
Amy, in a way, it's great. Keeps us learning new skills, engaged, and we get to do lots of things that are enjoyable. I think like many situations, there's a level of burnout that happens and I'm admitting that my mind isn't as sharp as it once was. It was easy to shift gears and bounce from project to client to skills. It's with humility that I say that it's gotten a lot harder now.
I can SO relate to this! Years ago, I was introduced to author, Barbara Sher and coined myself a "scanner" (a.k.a. multi-hyphenate). I had just come to accept myself as such until I hit 50, when deeply-engaging life changes occurred. Fast forward a couple of years and I'm SO done with fractured attention types of endeavors that they meet me with irritation. Time, I say, is my greatest commodity, at the moment, and it's so elusive and so coveted. I am grateful for this post!
I've never heard the term scanner before! Interesting. Yeah, there's some magic that happens when you hit 50. Priorities change, your body and mind tell you things you pushed away for years. But then...we start to listen. It's interesting how that works because it's often so critical to our health. Thanks for reading and commenting here, Juliette.
That reminded me of a lot of small shops you see in NYC that are tailors but also interior designers and dry cleaners and stop by in the morning you can get a buttered roll and scoot around back, we’ll adjust those brakes on your bike! Want a coffee while you wait?! Nothing free, but a little here, a little there….
I was involved in a blogging group many, many years ago where we would pick a topic and everyone would write whatever they wanted around that one topic and it got posted on a single day, I think Tuesday because that’s the lowest newspaper circulation day (facts I can’t shake… newsprint imprints deep) We read each others’ posts and it was a nice club for a while…
That’s an interesting way to get to writing. A prompt is always good. Sometimes (often) Monday rolls around and I have no idea what I’ll be writing about for the week.
In terms of wanting to be everything all the time all at once, it literally has been only this year where I stopped thinking wanting that. Now I’m just too tired. But I do need to shut off most of social media (mostly LinkedIn and IG) to prevent that self doubt and FOMO from creeping in. Notes here kinda triggers it to some degree which is why I’m not super active there. I think these are all good changes.
So much to chew over here, and many challenges for sure. 🫂
I'm thankful that you've inspired me today to create and connect with others in a dynamic artistic fashion. That said, my inspiration may include things that you're actively moving away from, after having read this. But please do know that your offerings have been an inspirational springboard for me.
I wish you calm, a focus on all that helps bring you joy, and for all your needs to be met as you work with this. 💚
What I love about Substack wandering is coming across writers, artists and pieces like this. Jenna, this resonated on an unnerving and yet strangely comforting level. I hear you, and it makes me reiterate my favourite quote (which may or may not be attributed to George Eliot) -‘It is never too late to be what you might have been.’
I feel like I'm at a stage where I'm still trying to develop a multi-hyphenate identity, so that my sense of self is not tied to my job, like by writing on Substack. If my job goes away tomorrow, I'd still have an identity, something that I do consistently that shows who I am.
I totally understand that! And I think that it’s important to do because of how unpredictable the job situation is. We’re at different life stages, obviously, but I did just that for years and I do think part of why—aside from the fact that I have a lot of interested and wanted to pursue them—is also fear. Wanting to stay relevant, wanting to have “back ups” just in case. There is so much driving us when we are worried about our careers.
xo
Your drawings are so lovely, and this really resonated with me: being fed up with fractured energy/attention, wanting, deeply, to focus deeply on just one thing: art making. I do think my happiest years are ahead of me in that respect, though i know they will be burdened in others. Thanks for great reading recs, too.
Thank you Susannah. We are all just TIRED. Fractured energy is a good way to put it. Focusing on a singular thing feels like a luxury.
it really does!
If the election goes smoothly and the way the sane people want it to, I feel like a great weight will be lifted and by Spring, we might collectively all have some energy again. 🤞🏼
The anxiety of the election certainly isn't helping. Let us remind ourselves who we are dealing with here. We can only hope that it will go smoothly.
Let's hope!!!
I feel this on a soul level. Years and years ago, I was eavesdropping on a conversation in my local coffee shop. The woman, a yoga teacher, was mentoring another woman, who I guess, was starting to teach yoga herself? Anyway, here's what she said:
"I found that for many of my students, you have to exhaust them before they can relax into the deeper poses."
And at the time I'm sure I rolled my eyes, at least slightly. The whole scene was all a little too cliché. But I've thought about that little snippet for, like, a full decade now. And I know why it's been so sticky: I am that type of student. Gah!
So, I'm here for the era of the multi-hyphenate coming to a close. And, in this time of fast-chain-franchise-media consumption, art is essential. At least for many of us. Thank you for making it and sharing it with us. xo
Thanks for sharing that story, Jen. I get what that teacher is saying and it sounds like you do too! At this point in time and age, I am tired! As I said above, it feels like a luxury to be able to focus on a singular thing. We're so used to hustling and putting out dumpster fires. And I don't know, maybe that is what retirement is—never really thought about it in that way before. It's not just leaving a career, but it's all the juggling of life that comes with it.
Thank you for articulating something I have been feeling a lot recently (except I can't blame my brain fog on menopause, ha!)
Brain fog is brain fog!
Thanks for sharing your journey. It resonates and helps clarify my own path.
Thank you so much, Courtney.
I love your drawings Jenna, keep going!
Thank you, Nora 🫶
Beautiful writing and drawings. Thank you for sharing your journey.
Thank you so much, Amy 🫶
Jenna, your writing about art, identify and transition touches me deeply. You bring such careful attention and honesty to wrestling with these questions, while crafting something so beautiful in the process. And your drawings are lovely. Seeing them arranged like like feels like glimpses into quiet moments of attention and presence.
Angie, thank you. That means so much
This is so interesting bc I’m looking at my next phase as being able to do multiple things, but not having to do them all at once in the same job. So I might have an editing project, a design project, a marketing project, a writing project. While I’m feeling the exhaustion of doing all the things, I also don’t want to commit to only one thing, but I want to be able to set the boundaries around the who/what/when. I’m hoping this lets me embrace both sides of that equation.
Amy, in a way, it's great. Keeps us learning new skills, engaged, and we get to do lots of things that are enjoyable. I think like many situations, there's a level of burnout that happens and I'm admitting that my mind isn't as sharp as it once was. It was easy to shift gears and bounce from project to client to skills. It's with humility that I say that it's gotten a lot harder now.
"But at some point, I decided that art to me was too personal to be transactional." I can soooooo relate to this!
I bet you can! 🫶
I can SO relate to this! Years ago, I was introduced to author, Barbara Sher and coined myself a "scanner" (a.k.a. multi-hyphenate). I had just come to accept myself as such until I hit 50, when deeply-engaging life changes occurred. Fast forward a couple of years and I'm SO done with fractured attention types of endeavors that they meet me with irritation. Time, I say, is my greatest commodity, at the moment, and it's so elusive and so coveted. I am grateful for this post!
I've never heard the term scanner before! Interesting. Yeah, there's some magic that happens when you hit 50. Priorities change, your body and mind tell you things you pushed away for years. But then...we start to listen. It's interesting how that works because it's often so critical to our health. Thanks for reading and commenting here, Juliette.
That reminded me of a lot of small shops you see in NYC that are tailors but also interior designers and dry cleaners and stop by in the morning you can get a buttered roll and scoot around back, we’ll adjust those brakes on your bike! Want a coffee while you wait?! Nothing free, but a little here, a little there….
I was involved in a blogging group many, many years ago where we would pick a topic and everyone would write whatever they wanted around that one topic and it got posted on a single day, I think Tuesday because that’s the lowest newspaper circulation day (facts I can’t shake… newsprint imprints deep) We read each others’ posts and it was a nice club for a while…
ANYWAY, no obligation to read… just finding it because Medium is next to impossible to search. https://medium.com/monkey-with-a-loaded-typewriter/im-a-joker-i-m-a-smoker-i-m-a-midnight-toker-e1a52ebae7c3
Also working on a post for Tarnished Pennies that you influenced… still gotta gel… I’m a very slow writer and I hate that about me… 🤷♂️
I’m also a slow writer! These weekly newsletter are kinda painful sometimes 😵💫
That’s an interesting way to get to writing. A prompt is always good. Sometimes (often) Monday rolls around and I have no idea what I’ll be writing about for the week.
In terms of wanting to be everything all the time all at once, it literally has been only this year where I stopped thinking wanting that. Now I’m just too tired. But I do need to shut off most of social media (mostly LinkedIn and IG) to prevent that self doubt and FOMO from creeping in. Notes here kinda triggers it to some degree which is why I’m not super active there. I think these are all good changes.
So much to chew over here, and many challenges for sure. 🫂
I'm thankful that you've inspired me today to create and connect with others in a dynamic artistic fashion. That said, my inspiration may include things that you're actively moving away from, after having read this. But please do know that your offerings have been an inspirational springboard for me.
I wish you calm, a focus on all that helps bring you joy, and for all your needs to be met as you work with this. 💚
What a lovely message Martin! And here's to your creativity!
What I love about Substack wandering is coming across writers, artists and pieces like this. Jenna, this resonated on an unnerving and yet strangely comforting level. I hear you, and it makes me reiterate my favourite quote (which may or may not be attributed to George Eliot) -‘It is never too late to be what you might have been.’
It's a great quote, Mark. Thanks for reminding me of it, and so glad to make your acquaintance here ☺️
Great to Substack meet too, and look forward to reading more!
I feel like I'm at a stage where I'm still trying to develop a multi-hyphenate identity, so that my sense of self is not tied to my job, like by writing on Substack. If my job goes away tomorrow, I'd still have an identity, something that I do consistently that shows who I am.
I totally understand that! And I think that it’s important to do because of how unpredictable the job situation is. We’re at different life stages, obviously, but I did just that for years and I do think part of why—aside from the fact that I have a lot of interested and wanted to pursue them—is also fear. Wanting to stay relevant, wanting to have “back ups” just in case. There is so much driving us when we are worried about our careers.