How do I replenish my energy?
December #4. Minimalistic: Happinesses, resources.
Happiness of the week
School holidays.
Starting a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle with people. The perfect amount of stimulation to keep my brain from going in 10 different directions while I listen and talk. So comfortable.
The days getting longer again. I swear the sun already hits different when it comes out. ALSO, one of my oldest friends is a physicist and he tells me physicists agree with me that winter starts on the day of the solstice. Isn’t it curious that I’ve come to the same conclusions about the world, but through witchcraft instead of physics?
Egusi soup. Tried it for the first time a few weeks ago and now the resident Nigerian in my life taught me how to make it. I’m obsessed. My body loves it and I crave it. It’s magical.
Here’s a list of media about burnout, not burning out, recovering from burnout:
my growing collection on TikTok. Many of the creators in this collection also publish in other places, some of those other places I’m linking below
this substack about creativity and art
Melissa, who I follow on TikTok. Taught me a great way to safely release the massive surge of rage, aggression and raw power that comes up for me when something triggers my fight response. It’s rare nowadays but being able to release it is such a sweet relief after living through many a trigger without knowing where to take it.
Anyone who teaches about nutrition in a way that makes sense to you. If it’s not doable, if you don’t understand it, if it doesn’t fit your life, that’s not nutritious.
This is where I learned about foam rolling, which helps me take the stress out of my body. (scroll to the bottom of the page to get to Maggie’s Insta, Tiktok and Youtube)
Emily and Amelia Nagoski: Burnout. Solve your stress cycle. 2020
Katherine May: Wintering. A friend from The Communities sent this to me last week and it’s very on point!
Some of the people I’ve linked here.
And here’s an incomplete list of things to DO that are restful and restorative to me, and might be for others as well. I’m learning that this is different from things that give me energy (more than I’m putting in), but there is overlap.
puzzles apparently!
anything creative: collage, colouring books, sewing…
decorating. myself, my altar, my room, my things…
prayer (always), meditation (usually)
taking care of plants, especially on the balcony/outside
stretching, gentle gymnastics, foam rolling
sometimes a walk, but I’m no great walker and I get carried away in the beginning and the walk back exhausts me if I’m unlucky
sex with others
going offline for a while: no text messages, no social media, no news.
seeing and speaking to close friends
I feel like I could keep writing The Burnout Series but I want something more comprehensive for January. Given the current cultural norms about the start of the year, I’m planning on writing about goals. It’s been on my mind lately too. However, for all of winter, i.e. until the spring equinox, rest is going to be my priority and the lense through which I view my topics. Anything I do I have to reconcile with my need for rest.
See you next week and Guten Rutsch!
Leonie