What are yours?
If any of the themes below resonate with you, I’d love to hear from you.
with love ✨, CATHERINE
Observations on moving, breathing and being. These are mine.
I’ve been writing them down since 2020.
I took a long pause. I’m back now.
On rejection
The job search is hard. For anyone in it, you know it’s not for the faint of heart. It toys with our emotions. Some weeks are high, some weeks are low. Last week? A low for me. I had two opportunities out there that were good in and of themselves. As someone underemployed yet again, I had built them up to be great—end all, be all great.
And then rejection came.
On balance
Our bodies are very smart. They’ll spotlight A LOT for us if we just accept the invitation to look inwards and observe.
Are we (or are we not) sleeping well?
Are we eating more (or less) than we normally might?
Are we getting headaches more frequently than before?
A reflection on wilting
I came home from Vermont late Saturday night to find the flowers in my flower box underneath my front window severely wilted. At first, I cried foul—poison! Someone poisoned my flowers! Now, I wonder if they weren’t a sacrificial death—perhaps a symbol of the year up ‘til now, a foreshadow of what was still to come, a snapshot of my current state so I might investigate further the need for better healing options.
Flowers need nuanced care in order to thrive. Their caregiver must properly tend to their needs, appreciating how much sun is appropriate, how much water is required. The caretaker must observe the flowers with compassion, intellect and patience. They must be willing to remove any weeds that otherwise might stop the flowers’ growth, or to transplant them if they’ve outgrown their containers. The caretaker must provide enough nourishment for strong roots to develop and for the flowers to weather any storm.
We, too, need nuanced care in order to thrive…
A reflection on the importance of the hug
Virginia Satir, often referred to as the pioneer of family therapy, highlighted the importance of physical touch overall—and specifically hugs—when she equated modes of life (survival, maintenance, growth) with the number of hugs received per day (4, 8, 12).
The need for touch is real. It is a significant part of the human experience, connecting us to self and to others. Without it, we can feel deprived, even starved, for physical contact with another.
A reflection on overwhelm
Most people who know me would likely describe me as a highly motivated person. I would tend to agree. I have a lot of drive that, when channelled appropriately, can propel me into action, and, when not, can stop me in my tracks.
At times, it can seemingly do both…
A reflection on the power of a mantra or the breath
I apologize for sending this note so late in the afternoon. I experienced a few minor distractions this morning as I was leaving Harrisonburg (VA) after a mini two-day, self-care retreat. Having lost power unexpectedly at my Airbnb, I then experienced connectivity issues at the local coffee shop. As I felt my nemesis, Stress, start to invite herself inside, I looked up and saw the sandwich board outside the cafe.
On one side, it read:
In the midst of the chaos lies opportunity.
On the other side:
Your worth is not measured by your productivity.
