Hello friends,
Have you ever found yourself so overwhelmed by to-do lists, plans, and endless decisions that your mind feels like it’s spinning in circles? The more you try to control it, the more chaotic it becomes.
Yesterday, I hit that wall myself—caught in the exhausting cycle of “figuring things out.” I bounced from one project to the next, and as a multi-passionate creative, I assure you, there are more than a few on the side of my desk.
I was determined to work on my Substack renovations—new design, fresh colors, updated sayings, and images for the About & Welcome pages. Frustration set in when things didn’t flow the way I had planned. I quickly realized that the creative spark just wasn’t there.
In need of a break, I called my daughter to offer my granddaughter Ellie a ride to school. It turned out to be a win-win for both of us—a break from her long bus ride, a pause from my desk, and a moment of connection.
I’ve been learning how to connect with my grandchildren as they become teenagers, and I’ve realized that you really need to meet them where they are. During the ride, we talked about Ellie’s upcoming Grade 9 graduation. At a traffic light, she shared pictures of dresses she was considering and plans to paint her finger nails.
We laughed over a funny story. I shared with Ellie that as a child her mom used to call bananas “ninl ninl ninl”. In disbelief Ellie said, “I’m going to ask her about it later.” I encouraged her to call her mom right then and there. So, Ellie did—and the conversation went like this:
“Mom, will you make ninl ninl ninl cake today?”
To which my daughter responded, “I’m not sure I have enough bananas.”
We both burst into laughter. It was such a simple, joy-filled moment.
As the ride continued, Ellie settled into her music, and suddenly, ideas started flooding my mind—just like magic. Thoughts of what I wanted to share on my Substack pages began flowing from my heart to my voice recorder.
Life’s Gentle Teaching
The answers you seek are often already within you—waiting for the right moment of stillness to reveal themselves. By stepping away, even for just a moment, we create the space for our hearts to speak.
This experience reminded me of a simple truth: when we step out of our heads and into our hearts, we tap into a deeper well of wisdom. Inspiration often flows effortlessly when we release control and shift our focus.
Next time you feel overwhelmed or stuck, try stepping away from the noise. Take a drive down an open road. Even better, invite a friend to join you. You might find that bouncing ideas off one another lifts the weight of the world.
Until next time, enjoy your day!
I love this! I have found, in order to do my best writing, I cannot focus on the writing itself. By enriching myself through life's wonders - crafts with my son, a walk outside, exercising, reading - writing flows seamlessly.
Yes!! Human connections are so important! And I believe as you said, when we step out of our heads and into our hearts that’s when the magic happens!