A month of coasting… that was June with my word.
But I don’t think that is a bad thing. This month, I read a book that I have not stopped thinking about since I finished it. I am thinking about it when I wake, I am thinking about it as I go through my day, and I am thinking about it as the day draws to a close. The book… Jenny Odell’s How to do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. As I said in my review, it really is not about doing nothing… at all.
Two quotes from Jenny Odell have stayed with me since I read them. They are quotes that pack a huge punch and they are the things I have been thinking about:
Our very idea of productivity is premised on the idea of producing something new, whereas we do not tend to see maintenance and care as productive in the same way.
and
When overstimulation has become a fact of life, I suggest that we reimagine #FOMO as #NOMO, the necessity of missing out, or if that bothers you, #NOSMO, the necessity of sometimes missing out.
For me… a person seeing an authentic path where I can be authentic to myself these quotes stopped me in my tracks. To me they are very much tied together… you cannot have one without the other.
Great reminders to me that maintenance and care are as important as seeking that “next new thing.” And for myself… that reminder moved several things off my list entirely… and that felt like a huge weight lifted from me which leads me to the Ali Edwards prompt for this month. It encouraged us to collect our thoughts around an “In Progress” list of questions. I did some thinking about where I feel like I am with being authentic thus far this year and two words just jumped off the page for me:
eye-opening and freeing
and that very much brings me back to those brilliant quotes from my new bestie, Jenny Odell. It is a very good place to be.
I would like to thank Carolyn for gathering us all together… even on the coasting days with our word!
(and in this vein of doing some maintenance and self care, I am taking a bit of a #NOMO break from blogging but I will be back soon!)
I don’t think I would say you are coasting Kat. And gosh! I love both those quotes! Enjoy your break!
I might need to read that book! I worry about how I spend my time, that I’m not producing something, spending it wisely, working on something productive, etc. Oftentimes reading and knitting can feel I’m “wasting” time. But the powerful quotes that you’ve shared are indeed eye-opening and provide plenty to think about. Here’s to care, maintenance, and NOMO!
That sounds like a great book and I’m glad it helped you put some things in perspective. Enjoy your blog break – it’s all the rage right now!
Profound and wise. very well put.
Something here feels like when you’re working to improve the soil in the garden…and you might use screening to shake out and separate rocks, debris, and other whatnot you don’t need in your soil. Something here feels like a shaking out in that kind of way, and I’m not sure anything could be quite more authentic than that?
Enjoy that break away. ♥
I can’t think of any way to be more authentic to yourself than taking the time you need to be with yourself. Enjoy your break!
I think “coasting” is a great thing to DO . . . on the regular, for sure. But especially when you are living with the word “authentic.” Because, really, how can we do anything “real” or authentic without some time for “coasting???” (My word this year is a real “coasting” kind of word . . . and I love that about it.) XO
being authentic to ourselves is the hardest and when I am I am challenged to let that shine before others. The older I get the more reflective I am on life and it’s meaning and gaining the fullness of each wonderful day. Lovely photo of you!!