I've fallen off the meditation wagon, too - but the time in the first few minutes of writers' hour sounds perfect. Then to continue with morning pages sounds *chef's kiss*. Loved reading this as always, you have such a lovely way with words and fabulous way of articulating yourself ❤️✨
1. Morning pages at 5 am *are* meditation, so you’re covered
2. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a meeting, even informal, at the festival. Ask info desk. Go!
3. Kid hero: Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy. Yeah, they’re fictional but whatever. Adult hero: I have said this before, but lately, YOU. Thanks for inspiring me to be more seen, launch a substack and get over myself.
Amie I love you so much. Thank you for reading, thank you for always being there with the best advice and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words. I don't feel worthy *read in Wayne and Garth voice* but I am beyond grateful for you xo
Loved your newsletter as always! I recently did an exercise where I wrote down 4 well-known people I admired. I realised that three out of four of them don't use social media and it became clear that that is why I like them so much because what they have to say always feels so fresh and uninfluenced by social narratives from those spaces (they are Zadie Smith, Phoebe Waller Bridge, Michaela Coel). Also re meditation- my sister suggests making a dedicated space for the meditation that is always set up, if you can. It can be anything from an elaborate altar to simply a pillow and a candle in a corner. Having the space ready makes for one less thing to think about allowing you to more easily drop into that space. Also, I love the idea of meditating for ten minutes at the beginning of Writers' Hour.
I love all of this Susannah, thank you for sharing! Your list of people you admire are excellent choices. Also, I have been revaluating my relationship with social media for what seems like forever but it is on my mind a lot lately and this really struck me. You're so so right. xoxo
1) Make a promise to yourself that you will meditate, but keep the amount of time open-ended. Some mornings I meditate for 15 minutes, some I meditate for 5. It allows flexibility so you don't feel too much pressure on mornings where you may already be in a hurry or perhaps just don't have a full 10-20 minute session in you.
2) When I can/want to, I try and squeeze in an extra session before going to sleep at night. Just laying in bed, meditative music playing in my earbuds. Sometimes this is the only session of the day, sometimes it's the 2nd. Either way, there is less pressure for time since you're already laying there!
Loved this post and also the super practical packing advice!!! Childhood heroes: Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect. Teenage heroes: the two poets who taught literature and creative writing at my high school, who taught me how to think critically and write from the heart <3
Sean thank you so much for sharing these role models! I love your teenage heroes, how bloody wonderful. Actually when I was writing this volume trying to think of role models, I was also brought back to your post "When is the first time you met someone like you?", and it made me all the more excited for the next volume 🧡
I’d venture out to say this was not a “thing” where and when I grew up. I don’t think I had any heroes growing up. This perfectly suits me.
Meditation 🧘🏿♀️
You could meditate as you make your tea, depending on how involved you need to be. I often spend the first 10 minutes of writers hour in meditation if I haven’t already done so before. I use an app so I start playing a guided meditation and sit with it even if I fidget. 😚
Thank you! 🧡 I am so grateful for everyone sharing their thoughts, some clearly remember their heroes and others do not and it makes me feel so lucky for you all commenting. I am glad you are on the same page, it makes me feel more peaceful.
Also, yay, WH mediation it is! As always, thankful for your words 🧡
I don't know who my childhood heros were. As a teenager I had crushes both in real life and celebrities. I guess my heros were the characters in the books I obsessively read.
You do you. I love you as you are.
BTW Meditation at the beginning of writer's hour sounds great. Better than diving right in to words.
I love you too, Cathy. Thank you so very much or sharing this 🧡 I didn't even *think* about books, and now my mind is in overdrive remembering. Of COURSE there were the books, what a way to escape and pretend I was a part of their world. Then I would go and write my own stories and put myself in another world again.
Chances are I won't find time (because I never do) for the witty and erudite comment that will show how deeply I read and enjoyed your newsletter, so I'm trying to get into the habit of just responding straight away to stuff I like, just so that their creators know at least that, if nothing else.
This made me tear up, Ant. I couldn't be more thankful for you being here and I am grateful for you sharing this. I relate and will take this and run with it when reading other newsletters, because I feel that so very much 🧡
I've fallen off the meditation wagon, too - but the time in the first few minutes of writers' hour sounds perfect. Then to continue with morning pages sounds *chef's kiss*. Loved reading this as always, you have such a lovely way with words and fabulous way of articulating yourself ❤️✨
I am so going to start doing it during WH. I am thrilled about it, I think it will be a really lovely practice.
Thank you so so much for your lovely feedback. This volume felt very rigid to me, so I am even more glad to read that this week ✨
1. Morning pages at 5 am *are* meditation, so you’re covered
2. I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a meeting, even informal, at the festival. Ask info desk. Go!
3. Kid hero: Nancy Drew and Harriet the Spy. Yeah, they’re fictional but whatever. Adult hero: I have said this before, but lately, YOU. Thanks for inspiring me to be more seen, launch a substack and get over myself.
Amie I love you so much. Thank you for reading, thank you for always being there with the best advice and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kind words. I don't feel worthy *read in Wayne and Garth voice* but I am beyond grateful for you xo
Loved your newsletter as always! I recently did an exercise where I wrote down 4 well-known people I admired. I realised that three out of four of them don't use social media and it became clear that that is why I like them so much because what they have to say always feels so fresh and uninfluenced by social narratives from those spaces (they are Zadie Smith, Phoebe Waller Bridge, Michaela Coel). Also re meditation- my sister suggests making a dedicated space for the meditation that is always set up, if you can. It can be anything from an elaborate altar to simply a pillow and a candle in a corner. Having the space ready makes for one less thing to think about allowing you to more easily drop into that space. Also, I love the idea of meditating for ten minutes at the beginning of Writers' Hour.
I love all of this Susannah, thank you for sharing! Your list of people you admire are excellent choices. Also, I have been revaluating my relationship with social media for what seems like forever but it is on my mind a lot lately and this really struck me. You're so so right. xoxo
My hottest tips for meditation are:
1) Make a promise to yourself that you will meditate, but keep the amount of time open-ended. Some mornings I meditate for 15 minutes, some I meditate for 5. It allows flexibility so you don't feel too much pressure on mornings where you may already be in a hurry or perhaps just don't have a full 10-20 minute session in you.
2) When I can/want to, I try and squeeze in an extra session before going to sleep at night. Just laying in bed, meditative music playing in my earbuds. Sometimes this is the only session of the day, sometimes it's the 2nd. Either way, there is less pressure for time since you're already laying there!
Love you babe xoxo
Love this, it is so important to be gentle with myself especially when it comes to meditating. Thank you so much 🧡
Loved this post and also the super practical packing advice!!! Childhood heroes: Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect. Teenage heroes: the two poets who taught literature and creative writing at my high school, who taught me how to think critically and write from the heart <3
Sean thank you so much for sharing these role models! I love your teenage heroes, how bloody wonderful. Actually when I was writing this volume trying to think of role models, I was also brought back to your post "When is the first time you met someone like you?", and it made me all the more excited for the next volume 🧡
I’d venture out to say this was not a “thing” where and when I grew up. I don’t think I had any heroes growing up. This perfectly suits me.
Meditation 🧘🏿♀️
You could meditate as you make your tea, depending on how involved you need to be. I often spend the first 10 minutes of writers hour in meditation if I haven’t already done so before. I use an app so I start playing a guided meditation and sit with it even if I fidget. 😚
Thank you! 🧡 I am so grateful for everyone sharing their thoughts, some clearly remember their heroes and others do not and it makes me feel so lucky for you all commenting. I am glad you are on the same page, it makes me feel more peaceful.
Also, yay, WH mediation it is! As always, thankful for your words 🧡
I don't know who my childhood heros were. As a teenager I had crushes both in real life and celebrities. I guess my heros were the characters in the books I obsessively read.
You do you. I love you as you are.
BTW Meditation at the beginning of writer's hour sounds great. Better than diving right in to words.
I love you too, Cathy. Thank you so very much or sharing this 🧡 I didn't even *think* about books, and now my mind is in overdrive remembering. Of COURSE there were the books, what a way to escape and pretend I was a part of their world. Then I would go and write my own stories and put myself in another world again.
See you in mediation/writing hours soon 🧡🧡
Chances are I won't find time (because I never do) for the witty and erudite comment that will show how deeply I read and enjoyed your newsletter, so I'm trying to get into the habit of just responding straight away to stuff I like, just so that their creators know at least that, if nothing else.
This is me doing that.
This made me tear up, Ant. I couldn't be more thankful for you being here and I am grateful for you sharing this. I relate and will take this and run with it when reading other newsletters, because I feel that so very much 🧡