Thank you Mar. I read this slowly, now I’m putting my phone down, grabbing my swimming bag and heading to the pond. It always feels good to give my attention to the things you write here.
These questions are so powerful for me. "My fear may lie more in, am I willing to give up the false sense of feeling connected and needed? Am I willing to give up the dopamine hits? Am I willing to turn over my codependent relationship with a digital realm and the relationships that live inside of it?" It is interesting to reflect and track on how I have developed the codependence with digital relationships, even texting irl friends/collaborators is a part of it for me, and how much I crave that false sense of feeling needed and connected when I'm at my most vulnerable. What are ways I find a true sense of feeling needed and connected? Noticing plants, noticing my body, hanging out w someone in person? I'm so, so pulled towards attending to people's demands for my attention. It's good to speak that out loud and hear it from others that experience it.
"My ecosystem is so much more than an algorithmic grid," is so spot on. Love love love this.
This sort of writing is so powerful, because it "gives permission" for so many to ask questions, to wonder aloud, "wow, do I really NEED to be on social media?"
Marlee, thank you for sharing your words with us. I live in Milwaukee and Lake Michigan is one of my favorite places too. There I ground my feet in the sand, watch the sunset and moonrise, have hours of conversation with good friends, and am always present. I took a social media break and deleted all the apps off my phone mealy 3 weeks ago. 3 days into that break the universe presented me with so many signs of affirmation and encouragement. I told my therapist and she shared she was 8 mos into her social media break and sent me podcast recs one being common shapes. My break from social media brought me to you and your teachings and writings have already impacted me so profoundly. Keep going! I also write and have so much more inspiration and energy to tend to my Substack Flower Moon and now I’m writing my first ever zine! Thank you for being such a deep well of encouragement to keep writing and creating. 💖
Ohhhh yes, I am feeling all these same feelings. It took me until now in my life to realize that my people pleasing wasn't pleasing anyone. All of my comments and responses were less about pleasing anyone and more about me making sure I am noticed.
I know deep in my bones that the true way to please people is to do what I want/need, do what makes me happy, take the time to write the books of my heart. The people (whoever these people are?!) would rather read that book than have me click on a heart on Instagram. If I am always looking outward, trying to please and get noticed, I'm a leaky bucket, slowly draining. But if I follow joy in the analog world and go deep in my writing, I'm all shiny and bright and full of joy, and people are more pleased by that, truthfully -- plus I don't care so much about pleasing them in the first place.
I do feel shame about how much I have to return to intentional deep work. It's like cleaning the bathroom. I go all in and then am surprised a week later when it needs to be cleaned again.
Thank you Mar. I read this slowly, now I’m putting my phone down, grabbing my swimming bag and heading to the pond. It always feels good to give my attention to the things you write here.
These questions are so powerful for me. "My fear may lie more in, am I willing to give up the false sense of feeling connected and needed? Am I willing to give up the dopamine hits? Am I willing to turn over my codependent relationship with a digital realm and the relationships that live inside of it?" It is interesting to reflect and track on how I have developed the codependence with digital relationships, even texting irl friends/collaborators is a part of it for me, and how much I crave that false sense of feeling needed and connected when I'm at my most vulnerable. What are ways I find a true sense of feeling needed and connected? Noticing plants, noticing my body, hanging out w someone in person? I'm so, so pulled towards attending to people's demands for my attention. It's good to speak that out loud and hear it from others that experience it.
"My ecosystem is so much more than an algorithmic grid," is so spot on. Love love love this.
This sort of writing is so powerful, because it "gives permission" for so many to ask questions, to wonder aloud, "wow, do I really NEED to be on social media?"
Marlee, thank you for sharing your words with us. I live in Milwaukee and Lake Michigan is one of my favorite places too. There I ground my feet in the sand, watch the sunset and moonrise, have hours of conversation with good friends, and am always present. I took a social media break and deleted all the apps off my phone mealy 3 weeks ago. 3 days into that break the universe presented me with so many signs of affirmation and encouragement. I told my therapist and she shared she was 8 mos into her social media break and sent me podcast recs one being common shapes. My break from social media brought me to you and your teachings and writings have already impacted me so profoundly. Keep going! I also write and have so much more inspiration and energy to tend to my Substack Flower Moon and now I’m writing my first ever zine! Thank you for being such a deep well of encouragement to keep writing and creating. 💖
Ooooh my goodness these words resonate so heavily. They soothe my tired soul. Thank you for this added confirmation that I too am on the right path.
Always look forward to read what you are ruminating on. Thoroughly loving your podcast and stoked on the artists way offering!
Side question ~ will you run another live Shapes of Our Offerings class this year? Or best to grab rhe recoding?
Wasn’t sure the best place to ask~ so putting it here! Thx in advance xx
I am going to teach it again in the fall! I haven't totally decided if it will be recorded or taught live but I will be teaching it again :) My next class is The World Needs Your Online Class happening in July :) https://marleegrace.notion.site/THE-WORLD-NEEDS-YOUR-ONLINE-CLASS-27c4c7acf6934d5cbfd8b1cf0d18cb51?pvs=4
Thanks Mar, I am planning on taking that one as well. Course creation is Definitely been a long time creative itch I’ve been wanting to scratch.
yay! it’s gonna be a really fun class :)
Ohhhh yes, I am feeling all these same feelings. It took me until now in my life to realize that my people pleasing wasn't pleasing anyone. All of my comments and responses were less about pleasing anyone and more about me making sure I am noticed.
I know deep in my bones that the true way to please people is to do what I want/need, do what makes me happy, take the time to write the books of my heart. The people (whoever these people are?!) would rather read that book than have me click on a heart on Instagram. If I am always looking outward, trying to please and get noticed, I'm a leaky bucket, slowly draining. But if I follow joy in the analog world and go deep in my writing, I'm all shiny and bright and full of joy, and people are more pleased by that, truthfully -- plus I don't care so much about pleasing them in the first place.
I do feel shame about how much I have to return to intentional deep work. It's like cleaning the bathroom. I go all in and then am surprised a week later when it needs to be cleaned again.
There are few things in life more dependable than what happens when I submerge my body into a (preferably cold) body of water...