So true! I was just travelling for a month and I knew I was 'dropping the ball' by not having newsletters prepped and written and scheduled, along with content and other work things. And I felt irked that yet again I've been trying to keep to an algorithm, to follow the advice, to post weekly rather than post only when I have something meaningful to say (that said, I try to never send a newsletter that doesn't have value to offer). I always find my lack of consistency fascinating; why is so easy to be consistent about making a coffee every morning and so hard to be consistent in sending out emails?! But anyway, to Magaluf with consistency and embracing spontaneity and creative freedom instead.
I just sat down to write a post on consistency...lack there of. I am going to take your playlist to the mat and do it later. I can be consistent in my own practices and taking care of others. I can't seem to get a handle on the "work" thing yet. I am yet to learn how to schedule in a Google calendar. I much rather use a journal and colored pens. I will probably do both. Thanks for the inspiration. As I look outside at the rain pour down I am dreaming of your beach. Thank you!
I am devastated that I’ve missed so much in my months of overwhelm - I can’t believe I wasn’t subscribed! But here I am now 🤍 and ohhh how I wish I lived in Minehead so I could come to your yoga classes and swap books in your library and we could have coffee and talk about all of this.
I love that you are leaning more into spontaneity and taking some of the pressure off. As another insightful comment said, we’re trying to be like robots - and yet even robots break down sometimes, or their parts wear out and need replacing. Museums preserve things forever in air tight boxes that can rarely be opened or touched by human hands - we are not such things. We are touched by everything around us, so we change.
But maybe that’s really what we’re doing when we cut back on things for capacity’s sake - we’re putting the things we love in boxes, just to protect them from the elements for a while.
First I read the words “I wish that I could schedule creative projects into a beautifully-constructed wallchart” and then I saw so many photos of your world. So many snippets of creativity prioritised. I want my brain to comply to some kind of 9-5, but it exists outside of such confines out of necessity.
I’ve sat here the last half hour reading the bolstering and encouraging words of so many creatives and storytellers here on Substack today. So many heartening voices. Thank you for being one of them.
What a joy that was to read! Ahhh I too struggle with the consistency, when it comes to creativity, why must we be always on, always with ideas? There are so many stages of creativity and they don't always include producing something tangible. Looking forward to doing a spot of at home yoga with the playlist x
I love consistency... when I’m being consistent 🤣 We tend to focus on cadence when it comes to consistency, but with creativity, I prefer to focus on consistent quality, consistent intention, consistent joy, instead. I SO enjoyed this Substack, Luisa, and the playlist is 🤌
I have the impression that in recent decades we have understood "becoming better" as "becoming robotic." Not getting sick, writing out algorithms of action for ourselves and completing tasks always. And yet we are humans, not machines. We have different moods, different body strengths, different situations that affect us, and work is not the only topic in life.
Loved this, Luisa! I've been thinking about consistency a lot lately too - I'm actually writing my letter on it this week so was delighted to see this pop up in my inbox. It's so good to feel we're not the only ones trying to figure it out, with or without the beautiful wall charts! 😆 It reminds me of making revision timetables in high school - beautifully colour-coded (and ambitious!) but rarely followed... I'm also pondering why it's so easy to be consistent about some things but not necessarily the things we want to be consistent about... I totally agree with the idea of things being seasonal too: wonderful to be able to go with the flow of that rather than trying to force yourself to work in a way that doesn't feel good. Hopefully I'll have some more coherent thoughts to share on this by Sunday when I publish, haha! 🫠Love the look of your yoga studio, by the way - what a dream space to have on your doorstep! 😍x
I enjoyed this post very much Luisa 🧡 As a fellow mid-life woman, I resonated with much of what you said here. I have found that my interests ebb and flow and it has taken me a looooooong time to figure that out. For example, I enjoy writing and feel it in my bones that I am meant to write, but there are times when I literally can’t be arsed to sit down and type anything. I used to beat myself up about that (You say you are a writer, why aren’t you writing?!) but I have realized that just like there are seasons to the years, there are seasons to life. Creativity will always be there, some days it comes flowing out of the faucet, other days it is a slow drip. Either way, it is there.
Sorry if I am on a bit of a ramble, drinking coffee right now as we speak to make up for a lack of a proper sleep 🤪
Great post, Luisa! It's hard to find a balance, isn't it? And like many, I find it's 'my' stuff, the creative stuff, that falls through the cracks because I haven't planned it! BUT: being a planner with some aspects of my life (the health stuff, 'running the house' - gosh, what an awful term - and work) does, now I come to think of it, show me the space that I (should) have available for my creative projects. So I basically just need to recognise that, and to show up for myself!
Well, my theory sounds good... but what about the practice?! 😉
I love that you know your body and mind well enough to have the insight to have identified your discord - that's actually wonderful! 🙌
Thank you for this. I’ve been pining for what I assumed was a wall chart kind of consistency in my work. But the thought of embracing the seasonal writer instead is freeing! Also I have “actual librarian” on my future life list now.
Just what I needed today! My life at the moment is a bit wild and free, and I (a recovering perfectionist) am embracing it. I think consistency is important for broad ideas (being kind to my body, showing up for the people in my life, etc) but the ways we make those things happen can be incredibly spontaneous.
You reeled me in as soon as we walked across the garden to your yoga cabin and let the sound of the sea in. Thank you for sharing your words and photos (and playlist!) with us. I’ve neglected my Substack reading until today, and this post reminds me why I show up here. So many words that inspire and soothe.
Love the photo updates, Luisa. The little ones in the sea. And be still my heart for your little free library!! I created and run our village phonebox library––I think of it as my second baby! <3
Redefining 'consistency' as a midlife creative
So true! I was just travelling for a month and I knew I was 'dropping the ball' by not having newsletters prepped and written and scheduled, along with content and other work things. And I felt irked that yet again I've been trying to keep to an algorithm, to follow the advice, to post weekly rather than post only when I have something meaningful to say (that said, I try to never send a newsletter that doesn't have value to offer). I always find my lack of consistency fascinating; why is so easy to be consistent about making a coffee every morning and so hard to be consistent in sending out emails?! But anyway, to Magaluf with consistency and embracing spontaneity and creative freedom instead.
What a topic this is, hey!
The beach is waving back to you 👋, very glad to have you and your thoughts here Blythe...
I just sat down to write a post on consistency...lack there of. I am going to take your playlist to the mat and do it later. I can be consistent in my own practices and taking care of others. I can't seem to get a handle on the "work" thing yet. I am yet to learn how to schedule in a Google calendar. I much rather use a journal and colored pens. I will probably do both. Thanks for the inspiration. As I look outside at the rain pour down I am dreaming of your beach. Thank you!
I am devastated that I’ve missed so much in my months of overwhelm - I can’t believe I wasn’t subscribed! But here I am now 🤍 and ohhh how I wish I lived in Minehead so I could come to your yoga classes and swap books in your library and we could have coffee and talk about all of this.
I love that you are leaning more into spontaneity and taking some of the pressure off. As another insightful comment said, we’re trying to be like robots - and yet even robots break down sometimes, or their parts wear out and need replacing. Museums preserve things forever in air tight boxes that can rarely be opened or touched by human hands - we are not such things. We are touched by everything around us, so we change.
But maybe that’s really what we’re doing when we cut back on things for capacity’s sake - we’re putting the things we love in boxes, just to protect them from the elements for a while.
First I read the words “I wish that I could schedule creative projects into a beautifully-constructed wallchart” and then I saw so many photos of your world. So many snippets of creativity prioritised. I want my brain to comply to some kind of 9-5, but it exists outside of such confines out of necessity.
I’ve sat here the last half hour reading the bolstering and encouraging words of so many creatives and storytellers here on Substack today. So many heartening voices. Thank you for being one of them.
What a joy that was to read! Ahhh I too struggle with the consistency, when it comes to creativity, why must we be always on, always with ideas? There are so many stages of creativity and they don't always include producing something tangible. Looking forward to doing a spot of at home yoga with the playlist x
Listening to this Playlist as I write. I'll let you know how it goes. 🙂
I love consistency... when I’m being consistent 🤣 We tend to focus on cadence when it comes to consistency, but with creativity, I prefer to focus on consistent quality, consistent intention, consistent joy, instead. I SO enjoyed this Substack, Luisa, and the playlist is 🤌
I have the impression that in recent decades we have understood "becoming better" as "becoming robotic." Not getting sick, writing out algorithms of action for ourselves and completing tasks always. And yet we are humans, not machines. We have different moods, different body strengths, different situations that affect us, and work is not the only topic in life.
May we allow ourselves to be human!
Loved this, Luisa! I've been thinking about consistency a lot lately too - I'm actually writing my letter on it this week so was delighted to see this pop up in my inbox. It's so good to feel we're not the only ones trying to figure it out, with or without the beautiful wall charts! 😆 It reminds me of making revision timetables in high school - beautifully colour-coded (and ambitious!) but rarely followed... I'm also pondering why it's so easy to be consistent about some things but not necessarily the things we want to be consistent about... I totally agree with the idea of things being seasonal too: wonderful to be able to go with the flow of that rather than trying to force yourself to work in a way that doesn't feel good. Hopefully I'll have some more coherent thoughts to share on this by Sunday when I publish, haha! 🫠Love the look of your yoga studio, by the way - what a dream space to have on your doorstep! 😍x
I enjoyed this post very much Luisa 🧡 As a fellow mid-life woman, I resonated with much of what you said here. I have found that my interests ebb and flow and it has taken me a looooooong time to figure that out. For example, I enjoy writing and feel it in my bones that I am meant to write, but there are times when I literally can’t be arsed to sit down and type anything. I used to beat myself up about that (You say you are a writer, why aren’t you writing?!) but I have realized that just like there are seasons to the years, there are seasons to life. Creativity will always be there, some days it comes flowing out of the faucet, other days it is a slow drip. Either way, it is there.
Sorry if I am on a bit of a ramble, drinking coffee right now as we speak to make up for a lack of a proper sleep 🤪
The yoga cabin! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🙏 loved everything about this writing and your commitment to honesty here. Beautiful. ✨
Great post, Luisa! It's hard to find a balance, isn't it? And like many, I find it's 'my' stuff, the creative stuff, that falls through the cracks because I haven't planned it! BUT: being a planner with some aspects of my life (the health stuff, 'running the house' - gosh, what an awful term - and work) does, now I come to think of it, show me the space that I (should) have available for my creative projects. So I basically just need to recognise that, and to show up for myself!
Well, my theory sounds good... but what about the practice?! 😉
I love that you know your body and mind well enough to have the insight to have identified your discord - that's actually wonderful! 🙌
Thank you for this. I’ve been pining for what I assumed was a wall chart kind of consistency in my work. But the thought of embracing the seasonal writer instead is freeing! Also I have “actual librarian” on my future life list now.
Just what I needed today! My life at the moment is a bit wild and free, and I (a recovering perfectionist) am embracing it. I think consistency is important for broad ideas (being kind to my body, showing up for the people in my life, etc) but the ways we make those things happen can be incredibly spontaneous.
You reeled me in as soon as we walked across the garden to your yoga cabin and let the sound of the sea in. Thank you for sharing your words and photos (and playlist!) with us. I’ve neglected my Substack reading until today, and this post reminds me why I show up here. So many words that inspire and soothe.
Love the photo updates, Luisa. The little ones in the sea. And be still my heart for your little free library!! I created and run our village phonebox library––I think of it as my second baby! <3