Image via.
Earlier this week, I wrote glancingly about Suleika’s concept of energy multipliers, or the small things we can do when recovering, or warding off gloominesses or desperations of various kinds. What a great prompt for today — what gives you good energy when you need it?
Small things that turn the lights up for me:
Mailbox walk*
Reading something brief that never fails to inspire me — Seamus Heaney’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Patti Smith’s essay on failure, F. Scott’s short fiction, poetry by Elizabeth Bishop or Mary Oliver, musings by Margaret Renkl
Drinking a very tall, very cold glass of water in big gulps and then refilling it
Talking to Landon, my mother, or one of my siblings
Standing on my back patio without my phone, watching for the movement of trees and birds (and occasionally foxes)
Adding to my TBR pile — just the promise of reading something new is enough
Pursuing sonder — recently learned this word — specifically by texting my sisters or sister-friends to find out what’s happening in their worlds; such a good way to remind myself of my own smallness
Putting on the softest clothing I own
Drinking “a clever cup of tea”
Going for a windows-down drive with either no music or very loud music from the 90s — Cranberries, Nirvana, Alanis Morrisette, Celine Dion
Having a good, long sit outside
Taking care of myself as though sick or injured — moving slowly, brewing tea, taking rests
If feeling dysregulated, listening to WETA Classical or Apple’s Spa playlist; if feeling fatigued or uninspired, I use one of my weird, character-oriented writing playlists
Changing lanes — if I’m burnt out on a parenting matter, taking a break to do something for myself, or to write; if I’m in a creative rut, closing up shop early to sit with my children
Reminding myself that everything is a flowing — that this, too, shall pass
****
*I wanted to call out the art of the mailbox walk. Our street dead-ends at a mailbox, and it takes about one minute to walk to it from our front door. Whenever we have an important item to deposit in the mail — a check, a signed form — or just want the excuse, Landon and I will ask one another: “Mailbox walk?” And it means two minutes to stretch our legs and walk in companionable silence or make 40-year-old comments on the trees, or weather, or state of our neighbors’ lawns. Most of the time, though, we extend the walk and wander around our neighborhood — especially when we are upset, or processing, or trying to figure something out. But it starts with the low-commitment one-minute walk to the mailbox, and it expands organically from there. There is a saying: you should spend ten minutes outside every day, unless you’re upset–in which case, you should spend an hour outside. This aphorism demonstrates its organic truth on these mailbox walks, as I can often measure the severity of our moods, or the weight of whatever we are unpacking together, by how long we meander past the mailbox. There are many known traditions and cultures of wayfaring, and even these small excursions without any set endpoint or duration objective make me think that the nomads have a spiritual edge on the rest of us.
What would you put on your own list of energy multipliers?
Post Scripts.
+Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.
+What I thought of things back when I was turning 34. Interesting to revisit with six years intervening.
+What mattered to me at 18 (almost none of which matters to me now).
Shopping Break.
The following content may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the links below, I may receive compensation.
+I’d been eyeing these cushioned standing mats from House of Noa for our kitchen sink forever and the current promotion (20% off sitewide with code BFCM24) nudged me over the edge. My mom has one and I’m always obsessed with it. Can’t wait for mine to arrive!
+Totally obsessed with this structured black velvet mini from Tuckernuck. The skirt part has structure/boning to it so it creates a fashion forward silhouette. Love! Will pair with patterned tights and black platforms. I also picked up this Tuckernuck dress I’d been eyeing FOREVER. It has the cutest pop of that kiwi/chartreuse green I’ve been loving this season. A good dress to pair with flats for Sunday Mass or a little heel for a dinner out.
+I don’t know what it is, but I can never stop buying pens. This is in my cart.
+I mentioned this recently, but J. Crew Factory has cute, traditional holiday outfit options for little kids at reasonable prices (lots of tartans!). I got my son this shirt and these tartan-lined pants. J. Crew also has great options. My daughter selected this for herself! And how adorable is this cardigan?!
+Fun scardigans (scarf + cardigan) here and here, and of course at Toteme!
+Want these tree candles for my holiday table.
+I have become such a fangirl of Ann Mashburn this year. I have one Magpie, Sarah (hi Sarah!), who has been signing the Mashburn praises for YEARS now and I am embarrassed to say I’m finally catch up. I really love their catalogs. Their fall one had the most beautiful and stirring photography, and I would later learn the models styled throughout were married, which explained the chemistry! Anyhow, I am obsessed with the elegance and sophistication of dresses like this and this…!
+I just added this tartan throw to our holiday-oriented home. I’ll be honest, I initially ordered it thinking I’d give it as a family gift to some friends for the holidays but I ended up keeping it. I believe my code JEN15 still gets you 15% off! The brand also generously sent me this beautiful boxwood-wreath-themed one, which looks so gorgeous in our (blue and green-focused) living room, and doesn’t necessarily scream CHRISTMAS.
+My linen closet is in a state of major disarray. Contemplating ordering these to whip things back into shape.
+Julia Amory recently raved about this Chanel highlighter and of course now I want it, too.
+Today only, Parker Thatch is offering $100 off orders over $500. If you’ve been waiting to snag one of their Charlie bags (which I own in camel suede), the time is now!
+I always keep a few boxes of these to give as hostess gifts!
+Well-priced teak shower bench. A girl’s got to shave!
+Pretty travel vanity bag for a good price.