Making the people you meet the main character, and being lucky to meet them! I absolutely love this idea. Safe spaces are so important, I've got a safe space at the community room we have that was a disused ticket office, it's now growing as a lovely community space. I'm starting a group for chronically ill people to meet (with masks and air purifier) and do art/craft. Excited to meet some new main characters!!
Your idea of making everyone else the main character reminds me of how I talk myself out of frustration when driving. If I tell myself it's a multi player game I have to get my team through, rather than me battling traffic to get somewhere, it magically becomes fun. "Yes!" I can tell myself, "the little red Polo made it through the lights, now let's all do the roundabout". There's so much peace in its not being about you, isn't there?
I love this! If I have cars behind me rather than get flustered that they want you to get past or angry that they are tailgating, I think of myself as mummy duck (I drive a van, so I’m a bit bigger) and I am leading all my baby ducks safely home. This is next level, though and I am absolutely borrowing it. Life is so much more interesting when you think we’re all in this together, rather than me battling the world.
"Your job is to just be with what’s arising in this moment, in your body, in your heart, all around you, and to look for the possibilities.”
That is the best description of being in the moment without judgment I've come across. It's not so much being 'positive' as being real with the actual nature of events. Thank you for that.
It occurs to me on reading this, that perfectionism is the constant striving for the perfect that is already here. Your perfect day is the contentment of this moment. You are lovely Josie!
Josie it’s great that you enjoy being at the community centre! I find people and talk too stimulating but feel really encouraged by your post. Thank you. Such lively descriptions, I could almost see your companions.
Wow, Josie. You are an alchemist magically converting words into images and then expressions of exquisite depth and radiant beauty. Your writing is a joy. I cherish every precious post you dispatch. Thank you.
Thank you for this expression and interpretation of positivity. It's rooted in real and truth and encouraging reframing. All things I am working on in myself. You have beautifully written a tiny dance manifesto for us all, as we weave in and around and with everything in our life.
I borrowed this for my much delayed train journey at the weekend - this train is delayed, but that is perfect, because I get to do more of my knitting. The train was very busy, but that was perfect because I was with my friend and we had seats and could chat for as long as we wanted. The connection was cancelled, but that is perfect because I have time to get a cuppa and it meant I got to meet a fascinating French lady and share stories of our lives. And I got to meet so many people and hear so many stories!
Wow, this is the MOST perfect post and how I felt its waves of your positivity ripple all the way down to me, and revelled in the wonder of beautiful humans and the opportunities that come our way. Thank you Josie!!
Such a beautiful and authentic piece of writing, and way of seeing the world. One to treasure. I especially liked the bit about not "trying to wrestle my own story into a specific shape" - this is wonderful indirect advice for writers. Have a peaceful new year. 🩶
This is charming, Josie. I love the people you've described. You really do make them into heroes. Have you thought of making your community centre, or one like it, the setting for a novel? You certainly have the talent for it.
You’ve got this gift for taking the ordinary and making it pulse, making it real. Like you’re picking up life’s scraps and turning them into poetry. You see the world with the kind of clarity that most of us are too scared or too busy to find. I love that about your writing!
I love the idea that the positivity is yours alone, yours to channel. That's how I see mine. I sometimes think I must come across as maddeningly upbeat, but it's just how I choose to frame things. So glad to find you on Substack Josie, I've followed your writing a long while.
Making the people you meet the main character, and being lucky to meet them! I absolutely love this idea. Safe spaces are so important, I've got a safe space at the community room we have that was a disused ticket office, it's now growing as a lovely community space. I'm starting a group for chronically ill people to meet (with masks and air purifier) and do art/craft. Excited to meet some new main characters!!
Might I humbly offer that THIS IS PERFECT because it may be one of your best bimblings pieces EVER? 🙏
Your idea of making everyone else the main character reminds me of how I talk myself out of frustration when driving. If I tell myself it's a multi player game I have to get my team through, rather than me battling traffic to get somewhere, it magically becomes fun. "Yes!" I can tell myself, "the little red Polo made it through the lights, now let's all do the roundabout". There's so much peace in its not being about you, isn't there?
I love this! If I have cars behind me rather than get flustered that they want you to get past or angry that they are tailgating, I think of myself as mummy duck (I drive a van, so I’m a bit bigger) and I am leading all my baby ducks safely home. This is next level, though and I am absolutely borrowing it. Life is so much more interesting when you think we’re all in this together, rather than me battling the world.
"Your job is to just be with what’s arising in this moment, in your body, in your heart, all around you, and to look for the possibilities.”
That is the best description of being in the moment without judgment I've come across. It's not so much being 'positive' as being real with the actual nature of events. Thank you for that.
It occurs to me on reading this, that perfectionism is the constant striving for the perfect that is already here. Your perfect day is the contentment of this moment. You are lovely Josie!
Josie it’s great that you enjoy being at the community centre! I find people and talk too stimulating but feel really encouraged by your post. Thank you. Such lively descriptions, I could almost see your companions.
Wow, Josie. You are an alchemist magically converting words into images and then expressions of exquisite depth and radiant beauty. Your writing is a joy. I cherish every precious post you dispatch. Thank you.
Thank you for this expression and interpretation of positivity. It's rooted in real and truth and encouraging reframing. All things I am working on in myself. You have beautifully written a tiny dance manifesto for us all, as we weave in and around and with everything in our life.
I borrowed this for my much delayed train journey at the weekend - this train is delayed, but that is perfect, because I get to do more of my knitting. The train was very busy, but that was perfect because I was with my friend and we had seats and could chat for as long as we wanted. The connection was cancelled, but that is perfect because I have time to get a cuppa and it meant I got to meet a fascinating French lady and share stories of our lives. And I got to meet so many people and hear so many stories!
Thank you. Genuinely feel better after reading this. Recently on a 'low' I needed hope and here you extending it. So grateful. Thank you.
Wow, this is the MOST perfect post and how I felt its waves of your positivity ripple all the way down to me, and revelled in the wonder of beautiful humans and the opportunities that come our way. Thank you Josie!!
I will be seeing today with new vision. Thank you!
Such a beautiful and authentic piece of writing, and way of seeing the world. One to treasure. I especially liked the bit about not "trying to wrestle my own story into a specific shape" - this is wonderful indirect advice for writers. Have a peaceful new year. 🩶
This is charming, Josie. I love the people you've described. You really do make them into heroes. Have you thought of making your community centre, or one like it, the setting for a novel? You certainly have the talent for it.
You’ve got this gift for taking the ordinary and making it pulse, making it real. Like you’re picking up life’s scraps and turning them into poetry. You see the world with the kind of clarity that most of us are too scared or too busy to find. I love that about your writing!
I love the idea that the positivity is yours alone, yours to channel. That's how I see mine. I sometimes think I must come across as maddeningly upbeat, but it's just how I choose to frame things. So glad to find you on Substack Josie, I've followed your writing a long while.