"They came waltzing in their dirt stained floral dresses, grinning like 4 year old me who used to drink out of the sprinkler. Crawling out of the flowerbed, whispering secrets I could hear this time. Simply because I came back to quiet. Because I came back." Ugh.
This was the most gorgeous mind-picture of a cheeky little munchkin with grass-stained knees holding a grasshopper triumphantly in one hand and a smooth rock in the other. I've actually been feeling into the importance of "neutral time" these past weeks—being the only time where you've got no input and no output, and so as it were are actually open to receive downloads and creative ideas. Mindblowing for me to consider not feeling guilty about "wasted" or "unproductive" time (and also a fucking kick up the ass about how much time becomes passive rather than neutral just scrolling and consuming from screens).
I love that image - although much cuter & sweeter than the story my mother told me about my dark past of eating dead bugs out of the garden as a toddler.
But yes, neutral time is the perfect way to phrase it. You hear input and output all the time in online conversations, and creative conversations, but never of neutral time.
What was crazy to me was what I had considered rest before was not really very restful until I stripped it all back. And the creative ideas that come through are much more grounded, and well rounded. As if the open time allows them to germinate and grow with disruption from the daily chaos of the online world.
I hope your neutral time is brimming with tones of green and breath. x
Yesss, we love a feral goblin child. We would've been pals haha.
Mmmm that is so lovely to lean into and feel... nice little nudge for me to continue exploring it all. A lightbulb moment has been going for walks in nature but without listening to any music or podcasts... :) keep writing.
This is Felt. I, too, am in that space of burning out and desperately needing rest - creative rest, screen-less rest. Just being, rest. I, too, have planned a mini-retreat, and it cannot come quickly enough; and you have further inspired me. Thank you.
It’s such a distinct feeling, that need for screenless rest. I’m so glad you have a mini retreat on the horizon. I hope it replenishes those tired neurons of yours, too. Rest hard. x
The start of resets are always so much harder than you think they will be. But glad you got out under the tree and had the space you and your creativity needed. The imagery in this made me miss Australian summer real bad.
Yes! They really are. So clunky and so much time wandering and trying to remember how to be back in that state. Thank you Tansie. And aren’t Australian summer’s such a particular kind of summer? I love them. These scorching skies. Are from Australia or did you spend some time here? xx
This is such a beautiful to put it. Rest as devotion. Thank you so much, for your thoughts & kind words. Things are definitely champagne bubbling beneath x
Obsessed. You’ve just inspired me to return to the quiet, too. *throws phone away for the rest of the day* I love you 🤍
Gwen, you. I love phones and I hate them and they’re so good in a draw. I hope you feel every inch of your lungs.
"They came waltzing in their dirt stained floral dresses, grinning like 4 year old me who used to drink out of the sprinkler. Crawling out of the flowerbed, whispering secrets I could hear this time. Simply because I came back to quiet. Because I came back." Ugh.
This was the most gorgeous mind-picture of a cheeky little munchkin with grass-stained knees holding a grasshopper triumphantly in one hand and a smooth rock in the other. I've actually been feeling into the importance of "neutral time" these past weeks—being the only time where you've got no input and no output, and so as it were are actually open to receive downloads and creative ideas. Mindblowing for me to consider not feeling guilty about "wasted" or "unproductive" time (and also a fucking kick up the ass about how much time becomes passive rather than neutral just scrolling and consuming from screens).
I love that image - although much cuter & sweeter than the story my mother told me about my dark past of eating dead bugs out of the garden as a toddler.
But yes, neutral time is the perfect way to phrase it. You hear input and output all the time in online conversations, and creative conversations, but never of neutral time.
What was crazy to me was what I had considered rest before was not really very restful until I stripped it all back. And the creative ideas that come through are much more grounded, and well rounded. As if the open time allows them to germinate and grow with disruption from the daily chaos of the online world.
I hope your neutral time is brimming with tones of green and breath. x
Yesss, we love a feral goblin child. We would've been pals haha.
Mmmm that is so lovely to lean into and feel... nice little nudge for me to continue exploring it all. A lightbulb moment has been going for walks in nature but without listening to any music or podcasts... :) keep writing.
Returning to the wild. Inspiring and revolutionary. I hope your break was everything and more. Can’t wait to read more.
Thank you Kate. It was undeniably needed. And restorative. I’m so excited to dig my hands in and bring back some dusky thoughts x
This is Felt. I, too, am in that space of burning out and desperately needing rest - creative rest, screen-less rest. Just being, rest. I, too, have planned a mini-retreat, and it cannot come quickly enough; and you have further inspired me. Thank you.
It’s such a distinct feeling, that need for screenless rest. I’m so glad you have a mini retreat on the horizon. I hope it replenishes those tired neurons of yours, too. Rest hard. x
The start of resets are always so much harder than you think they will be. But glad you got out under the tree and had the space you and your creativity needed. The imagery in this made me miss Australian summer real bad.
Yes! They really are. So clunky and so much time wandering and trying to remember how to be back in that state. Thank you Tansie. And aren’t Australian summer’s such a particular kind of summer? I love them. These scorching skies. Are from Australia or did you spend some time here? xx
I’m from WA, but currently living Indonesia where it’s summer everyday, but such a different summer!
I miss the summer of back home where the heat is like a haze. And stone fruit 🍑 I miss stone fruit!
What a beautiful act of service to creativity… I love your words and can’t wait to read what surfaced.
This is such a beautiful to put it. Rest as devotion. Thank you so much, for your thoughts & kind words. Things are definitely champagne bubbling beneath x
Can’t wait to see what the fizzing creates!! X
i just fucking love you
You’ll make my cheeks turn tomato
Creative burnout is real! Good on you for recognizing it and taking time off. It's amazing how ideas come in like a flood when you're well rested!