What if joy itself is a serious practice? A discipline of attention. A form of resistance. A decision to keep looking at the light, even when you’ve memorized the dark.
“Trauma doesn’t translate well into performance analytics.” - this sense of expectation from others is a lot of what keeps me from sharing my craft and skills online.
I teach crochet and have been asked if I would teach virtual groups, but that need to post consistently, to turn up, and produce content (hate that phrase!) no matter how I am feeling, or what my mental health is like is just… beyond me. I find it easier to fake being ok in person, and the guilt of abandoning a large project like that would crush me. Bah!
I’m forever in awe of those of you who can blog, journal, post regularly, etc. building a routine is one of my worst skills, and trying to do that while ‘on display’ to the world is a horrifying prospect as far as I’m concerned!
The expectation to show up consistently and produce "content" (ugh, yes, I hate that word too - I keep trying to find a better one that still conveys what I mean in a succinct way!) regardless of what's happening in your inner world feels impossible some days.
I do write and publish online almost daily because it has become second nature to me after decades of doing it. It ebbs and flows but for the most part it's just what's simple for me. But that's not what's simple for someone else and that's okay. I think sometimes just knowing what's right for us is the most important thing. It sounds like you recognize that the pressure to perform consistently online doesn't align with how your system works, and that teaching crochet in person feeds you in a way that digital "content creation" wouldn't. That's such valuable self-awareness.
There's this persistent myth that if we're creative and want to share our gifts, we have to do it in the ways that are most visible or scalable. But your crochet teaching, whether it's one person at a time or small groups in your living room or whatever works at any given time, is just as meaningful as someone building a massive online following. Your crochet teaching is a gift, however it shows up.
Everyone has different things that are easy for them, and honoring what actually works for your brain and your particular mix of challenges is so much more valuable than forcing yourself into someone else's version of creative consistency.
So intrigued to about finding it easier to fake it in person .... some find it much easier to mask online where you can craft your presence, while others are the opposite right? We're all the way we are!
This is such a powerful post Kathryn, loved this exploration into joy from a different perspective. Funnily enough, earlier on this month, I had a bit of time to reflect on what I wanted from this summer and the word that kept coming up was joy. I took that as a sign and everyday of the kids summer holidays, I'm sharing 3 moments of summer joy over in my subscriber chat. It really helps me notice those moments more, and it's interesting the themes that come through - often about something funny one of my kids has said or how I've carved out time for me in amongst the chaos. I've really relate to the joy of crochet being in the process too and that act of showing up over and over is joyful too. Currently working on a colourful blanket I'm hoping to finish by end of Aug 🌈
Thank you for your lovely comment! I think celebrating three daily moments of joy is a great idea! There really are so many of them and it's a terrific practice to pause and notice them even in, perhaps especially in, the most mundane or difficult of days.
Many people keep gratitude journals or lists, of course, and I've done that in the past but it stopped resonating because sometimes gratitude isn't the right word. But joy - moments of joy - feels totally right right now!
I love the quote from Beth Kempton in Kokoro “Joy is reason enough to do anything”. I often think of it as an antidote to worry. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful conversation that Claire and I had about joy, and the utterly joyful post of Janelle’s singing. I love it so very much 💙🦋
Beautiful post!!!! Thank you!!!!!
Love this! It explains so much for me.
“Trauma doesn’t translate well into performance analytics.” - this sense of expectation from others is a lot of what keeps me from sharing my craft and skills online.
I teach crochet and have been asked if I would teach virtual groups, but that need to post consistently, to turn up, and produce content (hate that phrase!) no matter how I am feeling, or what my mental health is like is just… beyond me. I find it easier to fake being ok in person, and the guilt of abandoning a large project like that would crush me. Bah!
I’m forever in awe of those of you who can blog, journal, post regularly, etc. building a routine is one of my worst skills, and trying to do that while ‘on display’ to the world is a horrifying prospect as far as I’m concerned!
The expectation to show up consistently and produce "content" (ugh, yes, I hate that word too - I keep trying to find a better one that still conveys what I mean in a succinct way!) regardless of what's happening in your inner world feels impossible some days.
I do write and publish online almost daily because it has become second nature to me after decades of doing it. It ebbs and flows but for the most part it's just what's simple for me. But that's not what's simple for someone else and that's okay. I think sometimes just knowing what's right for us is the most important thing. It sounds like you recognize that the pressure to perform consistently online doesn't align with how your system works, and that teaching crochet in person feeds you in a way that digital "content creation" wouldn't. That's such valuable self-awareness.
There's this persistent myth that if we're creative and want to share our gifts, we have to do it in the ways that are most visible or scalable. But your crochet teaching, whether it's one person at a time or small groups in your living room or whatever works at any given time, is just as meaningful as someone building a massive online following. Your crochet teaching is a gift, however it shows up.
Everyone has different things that are easy for them, and honoring what actually works for your brain and your particular mix of challenges is so much more valuable than forcing yourself into someone else's version of creative consistency.
So intrigued to about finding it easier to fake it in person .... some find it much easier to mask online where you can craft your presence, while others are the opposite right? We're all the way we are!
This is such a powerful post Kathryn, loved this exploration into joy from a different perspective. Funnily enough, earlier on this month, I had a bit of time to reflect on what I wanted from this summer and the word that kept coming up was joy. I took that as a sign and everyday of the kids summer holidays, I'm sharing 3 moments of summer joy over in my subscriber chat. It really helps me notice those moments more, and it's interesting the themes that come through - often about something funny one of my kids has said or how I've carved out time for me in amongst the chaos. I've really relate to the joy of crochet being in the process too and that act of showing up over and over is joyful too. Currently working on a colourful blanket I'm hoping to finish by end of Aug 🌈
Thank you for your lovely comment! I think celebrating three daily moments of joy is a great idea! There really are so many of them and it's a terrific practice to pause and notice them even in, perhaps especially in, the most mundane or difficult of days.
Many people keep gratitude journals or lists, of course, and I've done that in the past but it stopped resonating because sometimes gratitude isn't the right word. But joy - moments of joy - feels totally right right now!
Colorful blankets are the best!!!
Thanks Kathryn for including the podcast conversation in this inspiring post about joy and why it's so vital that we continue to follow it.
I love the quote from Beth Kempton in Kokoro “Joy is reason enough to do anything”. I often think of it as an antidote to worry. Thank you so much for sharing the beautiful conversation that Claire and I had about joy, and the utterly joyful post of Janelle’s singing. I love it so very much 💙🦋
I loved that book. ❤️