Beautiful photo! I'm back in the northeast for autumn after 15 years away. I'm really enjoying seeing the leaves change, not so much the raking of the leaves.
I'm currently halfway through a beautiful book by Alua Arthur, on her journey as a death doula. It's called Briefly, Perfectly, Human and it's a great read.
I've have felt drawn to death doula work ever since my best friends mum died. I lived with them both when I was a teenager and loved her mum very much.
I've often been adjacent to death. My 13yr old next door neighbour died when I was 15, followed shortly by my best friends dad. A neighbour fell from her balcony into my garden on Christmas day three years ago. A work colleague died last year, the mum of three very young children. Each instance devastating. A sudden jolt connecting me to mortality and the fragility of life.
I've followed Alua's work online for a couple of years now. I spent some time singing with a threshold choir and have looked into various training courses, all parked for a future me as I'm money and time poor at present.
Yesterday, I supported a young woman on a bridge in London, who was planning on taking her life. A shocking and extraordinary experience that has left me very vulnerable and tender today.
I called my mum to talk it through and release some tears and I spoke of how I felt so ill equipped, how I didn't know what words to say to this woman in her darkest hour. I spoke of how frightening that was and how the responsibility of the womans' survival weighed heavy upon me. I said how surprised I felt that I did somehow have words in me, and courage in me too. How I felt like a vessel, no skillset to draw on and yet some things of use appeared.
My mum told me that my nan, her mum, was known in their town as the woman who would sit by your side as you died. I never knew this. Neighbours, some strangers, would knock on my mums door when she was a young girl and ask for Mrs Payne, my nan. And she would then spend the night sat by the bedside of the dying.
I'm so moved to discover this family history today, and to see a thread running through my maternal line, of wanting to be there, facing death, celebrating life, putting ourselves in positions where we can be useful even when we don't feel we have anything useful to say.
As I prepare to share a new Dared to Ditch interview, I’m reminded of one of my favorites with personal finance educator and journalist Dana Miranda, whose upcoming book You Don’t Need a Budget launches Dec. 24.
"I write about work and money, and I see our culture treating money and wealth exactly the same way we treat food and bodies. I’ve never been attracted to wealth, so it’s easy for me to reject the ways budget culture wants to police my relationship with money. When I get caught in justifying dieting behavior, I can compare it to budgeting and recognize that it’s diet culture trying to police my body in the same way."
What a reminder that freedom over our bodies—and our finances—is ours to reclaim.
If you have your own story of quitting diets, I’d to love to hear from you!
My DIY post series includes recipes combined with personal stories about food.
As a personal trainer and athlete, I believe that food is sometimes fuel, but also so much more. Enjoyment, comfort, nostalgia, tradition, adventure, love. As a human woman, food (and its consumption) can also be a radical act of self care, an expression of autonomy, and defiance of a culture that encourages restriction in the name of thinness.
I went viral on TikTok yesterday - and I’m not even ON TikTok. Not really. I throw stuff up there sometimes, just to see.
My first thought was, ‘How can I go viral on TikTok, a place I’m not invested, while I barely get a handful of likes on Substack, a place where I’m actively trying to build something?’
My second thought was - ‘wait, this resonates with so many women. There are so many of us dealing with problems around breast screening. Be it insurance, access, whatever.’
I hit upon an important topic. Many thanked me for sharing my story and experience; they said it helped them. We can learn so much from each other—sharing is brave and useful and helpful. I’ll keep doing it, even if I only get a handful of likes. ❤️
Inspired by Kate Brook I got out for a walk first thing. And look at what I would have missed had I stayed indoors 😊
https://substack.com/@valerieoconnor/note/c-73015495
Beautiful photo! I'm back in the northeast for autumn after 15 years away. I'm really enjoying seeing the leaves change, not so much the raking of the leaves.
Yes, there's an effort in that, but worth it 🙂
Beautiful photo. :-)
I'm currently halfway through a beautiful book by Alua Arthur, on her journey as a death doula. It's called Briefly, Perfectly, Human and it's a great read.
I've have felt drawn to death doula work ever since my best friends mum died. I lived with them both when I was a teenager and loved her mum very much.
I've often been adjacent to death. My 13yr old next door neighbour died when I was 15, followed shortly by my best friends dad. A neighbour fell from her balcony into my garden on Christmas day three years ago. A work colleague died last year, the mum of three very young children. Each instance devastating. A sudden jolt connecting me to mortality and the fragility of life.
I've followed Alua's work online for a couple of years now. I spent some time singing with a threshold choir and have looked into various training courses, all parked for a future me as I'm money and time poor at present.
Yesterday, I supported a young woman on a bridge in London, who was planning on taking her life. A shocking and extraordinary experience that has left me very vulnerable and tender today.
I called my mum to talk it through and release some tears and I spoke of how I felt so ill equipped, how I didn't know what words to say to this woman in her darkest hour. I spoke of how frightening that was and how the responsibility of the womans' survival weighed heavy upon me. I said how surprised I felt that I did somehow have words in me, and courage in me too. How I felt like a vessel, no skillset to draw on and yet some things of use appeared.
My mum told me that my nan, her mum, was known in their town as the woman who would sit by your side as you died. I never knew this. Neighbours, some strangers, would knock on my mums door when she was a young girl and ask for Mrs Payne, my nan. And she would then spend the night sat by the bedside of the dying.
I'm so moved to discover this family history today, and to see a thread running through my maternal line, of wanting to be there, facing death, celebrating life, putting ourselves in positions where we can be useful even when we don't feel we have anything useful to say.
https://substack.com/profile/25948668-lucy-wadham/note/c-73628728
As I prepare to share a new Dared to Ditch interview, I’m reminded of one of my favorites with personal finance educator and journalist Dana Miranda, whose upcoming book You Don’t Need a Budget launches Dec. 24.
"I write about work and money, and I see our culture treating money and wealth exactly the same way we treat food and bodies. I’ve never been attracted to wealth, so it’s easy for me to reject the ways budget culture wants to police my relationship with money. When I get caught in justifying dieting behavior, I can compare it to budgeting and recognize that it’s diet culture trying to police my body in the same way."
What a reminder that freedom over our bodies—and our finances—is ours to reclaim.
If you have your own story of quitting diets, I’d to love to hear from you!
https://substack.com/@kristik/note/c-73763116
Hi Kristi - Interesting topic here. I just shared to my Notes.
Thank you!
Mr. & Mrs. Sandhill Crane strolling through the neighborhood today.
A little spark of joy in my day. ♥️
https://substack.com/@2heartcore4u/note/c-73306361
How cool! Where do you live? I recently moved to upstate NY and heard a bobcat in my backyard for the first time last night. A little scary!
We live just outside of Detroit, on Lake St. Clair. There's a large wetland preserve nearby, and we get a variety of birds visiting us.
My DIY post series includes recipes combined with personal stories about food.
As a personal trainer and athlete, I believe that food is sometimes fuel, but also so much more. Enjoyment, comfort, nostalgia, tradition, adventure, love. As a human woman, food (and its consumption) can also be a radical act of self care, an expression of autonomy, and defiance of a culture that encourages restriction in the name of thinness.
https://substack.com/@verajerinicbrodeur/note/c-73118342
I went viral on TikTok yesterday - and I’m not even ON TikTok. Not really. I throw stuff up there sometimes, just to see.
My first thought was, ‘How can I go viral on TikTok, a place I’m not invested, while I barely get a handful of likes on Substack, a place where I’m actively trying to build something?’
My second thought was - ‘wait, this resonates with so many women. There are so many of us dealing with problems around breast screening. Be it insurance, access, whatever.’
I hit upon an important topic. Many thanked me for sharing my story and experience; they said it helped them. We can learn so much from each other—sharing is brave and useful and helpful. I’ll keep doing it, even if I only get a handful of likes. ❤️
https://substack.com/@sarastansberry/note/c-73618689