Brighton and Blossom inspired thoughts
I am currently sat in the sweetest little spot in Brighton, a lovely café called Va Pensiero Lounge. I am say outside in the court yard, and it feels like I am in my own little world (or I could be in Italy).
I am feeling incredibly happy at the moment despite it being day 21 of my cycle which is when I normally have a mental breakdown or my narrative brain hijacks my normal brain. But I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been taking more time to do things that nourish my soul like reading, journaling, art, walking, nature, RUNNING and my morning dip in the could sea here definetly helps.
There’s something about loosing your breath to the comfort of the ocean which is so heart warming. Like a big hug. The sea could drain us, but instead it reminds us we are tiny humans and grounds us, whilst also feeling our body with love and nourishment.
Now, I came to this café this morning to supposedly work on a job application I am actually really keen for. So keen that the thought of starting it is a little daunting. But, my heads not really into it, and instead I fancied writing.
A lot of things have been on my mind recently., especially ever since my dearest Blossom came to visit.
Why don’t we spend more time in nature instead of being surrounded by our screens?
How do we break the comfort consumerism brings us?
How hard really is it to go off the grid? To break the social media addiction?
Since when did human connection not become a priority in our society?
What does genuine and real human connection look like? Uninterrupted?
My dearest Blossom (a poet and first class vet may I add) carries round a little book with her which she jots in all the time when poetry ideas may come to mind. I noticed she even pulled it out at tubes, and will just sit there and ponder, looking in to the dusty vacant eyes of strangers and then something would spark a line and write. This amazed me. Firstly, is that not hard to write when moving on a tube, and secondly, is it just not a faf? Watching her do it though, I realise of course it’s not. It’s like taking a book out to read on the tube, like I do everyday, but instead of just looking you write. Yes standing up doing it may be a little hard, but aslong as you can read it – that’s all that matters! Or even not read in fact, just as long as you get out what you want.
I asked her how often she does this, as this little book was full of scribbles and ideas. She pondered for a bit and then replied ‘I guess, it’s the same amount of times you pull out your phone. But instead of me pulling out my phone, I pull out my journal’. And it felt like reality, and alien from the past had just shaken me hard and opened my eyes.
I am really bad at picking up my phone for now damn reason throughout my day. You know on your phone you can look at screen time, well you can also look at pick up time. My average is around 150, and with an average time screen of 2 hours – that just doesn’t add up!
So, once again my dearest blossom has inspired me and this week I deleted social media off my phone (again) and whenever I would feel a reach for my phone. I’d stop, see if I need to or catch myself and pull out my journal if I had a thought. And you know what, I feel so much grounded? I feel like my brain THINKS. Social media and it’s easy access to escapism, stops us humans from thinking day to day I think, it’s stops us being curious about our own thoughts and feelings but brings us into other’s feelings and thoughts.
For years I have been insecure about my intelligence because of the good old teasing that comes with a Fine Art degree, and killing my brain in vloggers doesn’t help that confidence. Ever since spending more time actively writing, feeling curious about my thoughts, pondering, writing, sitting, reflecting, I feel so much more grounded in me, more confident and smarter! Or maybe just more intune with myself, or maybe trust and respect myself more.
Either way it feels lovely.
So, this week’s life lesson has been, but curious and aware of those addictions you may have, those habits and take time to reflect and challenge them.
Sometimes you may need someone to wake you up, I know I needed bloss without realising. But I hope there’s someone in your life who can subtly encourage you to check yourself, your habits and your coping mechanism and we can all start living life intentionally, doing things that serve us, and not others.
Take control, don’t always think following the trends are healthy.
Now I got this epiphany or almost manifestation to hold myself accountable that this slower lifestyle serves me better. I must go investigate this job application (maybe) – at least until 11.
One final thing to add (mainly to hold myself accountable) is these are the actions I am going to take to help me
Delete social media from my phone. If things are that important, I need to be able to give it time to look over them, so Emails, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, I will only use you on my laptop. Your all meant to be used with intention. If there’s something I need or need to do – I need to take real time out of my day to do them. So you be gone from my phone, as I don’t dedicate time for you on there but just quick visits.
I will carry my journal absolutely everywhere and just journal when I fancy – that’s right, even on the tube! I will not be strict, I will let my mind be free and curious as I questions my own thoughts, society and that’s big but small world we live in.
I will slow down with my reading. I had a challenge to read 50 books, but I feel like I am rushing that. I want to read 25 and for them to be intentional reads, and for me to spend time being curious about what I took away from them.
And finally – cold water swim wherever I can be and keep running. Keeping getting my heart rate up, honouring my body and exploring the world with my legs and eyes as I am lucky to be able to. I must make the most of this and honour it all.
