Welcome to Issue 73 of Writing and Other Stuff, a newsletter by me, Kim Scaravelli. I pop into your inbox every second Wednesday with practical advice to help you find your voice, create content that connects, and (yes!) enjoy the process. Not a subscriber? We can fix that! → subscribe here.
If you're not stressed right now... you're not paying attention.
To quote my grandmother: the world is going to hell in a hand basket!
It's dark, scary stuff. And as citizens of the world, we need to be enraged and engaged. Let's change our buying habits. Volunteer with organizations that are trying to bring good into the world. Exercise our right to peaceful protest. Do anything and everything.
But at the same time - as wildly difficult as it may seem - we must try to calm down and carry on.
The things we want to accomplish still matter. In fact, I'd argue they matter more than ever. We NEED to live our lives, pursue our dreams, and have our moments of joy. That's not selfish - it's necessary.
So let's agree to take a collective deep breath. And, as we say in 🇨🇦Canada... Elbows Up!
Love This Quote!
“Some days, doing ‘the best we can’ may still fall short of what we would like to be able to do, but life isn’t perfect—on any front—and doing what we can with what we have is the most we should expect of ourselves or anyone else.”
Fred Rogers
7 Creativity Nurturing, Sanity-Saving, Soul-Soothing Activities
How many of these things have you done recently? If the answer is less than 3 (or even the dreaded ZERO), don't beat yourself up about it.
But I can say - with absolute certainty - that you can't go wrong by adding MORE of this stuff into your life. It's all UPSIDE, no downside...
🌳Hang out with TREES. A long hike in the woods is a wildly effective stress buster. But even meandering around a well-greened park or tree-lined street will do in a pinch. And don't just look at those trees! Touch them. Ponder how long it took them to grow. Feel that strength and let it flow into you. FYI: I know this sounds a bit hippy-dippy. But no apologies... I stand by my words.
🖼️Wander in ART GALLERIES, LIBRARIES, and BOOK STORES. Immersing yourself in spaces dedicated to expressing feelings, thoughts, and viewpoints, is inspiring. And creativity is contagious!
👀People WATCH. Find a park bench or the window seat in a coffee shop and just BE. Put away your phone, sip a warm drink, and observe the world. Fascinating and strangely relaxing.
🧘Do YOGA. If you're not up for an hour of bending and twisting, don't sweat it. There are lots of styles of yoga! In fact, right now I'm really into yin and restorative yoga. 👋Shout out to DoYogaWithMe. For $18 CAD/month I have access to a huge assortment of on-demand classes by various instructors.
🧶Get ARTS-y and CRAFTS-y. There's something about making something with your own two hands. And NO... you don't need to be "artistic" (🙄whatever that means). Find something that strikes your fancy and DO IT! Lately I've been crocheting pretty dish clothes. Fun fact: You can't doomscroll and crochet at the same time.
💃🏻DANCE! Crank up the tunes while you're making dinner and get your groove on. The wilder you dance, the better you feel!
🧑🍳COOK and BAKE. Same general vibe as doing arts and crafts but you get to eat the results!
Remember, these aren't frivolous time-wasters. They're essential acts of self-preservation. And right now, staying sane is a radical act of resistance. ✌️
Stuff Worth Sharing
Not sure what craft suits your fancy? Check out The Loop, a 🇨🇦Halifax, Nova Scotia shop with SO MANY cool kits to get you started with knitting, embroidery, rug-hooking, etc. Their beginner kits are perfect for those moments when you need to keep your hands busy and your mind calm.
And if arts and crafts feel like TOO MUCH for you right now... I've gotcha. There's a super cool puzzle shop called The Occurrence in 🇨🇦Ontario. They let YOU decide whether you want your puzzle to be 500 or 1000+ pieces (because sometimes our brains need an easier win). You can even have them create a custom puzzle based on your own photo or design. It costs a bit more but hey... you're worth it!
Note: I don't do paid endorsements, so when I recommend something, it's because I use it myself (like DoYogaWithMe and The Loop) or I've at least heard good things about it (The Occurrence).
For the Word Nerds
If you're not Canadian (or not a hockey fan), you might be wondering about the expression "Elbows Up". It's a hockey phrase with a meaning that's both literal and metaphorical. It's about protecting yourself while staying strong and moving forward. 🏒 🇨🇦
Elbows Up is what language lovers call a REGIONALISM - a word or phrase that's specific to a particular area. Born from shared experiences (like popular sports and traditions), these expressions often carry meaning far deeper than their literal definitions.
While regionalisms might puzzle outsiders, they're pure gold for connecting with your community. They add an instant shot of authenticity to your voice, like sharing a secret handshake with readers who just get it.
I'd love to hear your region's equivalent of Elbows Up. What expression captures that spirit of standing strong when times get tough? Email me!
Thank you for your time. See you again on February 26th. In the meantime:
👉Need a way to make your voice stand out that won't add to your stress? My Free Brand Voice Course is designed to be gentle but effective. No elbows required!
👉Email me your thoughts on this issue. Feedback makes me happy!
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