Letters From Love/Playing With Fire collab. When the one and only Elizabeth Gilbert invited me to participate in her Substack project, Letters From Love, I was gobsmacked. I’ve admired Liz’s writings and teachings for years, and I’d immediately subscribed to “Letters from Love” when she created it on this platform a couple of months ago.
WOW. This is beautiful writing that deeply resonates with me (and I suspect a lot of other women who use achievements as armor). Thank you so much for sharing this reminder to be kind to every part of ourself.
Shannon, I love your love letter to yourself. I have never written a love letter to myself, but I think I will try. I have written and spoken self-affirmations, but in reality those are to psych me up for the day - to pump me up, so to speak. I have stepped back from literally pushing my body physically and finally address my chronic shoulder and neck pain - moving toward loving my body rather than treating my body like a machine. So next step is to connect with my psyche and perhaps it will start with a love letter to myself. Thank you Shannon for sharing - speaking for myself, I am drawn to you because I too am a doer, want to get things done for others, to see positive changes and obliterate the negative forces. Sitting down to chill is almost uncomfortable because my whole body is like, “lady, you need to be doing x, y & z”. I am finding peace and calm inside of me when I start to feel out of control (not in a crazy way, but when there is too much on my plate) I pause and do a few deep, closed mouth hums where the vibration massages the roof of my mouth and calms my brain. It’s baby steps, one step at a time.
Wow. Giving permission to be loved when resting. This is powerful. Also, sharing your vulnerabilities in moving. We are all human, no matter how we got to where we are....and sharing vulnerabilities makes connections stronger with those who you choose to share.
Shannon — I can’t thank you enough for vulnerability to write this love letter to yourself and to share it. And then to write the story behind what it felt like to write it! Isn’t it incredible how we ourselves can be the most difficult ones to show up for with tenderness? Thank you for modeling love for us all!
As I walk towards some form of retirement from the constant, from the completely flat out running, I am so appreciative of your letter and timing. I am not interested in nursing my ailments but rather improving my dance moves and walking Camino Santiago, and going to the Aspen institute - and really doing those things I had to pass on with my current work. It will be difficult to let go of the ever busy so I am grateful to hear more of how you’re moving through.
WOW. This is beautiful writing that deeply resonates with me (and I suspect a lot of other women who use achievements as armor). Thank you so much for sharing this reminder to be kind to every part of ourself.
Shannon, I love your love letter to yourself. I have never written a love letter to myself, but I think I will try. I have written and spoken self-affirmations, but in reality those are to psych me up for the day - to pump me up, so to speak. I have stepped back from literally pushing my body physically and finally address my chronic shoulder and neck pain - moving toward loving my body rather than treating my body like a machine. So next step is to connect with my psyche and perhaps it will start with a love letter to myself. Thank you Shannon for sharing - speaking for myself, I am drawn to you because I too am a doer, want to get things done for others, to see positive changes and obliterate the negative forces. Sitting down to chill is almost uncomfortable because my whole body is like, “lady, you need to be doing x, y & z”. I am finding peace and calm inside of me when I start to feel out of control (not in a crazy way, but when there is too much on my plate) I pause and do a few deep, closed mouth hums where the vibration massages the roof of my mouth and calms my brain. It’s baby steps, one step at a time.
Wow. Giving permission to be loved when resting. This is powerful. Also, sharing your vulnerabilities in moving. We are all human, no matter how we got to where we are....and sharing vulnerabilities makes connections stronger with those who you choose to share.
Love this ❤️ resonates so much with me. Sending love and peace to you in your stillness.
Shannon — I can’t thank you enough for vulnerability to write this love letter to yourself and to share it. And then to write the story behind what it felt like to write it! Isn’t it incredible how we ourselves can be the most difficult ones to show up for with tenderness? Thank you for modeling love for us all!
As I walk towards some form of retirement from the constant, from the completely flat out running, I am so appreciative of your letter and timing. I am not interested in nursing my ailments but rather improving my dance moves and walking Camino Santiago, and going to the Aspen institute - and really doing those things I had to pass on with my current work. It will be difficult to let go of the ever busy so I am grateful to hear more of how you’re moving through.