The Messy Middle
How do we see the wood for the trees? How do we set a new precedent? How do we create new habits? How do we reclaim our time in an attention economy?
Following a gorgeous burst of Spring optimism last week I awoke to an exceptionally cold, wet and overcast morning. The air felt thick and maudlin. Everywhere I looked this brooding energy was being reflected back at me in fifty shades of grey—the ends of my hair curling up against the damp; overnight snails seduced by wet pavements crushed and smeared across the tarmac; even my dog, normally a ball of energy, wouldn’t be persuaded beyond a plodding trot. To cap things off I ran into a friend “How are things?” I asked - he told me he’d split up with his long-term partner. I told him how sorry I was - I mean my heart, they were the forever type - then narrowly avoided an icy wash-down from a speeding bus meeting a puddle.
These are the times when it is particularly helpful to lean on the practices which we know hold us up. These are the practices I refer to as my non-negotiables which I shared some of last week. Invariably, they can also be the first thing to go by the wayside when we hit a speed-bump. Or they can for me. I can become a little more reckless—better, slapdash? Making excuses as to why I don’t need to show up for myself. But non-negotiable practices, if they’re the right ones, are the bare necessities that will keep us structurally sound whatever storm of emotion might be building inside of us—or being reflected in our immediate environments. This is definitely not an advert for positive vibes only - that’d be about as effective as heading for the cover of trees as lightning begins to strike - it’s about creating space for your feelings, however you’re feeling. On the sunshine filled days as much as the rain-soaked ones. I like to think of these non-negotiable practices as investing in a really good raincoat for life, as opposed to a cheap umbrella grabbed on the fly that will blow out in a storm within seconds.
For those who are new here, welcome welcome! This is part of a loose series exploring our relationship to time and entertaining an idea of slow living. To start at the beginning head here.
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