Sarai, I really really needed to read that we could even make it "easy." I don't know why this didn't occur to me, but I can't thank you enough. Thank you.
I know, it seems so simple that it’s silly. But somehow, it’s felt like a revelation.
I think it also relaxes me to the point where things actually do become easier. The other day, I decided to try untangling a fine gold chain that was in knots and I hadn’t been able to fix. I thought, what if this were easy? I sat down under some good light, relaxed, and undid all the tiny little knots and tangles within 5 minutes. It felt like magic, but I think a large part of it is just relaxing into it instead of wrestling with it.
Happy new year to you Sarai. Be happy, be healthy, be safe and be at ease, is a wish I do every night for 2 persons I love and one person I dislike. It's an exercice that strangely enough make me feel good and at ease. It's not easy at times, especially if you pick a politician that is ideologically totally opposite to you but it works. I just retired, it feels strange. I'm oscillating between 1000 ideas of stuff to do or disappearing in my sewing room all day! I love your word, easy. I may adopt it for myself, giving me a chance to figure out what will be the next chapter, what I truly enjoy and want for myself. Reading you is always a pleasure.
I’ve sort of felt this way too the last couple weeks of not working. Oddly, it made me quite anxious to have so many choices of things to do with my time.
Ease and intuition all rolled into one! Love your thoughtful take on this. All these ideas you shared are touching my heartstrings deeply, so I'm definitely going to listen to that call. You, once again, summed up what I have been feeling lately, and boiled it down to something easy (see what happened there?) to digest!
I will also note that the message of non-attachment has been showing up in my life very strongly (non-attachment to outcomes, holding expectations loosely, not holding cherished outcomes, etc), and now your message holds another spoke on this wheel. I hear you universe! It's the message we all need for this coming year/these coming years.
I'm thinking of making some sort of vision board around these ideas.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and for sharing it with us!
Thanks for a thoughtful and gentle article to start the new year. For me, listening to my body and thinking about what I really want to do, not what I should do, has been really helpful for dealing with chronic illness. Now I’m going to add “easy” to my process! Thanks!!
Thank you for such an insightful article! I am bringing more ease into my life this year by not purchasing any unnecessary clothing from a store, and trying to make clothing myself. Since I don't go to a classroom anymore to work, my need for clothing is not as great as it used to be, and therefore I can spend the time to sew the things I want to wear and that I will like to wear without any pressure. This morning, I had to make a trip to a shopping mall, and as I browsed through the corridors looking at all of clothing sales, I went in to some supposedly high fashion stores. The fabrics used were just cheap and the workmanship on most of the clothes was very shoddy. It reminded me exactly why I sew: to wear the looks, the fibres and styles I want instead of feeling that other people are forcing their choices on me. I find comfort in having control over that aspect of my life. Let's maintain those positive directions in 2025!
I'm in a similar position in a way, because I have a lot of clothes that are for a former life where I lived in a city and went to an office to work every day. Not the case any more!
I love this so much! My 23 year old daughter is predisposed to do the hard things. She recently chose her own wellbeing over a commitment that was damaging. I couldn’t be prouder. I long to choose the easy (=my) way this year.
It really does seem simple. Like a little breeze. Think I’m going to mull it over, just a little bit. I feel an urge to just let go and go with it. Thanks for opening this window. 🌻
I'm glad you mentioned small acts of kindness. There is really nothing small about going out of your way to be kind to people. I think we have an epidemic of loneliness in our society - social media can contribute to it - and we need to address it.
I enjoy the creativity of sewing clothing and it seems to involve a lot of problem-solving. For many months I've been concentrating on jackets and noticing (for example) that there are multiple techniques for doing collars and linings. I enjoy trying out different patterns and online tutorials to see which techniques work best for me. I'm retired so my hobbies are my work!
I'd like to hear more about what inspires your sewing/designing creativity.
Sarai, I really really needed to read that we could even make it "easy." I don't know why this didn't occur to me, but I can't thank you enough. Thank you.
I know, it seems so simple that it’s silly. But somehow, it’s felt like a revelation.
I think it also relaxes me to the point where things actually do become easier. The other day, I decided to try untangling a fine gold chain that was in knots and I hadn’t been able to fix. I thought, what if this were easy? I sat down under some good light, relaxed, and undid all the tiny little knots and tangles within 5 minutes. It felt like magic, but I think a large part of it is just relaxing into it instead of wrestling with it.
Happy new year to you Sarai. Be happy, be healthy, be safe and be at ease, is a wish I do every night for 2 persons I love and one person I dislike. It's an exercice that strangely enough make me feel good and at ease. It's not easy at times, especially if you pick a politician that is ideologically totally opposite to you but it works. I just retired, it feels strange. I'm oscillating between 1000 ideas of stuff to do or disappearing in my sewing room all day! I love your word, easy. I may adopt it for myself, giving me a chance to figure out what will be the next chapter, what I truly enjoy and want for myself. Reading you is always a pleasure.
I’ve sort of felt this way too the last couple weeks of not working. Oddly, it made me quite anxious to have so many choices of things to do with my time.
Ease and intuition all rolled into one! Love your thoughtful take on this. All these ideas you shared are touching my heartstrings deeply, so I'm definitely going to listen to that call. You, once again, summed up what I have been feeling lately, and boiled it down to something easy (see what happened there?) to digest!
I will also note that the message of non-attachment has been showing up in my life very strongly (non-attachment to outcomes, holding expectations loosely, not holding cherished outcomes, etc), and now your message holds another spoke on this wheel. I hear you universe! It's the message we all need for this coming year/these coming years.
I'm thinking of making some sort of vision board around these ideas.
Thank you for your thoughtfulness and for sharing it with us!
Thanks for a thoughtful and gentle article to start the new year. For me, listening to my body and thinking about what I really want to do, not what I should do, has been really helpful for dealing with chronic illness. Now I’m going to add “easy” to my process! Thanks!!
Yes, that's such a big part of it!
Thank you for such an insightful article! I am bringing more ease into my life this year by not purchasing any unnecessary clothing from a store, and trying to make clothing myself. Since I don't go to a classroom anymore to work, my need for clothing is not as great as it used to be, and therefore I can spend the time to sew the things I want to wear and that I will like to wear without any pressure. This morning, I had to make a trip to a shopping mall, and as I browsed through the corridors looking at all of clothing sales, I went in to some supposedly high fashion stores. The fabrics used were just cheap and the workmanship on most of the clothes was very shoddy. It reminded me exactly why I sew: to wear the looks, the fibres and styles I want instead of feeling that other people are forcing their choices on me. I find comfort in having control over that aspect of my life. Let's maintain those positive directions in 2025!
I'm in a similar position in a way, because I have a lot of clothes that are for a former life where I lived in a city and went to an office to work every day. Not the case any more!
You are RIGHT ON, Sarai!!
I LOVE THIS NEWSLETTER!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us❤️. I to always try to make things hard or complicated or”better”. It is my drug of choice also!
Have a Blessed 2025 with plenty of EASE thrown in!!
Sybil
Aww, thanks Sybil!
Yes! Love this! Sharing. ❤❤❤
I love this so much! My 23 year old daughter is predisposed to do the hard things. She recently chose her own wellbeing over a commitment that was damaging. I couldn’t be prouder. I long to choose the easy (=my) way this year.
It really does seem simple. Like a little breeze. Think I’m going to mull it over, just a little bit. I feel an urge to just let go and go with it. Thanks for opening this window. 🌻
I'm glad you mentioned small acts of kindness. There is really nothing small about going out of your way to be kind to people. I think we have an epidemic of loneliness in our society - social media can contribute to it - and we need to address it.
I enjoy the creativity of sewing clothing and it seems to involve a lot of problem-solving. For many months I've been concentrating on jackets and noticing (for example) that there are multiple techniques for doing collars and linings. I enjoy trying out different patterns and online tutorials to see which techniques work best for me. I'm retired so my hobbies are my work!
I'd like to hear more about what inspires your sewing/designing creativity.
I agree with you, Marjorie. I’ve really tried to work on friendship in the last year, and I’m continuing this year. It’s been so rewarding.
As for sewing, I feel I’m always trying to find an evolving expression of who I am and how I feel!
Happy New Year Sarai! It seems you are off to a very good start 💜
Thank you, Susan! Happy new year to you!
Aw, my card on your mantle <3 <3 <3