014: You know you best
For today’s pep talk, I’m giving you FULL permission to do whatever you need to do and also sharing some suggestions of things you can do that are kinder to yourself than continually refreshing your news feed.
Episode transcript:
Good morning Daily Peppers, and a very happy Monday to you. So I thought I would start this week off by addressing the huge fuck off sized elephant in the room. The world feels pretty overwhelming right now. So for today's pep talk to start the week off, I am giving you full permission to do whatever you need to do and also sharing some suggestions of things that you can do that are kinder to yourself than continually refreshing your newsfeed. Because it is not hard to get lost in the anxiety of everything right now. So first things first, you know you best. Sometimes knowledge is power. There are definitely times in my life where I felt like going down the Google rabbit hole and being as informed as possible is the most helpful thing because it's given me a semblance of control.
But other times, especially in times of mass hysteria, that's felt like one of the worst things I could do. The thing is, you know what works for you, and I'm pretty sure that as you're listening to this, you have a gut feeling of what that is. So if you need to completely disengage from the news or social media for a while, do it. It's not like you can miss anything huge happening. We live in a world that doesn't allow for that anyway. A while ago I wrote on my blog a list of 56 things you can do instead of watching the news. And in the beginning of it I added the caveat that not reading or watching the news does not make you an ignorant citizen in the world. Ultimately, you need to look after your mental health first.
And that's not selfish. Ray Earle, the author of My Fat Diary, tweeted a couple of years ago. If you find events trigger your mental health issues, turn rolling news off. It doesn't mean you don't care. You're being responsible to you. And I couldn't agree more. So give yourself permission to handle things the way you know you need to handle them. You really do know you best.
And if you're looking for things to distract yourself with, you find yourself with extra time on your hands. Or if you're looking for something to counteract the overwhelm, there are so many things you can do. Maybe it's time to go and reread your favourite books. Maybe it's time to go back and read all of the Harry Potter books. Maybe it's time to really focus on one of the many creative projects you've been putting off. I'm not judging. We have all been there. Or maybe it's time to look at one of your many Pinterest boards and just pick something to make.
Maybe this could be a special time for you to really lean into your creativity. What if you saw this as an opportunity? I know we're all going through different levels of similar shit right now and I know some of us have it far easier than others. But no matter where you fall on the shit spectrum you do have some control. Although it might not feel like it. Keep being the wonderful human you are, nest if you need to. And remember creativity is a gift and like any gift there are millions of ways you can use and give them. I'm sending you a huge hug and I can't wait to see you back here tomorrow. If you have any creative friends who are struggling right now and you're enjoying the daily pep, send it their way.
Sometimes in chaos what we need is stability and routine and a bit of daily rebel rousing never did anyone any harm. See you tomorrow.
Episode transcript automatically produced by Castmagic.io
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A short, snappy and sassy daily podcast to keep your internal - and external - dreamshitters at bay!
The Daily Pep! is the rebel-rousing, daily podcast for couragemakers, creative, multi-passionate and unconventional women. If you’re surrounded by people who don’t get who you are or what you do, if you want reminders you’re on the right path (no matter how scary it feels), or you’re sick of being your very own worst enemy, this is the podcast for you. Every weekday, your host - writer, coach and professional rebel-rouser - Meg Kissack helps you build a creative and wholehearted life, one day at a time. Through short and snappy insights, reminders and stories, The Daily Pep! is here to remind you you’re not alone, and that everything changes when you believe you matter. Each episode is short and snappy, designed to fit in with (or help you start) your habits and routines.
