Live lightly, spontaneously and effortlessly
AKA 'Buy the damn sun lounger'
I’ve never owned a sun lounger. I always thought it would be way too indulgent to actually own one. “Who actually rests that much without feeling guilty?!”, I would think. “Why buy a sun lounger when I can sit on my (uncomfortable) patio chairs or lie on a blanket on the grass (and hurt my back)?”
I’d settled for discomfort for far too long.
I read these words this week in ‘The Te of Piglet’ by Benjamin Hoff and they really resonated:
“Live lightly, spontaneously and effortlessly.”
Perhaps these words were ringing in my ears yesterday morning, because when I woke up I ordered the damn sun lounger. You’ve probably already guessed that I’m typing this from my new cushioned comfort in the garden as we speak. It’s bliss.
OK, living lightly, spontaneously and effortlessly isn’t about consumerism and rushing out to buy things that make our lives more comfortable. But the sentiment for me is about embracing ease. Why make things more difficult and uncomfortable than they need to be? Why shouldn’t I relax in comfort in my garden without feeling guilty? And thinking much bigger; how can I live my life with more ease, more joy and more flow, especially when things get difficult?
I apologise that I haven’t made an appearance in your inbox for a few weeks. I think you know by now that I’m not one of those ‘send an email every Thursday without fail’ sort of people. I’m afraid I have to wait for inspiration and time to be on my side (and a new comfy sun lounger! 😉), then I feel ready to tap out a few words.
So, I’ve been very much letting my energy take me where it needs to go over the last few weeks. Which, from a writing point of view, means that I’ve been showing up on Substack Notes and using the Chat function more frequently, rather than creating longer-form posts.
You can see some of my bite-sized summer musings on Notes here.
And come and join the ‘A Slower Pace’ community chat here 👇
How I’ve been spent my time in the last couple of weeks. A list, in no particular order:
Enjoying lie-ins with no alarm clocks - hello lazier, slower days
Making (endless!) meals for all the family
Walks in the woods
Helping to keep my husband focused on his last few rounds of treatment
An early morning walk with friends
Reading - alternating between ‘The Tao of Pooh’ and ‘The Glass Bead Game’
Watching the Olympics - seeing the kids get excited about new sports is so lovely to watch
Swimming at the Lido
A picnic at the playground
Weekly chats with my therapist (I look forward to these moments SO much)
Listening to the ‘Paper Palace’ audiobook by Miranda Cowley Heller
Gentle, evening walks round the block in the cool, evening air
Iced matcha lattes and walks by the canal
Watching ‘Couples Therapy’ on BBC iPlayer - just 25 min episodes each. I’m addicted
In some ways the days have felt expansive and relaxed. In other ways I feel pulled in every direction and feel like I never have any time to actually start or finish anything. It’s been a month of contrasts - endless to-do lists and lazier moments. I’m pretty tired….
This summer holidays we’re embracing the simple things - time together as a family in the garden, local walks, ice-cream stops, playing ‘guess the intro’, having a clear out of old clothes... Keeping it low key and not buckling to the pressure to go and do all the things in all the places.
How was your July, overall?
That’s all from me.
Lovely, paid subscribers - your August playlist will be in your inboxes early next week.
With love and gratitude,
Helen x