She speaks nothing but the truth!! I totally resonate with the pressure to be everything all at once, and I think this is an expectation inflicted on us by socials. Thank you for the reminder that all that we are is more than enough, Lauren, it's definitely one I need regularly!! Also so happy you enjoyed my post, thank you for mentioning it 💗💗
This is a beautiful piece, Lauren! Being okay with 'not' being certain things is so freeing. I will never, ever be a party girl and it's so much more comforting to just recognise that instead of trying to push myself to go out and then have a bad time.
Mate….you already know this is ME too, to a T. Not chill, not adventur-y, very uncoordinated and would rather only literary adventures and cosy times for the rest of my life. I reckon, we just buddy Alex and James up…they can cycle and climb mountains and we can read and drink wine. Heaven 😂
Oh Lauren!! THIS!!! I love this epiphany, this acceptance, this admittance. You *must* have had the same thought as me at the same time, when I wrote my overwelmed note about wishing I could do and be it all.
I, too, will never be chill, I do not like adventures of the intense kind (I will die not having seen most of the world, and that's OK), and I'm starting to wonder if I just am not a gym girlie, either.
I may have to write a response piece to this, one day. You've hit the nail on the head, again. And now I need to accept I will never be, or write like, you! 🙈
I love this. I'm not a sports girl. I don't like playing...anything, unless it's board games. I was always bad at sports and I think the reason was that I just never liked any of it.
thanks Lauren - love this post - I found this on my morning scroll and thought I’d like to introduce myself - I have celebrated my limitations for as long as I can remember - I think I got it from Gloria Gaynors song - I am what I am and what I am needs no excuses. So here I am introducing myself as I am with no excuses since you are unlikely to come across me otherwise - hope to see you on the road xx
Loved reading this! I often wonder whether we're all about to become a carbon copy of one another with the incessant social media pressure to be a morning person, a gym girlie, a '52 hard' devotee, a morning pages writer... Leaning into whoever we really are is actually such a powerful act!
Oh Michelle, I could not agree more! Also WHAT on earth is a '52 hard'...I'm not sure I want to know, actually 😂 it's so powerful to just accept ourselves as we come, knowing that things can change and we can find new perspectives, but ultimately, this is it and it's OK to be OK with that, you know?!
Late to the party here, but that adventure para spoke to my soul. I spent my twenties bending over backwards to be that person (even fake tanning my pale skin - ridiculous I know). Now I’m in my 30s and I’ve made peace with being the person who has to be dragged kicking and screaming to a theme park and finds the idea of a festival an absolute nightmare. I think my husband finds me a bit of a curmudgeon but he knew what he was getting into!
Thank you for this! I’m excited to ponder all the things I am not today and then let them go!
I am excited for you!
She speaks nothing but the truth!! I totally resonate with the pressure to be everything all at once, and I think this is an expectation inflicted on us by socials. Thank you for the reminder that all that we are is more than enough, Lauren, it's definitely one I need regularly!! Also so happy you enjoyed my post, thank you for mentioning it 💗💗
Thank you so much, Ella. You are absolutely more than enough <3
This is a beautiful piece, Lauren! Being okay with 'not' being certain things is so freeing. I will never, ever be a party girl and it's so much more comforting to just recognise that instead of trying to push myself to go out and then have a bad time.
I felt this in my soul Soph! I AM NOT A PARTY GIRL.
Mate….you already know this is ME too, to a T. Not chill, not adventur-y, very uncoordinated and would rather only literary adventures and cosy times for the rest of my life. I reckon, we just buddy Alex and James up…they can cycle and climb mountains and we can read and drink wine. Heaven 😂
Literary adventures forever my friend :)
…read and drink wine (not sure why Substack keeps cutting off comments)
Oh Lauren!! THIS!!! I love this epiphany, this acceptance, this admittance. You *must* have had the same thought as me at the same time, when I wrote my overwelmed note about wishing I could do and be it all.
I, too, will never be chill, I do not like adventures of the intense kind (I will die not having seen most of the world, and that's OK), and I'm starting to wonder if I just am not a gym girlie, either.
I may have to write a response piece to this, one day. You've hit the nail on the head, again. And now I need to accept I will never be, or write like, you! 🙈
JO <3 you are so so so kind. PLEASE write a response! I would so love to hear your take because you are a wonderful writer xxxx
I love this. I'm not a sports girl. I don't like playing...anything, unless it's board games. I was always bad at sports and I think the reason was that I just never liked any of it.
thanks Lauren - love this post - I found this on my morning scroll and thought I’d like to introduce myself - I have celebrated my limitations for as long as I can remember - I think I got it from Gloria Gaynors song - I am what I am and what I am needs no excuses. So here I am introducing myself as I am with no excuses since you are unlikely to come across me otherwise - hope to see you on the road xx
https://esthernewrick.substack.com/p/pondering?r=1w6n51
Esther! This is so lovely of you, thank you so much. So pleased to see you here and can't wait to read your pieces xx
Loved reading this! I often wonder whether we're all about to become a carbon copy of one another with the incessant social media pressure to be a morning person, a gym girlie, a '52 hard' devotee, a morning pages writer... Leaning into whoever we really are is actually such a powerful act!
Also want to know what 52 hard is hahahaha
Oh Michelle, I could not agree more! Also WHAT on earth is a '52 hard'...I'm not sure I want to know, actually 😂 it's so powerful to just accept ourselves as we come, knowing that things can change and we can find new perspectives, but ultimately, this is it and it's OK to be OK with that, you know?!
It’s best you never find out 😂 I saw it doing the rounds several times this year and searched it once… never again!
Absolutely! I’m so fine with being little ol’ me. Sometimes I try and improve myself, but whatever we do is at our pace. It’s all good.
Late to the party here, but that adventure para spoke to my soul. I spent my twenties bending over backwards to be that person (even fake tanning my pale skin - ridiculous I know). Now I’m in my 30s and I’ve made peace with being the person who has to be dragged kicking and screaming to a theme park and finds the idea of a festival an absolute nightmare. I think my husband finds me a bit of a curmudgeon but he knew what he was getting into!