There’s a lot of important things happening in the world right now. I’m not going to type the words to explain what those are. I think we all get it. But I thought for this Labor Day weekend, we could all use a break from the ill, illogical and insane. So here are a few things I enjoy to take a break from it all:
Horoscopes!
When I was a kid I would page through the newspaper to find the comics and horoscopes. I guess I’m really no different now, except that the comics are memes coming to me through social media. And I have found my astrologist online as well.
Chani Nicholas’ horoscopes are not the flavor of a kooky fortune teller. She has a empowerment focus, and whether or not you buy into the whole alignment of the planets thing, the messages are a helpful prompt to consider the alignment of your life.
Chani posts several times a month and even has a questionnaire to determine your rising sign. The rising sign is the way you present to the world. I’m a Virgo by birth sign, but it’s not always been a fit for me (I’m just not that detail oriented!). My rising sign is Aquarius and I find that is often more resonant.
Right now, you can access your September horoscope with corresponding Spotify playlist, reading for the full moon that just past and reading for Virgo season. She’s also an advocate for trans people and sex workers so it’s exposed me to a unique (for my circle) voice on social media.
Social Media Edit
I used to collect people to follow on Instagram and Facebook the way I might collect family photos in an album–nothing gets thrown out. This Spring I began to play with that. I paid attention to how what I was viewing made me feel. If it wasn’t good, I muted or unfollowed. I also began to search out things that made me feel even better! I started following female comedians, people talking about recovery and spirituality, artists, writers, creators.
It’s completely changed the landscape of social media for me. I find it to be quite an uplifting place now. Some of my favorite new follows include:
Morgan Harper Nichols @morganharpernichols – I picked her up during the reignition of BLM this Spring as I was looking for more voices of women of color to follow. She is an artist, poet, song writer. She is prolific as hell and embodies the mother love mantra: You are enough.
the.holistic.psychologist @the.holistic.psychologist – My sis turned me on to Dr. Nicole LaPera, clinical psychologist, who developed a method for “self healing.” The basis for this therapy is journaling and she has a program you can sign up for to participate with her community of self-healers. I haven’t explored that but her premise is that mental illness is the result of unresolved trauma and that feels very resonant to me as a psychiatric provider. Her social media feed is about codependency, self-empowerment and teaching yourself new ways of thinking and looking at the world to break old habits that don’t work for you.
Sue Monk Kidd @suemonkkidd – I love this woman. She’s a maverick. She’s a feminist in all the best ways. She honors womanhood. She understands feminine strength. With her literature, she is dismantling the cage we hold ourselves in. And her social media feed is delightful!
A few more I love: Glennon Doyle, Elizabeth Gilbert, Mari Andrew, Natalie Norton, Amy Schumer. Please leave your suggestions in the comments!!!
Podcasts!
Duh. Podcasts have become like a great pop song to me. Sometimes I hear one, and I have to listen to it over and over again until I’ve completely absorbed every part of it. I have some that are like a comfy blanket, I put on in the evening to wish me a goodnight. Am I the only one using podcasts this way?
Here are some I found to be exceptional:
Mary Oliver on On Being – This is my go-to when I’m already feeling frayed and I’m just in the bathroom getting ready to go to work. Like her poetry, this conversation helps to pull me back to the present moment. It’s not overly cheerful and rosy. It’s real and it’s kind. I recommend the unedited version.
Tracee Ellis Ross on Oprah Super Soul – “Give yourself a thousand breaks and a thousand more.” Tracee Ellis Ross is effervescent and breaks the narrative on what a successful woman’s life needs to look like. This episode is therapy.
Jay and Mark Duplass on Unlocking Us with Brené Brown – I’m still not sure exactly what it is about this episode that so fully engrosses me. It feels real. the struggle of relationships. The paradoxes of life–that’s where all the interesting things happen. I guess I relate to that. And the part about getting the kid into the car in the morning without yelling…still not the modern day Buddha.
Some others I follow regularly: The Tim Ferriss Show, Arm Chair Expert, Dolly Parton’s America (OMG! I’m throwing the one in because if you missed it you need to go back. Incredible piece of journalism.) Your suggestions in the comments, please!
I dance!
Not every day but definitely every week. While the air fryer is cooking french fries is a good time. In the shower. Holding the dog. In the car. Walking the dog at night. I don’t know how the dog feels about the dancing. He’s so stoic. But here’s a playlist if you need something to get started. Feel free to dust of your contemporary dance interpretation for the slow ones.
Click HERE for Spotify Playlist.
You’re welcome 🙂
