Yet we always envy others, comparing our shadows to their sunlit sides. – Margaret George
Sunlit side?
Honest truth?
Downplay the awesome?
Uplevel the humour?
How does one ‘play’ writing about a total and complete life changing move to a hot country?
Eventually I want people to want to come and visit and I don’t want my Mom to worry. I would like to make some sort of living out of my writing, but I don’t want to put anyone off by either saying that a) everything’s all hammocks and margaritas (annoying to some) or b) I have to hold onto my boobs in the car because the roads are so bumpy, and we spent the third night creating ant traps out of tuna cans so that we could get a good night’s sleep (off-putting to most and definitely not a selling point).
Do I write about the trials and tribulations or the beaches and the adventures? I don’t want you to stop reading because you are bored of our move. There are many blogs that I have stopped reading because I was bored of how bloody sunny it was in their world. Readers, I think, can tell if you are trying to make money by being something. Nobody can sustain that kind of positivity and light dancing on sparkling unicorn horns all of the time.
Our decision to spend six and a half months here before making the official decision to move completely means that we have rented a place in the middle of the jungle. It’s just the two of us, and I brought books. Like, Brene Brown, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, David Abram books. The whole situation is one that will facilitate either deep soul work or serious navel gazing – or both.
It’s interesting to realise that even on one of the greatest adventures of my life, I am aware of what other people think. My audience. You. I am editing for content even as I move through my days – wondering what would make a good blog post. That’s no way to create a life.
So for you, dear reader, a commitment. I’m going to write a lot about this adventure. It will definitely not be all sunshine, but I will add neither shade nor glitter simply to make things more palatable for anyone. What you see will be what’s going on. All of it. I am releasing us both from my anxiety and giving you the whole story: sunshine, rain, ants, uncertainty, joy, reflection, spirituality, soul-work, unfortunate naval-gazing, and the occasional sports bra.
But it will all be the truth.
Pura Vida.
xo
Do you want to be part of a warm and open-hearted community of women, gathered around a virtual hearth fire? Would you like to join those women for discussion about spirituality, questions, self-care and magic?
Do you crave open, honest conversation about spirituality?
Then we would love it if you would join Sas Petherick and I for Heart and Hearth.
i’d stop reading if it WAS all sunshine and margaritas. i like that you’re telling more of your story.
we hope to come and visit someday & i’m cheering you on from here in the meantime
x
I, too, can hardly bear reading the blogs about people living in warm lands. My green eyed monster rears its head and I want someone else’s life, not this cold east coast never ending winter in a loveless relationship one. So keep it honest, please!
One of the reasons that I didn’t jump right on the “Eat, Pray, Love” bandwagon is for precisely that reason. She set out to have adventures specifically to write about them. Which informs them. It can’t help but inform the choices you make, the things you do and the level of “fun” you have whilst doing them. Live your life. Share it with us as it feels good to do so. That’s real. That’s honest. And we love you no matter what.
If I liked you already, now I do even more!
P.S. I owe you an email, but taking it easy 🙂