"I have to take a break from podcasts today. I just can't absorb any more good information," was the text I sent to my friend.
I'm not sure if you are into podcasts, but I absolutely love them. See, a lot of my work is with my hands and solo, so it's easy for me to put in some earbuds and tune in while I do my job.
Yesterday I was poking around and found so many awesome insights that I have to get them in writing so hopefully I will retain at least a few. Incidentally, most of yesterday's came from Oprah's Supersoul Conversations, but there are many other shows I enjoy:
Beautiful/Anonymous, Strangers, Modern Love, Criminal, Savvy Psychologist, and the Moth Radio Hour, to name a few.
So Oprah was talking to Ru Paul, the famous drag queen. Ru Paul is so spiritual and amazing, I had no idea. I'm paraphrasing here, but Ru Paul said that we are all one spiritually, one great big energy, inhabiting different human forms.What you put out is what you get back, and when you are berating someone or tearing them down, you are actually doing that exact same thing to yourself, because it's all shared energy. Now, I have always appreciated Ru Paul's drag persona, but I never really tuned into his work. In not having any prolonged exposure I think I had assumed that this must be a wacky person, surely he didn't have a good sense of self. Boy was I off base. The whole time Oprah was talking to a man who has more self-awareness that most of us. Ru Paul knows who he is, what he's about, and knows what he wants to leave as his legacy. He knows how he likes to spend his time and most certainly knows how to love. Now I'm not going to start dressing like a man, it's not my thing, but I sure could benefit from being more like Ru Paul.
I'm about to say a dirty word: Money. Ugh do I have all sorts of emotion and weird stuff tied to money. I'm making an effort to sort all that out and have a healthier relationship with money. In doing so I'm reading Jen Sincero's book, "You are a Badass at Making Money." It is helping a lot, but yesterday I heard about Lynne Twist, who wrote a book called, "The Soul of Money". She, too, was on one of the Supersoul Conversations podcasts. She said something that sent me rushing for pen and paper to write it down. Lynne Twist said, "What you appreciate, appreciates." I mean, can it get any more simple than that? Succint and true. Everything comes from gratitude and counting blessings, but what a divine way to simply remember that: what you appreciate, appreciates. There was so much more she said that was useful and helpful, if you get the chance, listen to the whole thing.
Lastly, and surely not least--like many people, I'm a Brenè Brown fan. I think her work is exceptional and she explains things in such a way that it may take me a time or two, but I understand. She does amazing work about connection, shame, empathy, and vunerability. If you've never heard of her, start with the TED talk that threw her work into public consciousness. If you have heard of her and know some of her principles and insights, then listen to her Supersoul conversation with Oprah that is dated August 7, 2017. Ah-may-zing. It is so rich that I could write a whole post or two on it, but the new insight I heard yesterday that I hadn't before was this: "Unused creativity is not benign." WHAT!? Is she saying that if I don't knit that afghan it's harmful to me? Well, yes, if that's your outlet. So creativity is when the work of your head and your heart comes out in some form through your hands. To repress your creativity is self-destructive, unused creativity turns into "grief, rage, judgement, sorrow or shame." So whatever your outlet: baking, gardening, writing, acting, knitting...you gotta figure out how to get around to doing it. Not doing it is not sharing your soul with the world.
See. See how there was just so much good stuff that I had to stop listening to absorb it all? And those are just the tip of the iceberg. If you've never listened to podcasts, click here for a basic tutorial in how to start.
If you have listened, tell me some of your favorites. What am I missing? And have you ever had one that you completely connected with? I hope so. It's amazing all the great information that's out there for the soaking up. As I said to a good friend today as we swapped insights, isn't it cool getting old??
