How Kind Are You? // Reclaiming Busyness // ''Last Lockdown'' Comedy Video
Hello Carousellers,
Happy New Tier's Eve!
How are you celebrating? Like every year, I have no plans and there's a last minute scramble to assemble people and find the best party...
If you're new to Carousel, this is a newsletter for people who thrive on variety. In it I share musings, ideas and support for how to live a life full of things that make you feel alive.
You can read more here.
Grab a tea and have a cosy read!
Sarah x
How kind are you?
For the past 8 weeks I've been getting up at 7am for a Mindful Self-Compassion Course with Kind Mind Academy.
Anyone who knows me will know that this is VERY early for me, but there has been a beautiful tranquility of waking up with the winter sunrise (and also I get to do the session from my bed - it's about kindness to self, after all!)
The course is mainly attended by Australians, which has added a gorgeous element to an already nourishing atmosphere (my alter ego Sarah Moany is Australian, so discussing kindness in an Aussie accent is litch the dream).
There was a magical moment during the session today when we realised that both UK and Aussie Zoomers had the same reflection of sunlight on their walls - only for us the sun was rising, and for them it was setting. But it's the same sun! The same thing generating light for all of us. Obviously it's the same sun. But also, what?! One of those 'the world is tiny' moments.
Kind Mind Academy's tag line is 'what is the kindest thing I can do for myself right now?' and that really is the essence of the course. I've come away with so many tools - and although this work isn't an overnight switch, it feels really good to have dedicated 3 hours a week to this and practise replacing that critical voice with a more compassionate one...
They have a course coming up in January, which has an Early Bird discount until 6th December. If you're not sure if it's right for you, I recommend doing this Self-Compassion survey to see where you're at on the scale. I did it before and after the course and was amazed how much had shifted.
Whamageddon arrived early...
In our house we've been reminiscing and mourning the stark contrast between Lockdown 1 (LD1) and Lockdown 2 (LD2) in the UK. Here is our parody of Wham's 'Last Christmas' - we've called it 'Last Lockdown' - ENJOY!
Reclaiming Busyness
I recently learned about Human Design and found out I was the 'Manifesting Generator' type. One of the characteristics is 'needing to be busy and have multiple projects on the go.' It made me think of Carousel and I wondered if anyone else in the community has done this profiling and is an 'MG' too?
It also made me realise that I've spent a lot of my 30s rejecting the part of me that enjoys being busy. When I hear busy I think hectic, un-grounded, out of control. That might be because in my 20s I was an unhealthy busy, rushing from appointment to appointment, and always getting into my creative flow 10 minutes before I had to leave the house, and therefore being perenially late, and stressed.
I then spent quite a few years so scared to be busy again, that I didn't take on enough. Having too much time on my hands drains me - the buzz of multiple projects is my fuel. So I'm now re-calibrating again and finding that happy medium. Busy enough.
Although maybe a better question than 'am I busy enough/too busy?' is to ask 'what am I busy doing?' and 'how is this making me feel?' When we are going from one nourishing, uplifting activity to the next, and it makes us feel good, do we still call that busy?
3 Blogs I've written recently
Quitting Quadrant
In 2018 I created a framework to help people understand what's really going on when they want to quit. Over time it's morphed into a holistic tool to understand motivation, quitting tendencies and how to regain balance when you feel like you're on the edge.
Creating Psychological Safety on Zoom
When I tried to recreate my Power of Uke workshop online I realised how much of making people feel safe happens before the workshop even begins. On Zoom we often rush straight in to delivery without helping people settle, and this can affect the whole experience. This article is a collection of 12 ideas for how to help people feel relaxed and looked after when running events online.
What you miss about your business pre-Covid, is your why
A quick read of how to turn Covid frustrations into marketing fuel!
Something soothing I've heard
''When very old patterns come up again it doesn't mean we're weak. It's the opposite - they're coming up now because we are in a strong enough place to finally deal with them.'' (Overheard during a Sister Stories circle recently).
Listen to...
Sarah Keyworth - Are you a Boy or a Girl?
I met Sarah when I first starting doing comedy and she's performed at Rye Laughs various times. She's now all over Radio 4 and hosts a podcast called 'You'll Do', where she and her girlfriend interview various famous couples. On this series she talks about gender norms, societal expectations and her own experience with androgyny. It's hilarious, informative and very moving.
Dr Mind Body Soul
Carouseller Jude Galea has just launched a podcast bringing her experience as an A+E doctor together with various healing modalities from around the globe, to present a holistic take on how we can live healthy lives.So proud of Jude for dreaming this up and launching it within the year, and she's got some incredible guests lined up too!
Podcast interview
The other day I spoke to Lisette Sutherland about my experience working from home during Covid, trying to get Power of Uke to work online and my love of Quitting. I think it has a cameo from my housemate at one point offering me a slice of melon.
Here's a lovely playlist of soothing tunes for autumnal vibes... Enjoy!
Carousel Community Offerings
We Built This City
Alice's incredible online shop (previously a physical shop in Carnaby Street), which revolutionised the souvenier industry by collaborating with local artists. She's kindly offered everyone a discount until the end of December - use CAROUSEL15
111 Goddesses
Natalie has scultped 111 Goddesses while in lockdown in her rustic mill in France (dreamy scenes!) They are for sale individually. Currently she is offering a 20% pre christmas discount with code FRIEND22.
Surviving Christmas Conversations
Thea (embodied Speaking coach), is offering a much needed toolkit of how to get through the dreaded Christmas chat: deflect unwanted probing questions from nosey aunties, sidestep conversations bores with the drunken relative and focus on having chats with people you want to see each year! Thea is an amazing space-holder and I always get so much from her sessions.
Watch...
'How to Simplify Your Life'
''You might not need to move countries, change careers of get a divorce - you might just need a good night's sleep.'' Brilliant video from School of Life, basically telling us all to have a nap.
What's on my Carousel?
Organising the Afternoon of Musical Joy in Epping Forest (photo above) this Sunday 6th December (sign up!) - Interviewing people for my Quitting podcast and book - Exploring work opportunities for 2021 and having virtual coffees with people I've met on Linked In - Running a Full Moon Ceremony with my CoMOONity - Relearning the violin after decades of it collecting dust - Coaching my lovely clients - Tutoring Spanish GCSE (and introducing my students to Colombian music!)
Until next time :)
x