I’ve been down with a severe case of viral, coupled with a stomach bug from hell. It’s not been pretty. I’ve been grumpy. And I needed a distraction, and to write. But seeing as I was confined to bed, the only distraction I had on hand was my phone. Writing ideas, well….none. So I did what anyone would do – I hopped over to my Instagram feed, and scrolled down in search of some inspiration.
I found this image from a couple of months ago, and decided to use it to write. Here goes!
In a world that is all about the hustle; where news is old the moment it's tweeted, going slow is a radical act of rebellion. Click To Tweet
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I’ve always been one for the slow life. As a child, I loved building up Lego block houses, going off the reservations by constructing my houses without plans or references. They took a good long time, but it felt enjoyable, to try, fail, try again, until something clicked.
My favourite place in my room was curled up near the window, the music playing softly – or loudly, depending on how rebellious I was being that day – as I daydreamed a million different dreams.
I was never one to conform. I didn’t want to follow the norm. I had no grand ambitions, no illusions of grandeur. I wanted to work, because I wanted to be independent. I always wanted to do something creative – writing, photography, art. I dreamt of having exhibitions of my work some day, but that was the extent of my desire. For the most part, I wanted a quiet artist’s/writer’s cottage where I could live and work in peace; secluded, with the occasional company of good friends.
I never dreamt of a high flying life. I never dreamt of a million page views and 10k followers; of a 6-figure income stream or working while sipping mojitos at the beach.
But when you blog, when you share your work, this is the message that bombards you from every corner. If you aren’t hustling, you may as well not exist, i.e. you may as well be irrelevant.
But is that really true? Do 10k followers, the LadyBoss lifestyle, and a million page views make you relevant? And relevant to whom? Who is this nameless, faceless audience you’re playing for? And will they care if one day you decide to pack it all up and leave?
Like pods, comment pods, signal boosting, buying followers – so often our time gets spent doing things that add zero value to our lives. All those poddies liking your posts like zombies, how many of them really connect with or are moved by a single thing you’ve posted? How can you be sure?
In a world that is all about the hustle, going along slowly, at your own sweet pace, is a radical act of rebellion that your radical, rebellious soul craves. Why do you fight that? Why do you get swept up in the drama and the hollow comparison with so-called influencers who are busy gaming the system? Why do you fight yourself every single day?
While everyone is busy hustling and bustling, why don't you simply focus on your devotion? Click To Tweet“It’s okay not to have New Years resolutions
It’s okay not to have big goals for your life
It’s okay not to have plans you want to
Manifest
It’s okay not to chase your dreams
That path is not for everyone
Some walk the path of
Unbecoming
They are traveling the road
Backwards
Seeking the core
What is basic and essential
What has been here all along”
– Maya Luna
This is interesting! All of this came from seeing the turtle and the knight plodding along in his armour. What started with some memories from my childhood, turned into a message I needed to remember as I look to navigate the world of online business and ecourses and selling art – on my own sweet terms.
This is a little taste of what journaling with the tarot can look like. And yes, it is almost always profound. Because tarot isn’t only about fortune telling. It’s a powerful psycho-spiritual tool that can help you to unravel your own hidden layers.
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Slow and steady.
I absolutely agree that it is not about the number of followers but the engagement with them that matters!
Hope you’re feeling better now.
Yes! And listening to the noise out there can easily make you forget that!
I’m feeling much better now, thank you!
I read your post in context to my blogging journey and it was so very heartening. All we hear these days is followers, SEO, page views. It is overwhelming on some days. It really is important to remind myself that that isn’t my journey at all. That’s not to say that people who do monitor all those parameters are wrong – it’s just that it isn’t the way for me.
Absolutely! It’s all about knowing what you’re pursuing and not getting swept up in the hype. And that does get difficult sometimes, with everyone seemingly only talking about numbers and SEO and page views. I think we all need these reminders from time to time!
Oh yes….I so agree with going slow and steady. I do find it rather intimidating when I see others rushing ahead of me, but, I tell myself that it is there journey, their story, which is far different than mine. So, let me do the things I wish to do and at the speed I find comfy. Let me not get scared or worried of the numbers. Things will happen when they have to happen. Let me work with all my passion and perseverance and patience and enjoy my journey.
RIght? 🙂
Thank you for this post, Shinjini!! It makes me feel so so good knowing that I am doing well for myself.
<3
Yeah, slow and steady is what it is all about. And not getting swept up in the hype and hoopla of numbers and figures.
It’s an old adage that slow & steady wins the race, but here, the emphasis is not on speed but rhythm. Happiness lies in journey. It doesn’t matter whether you achieve your goals or not. They are just to keep you on journeying. A thought-provoking post indeed, Shinjini. 🙂
Yes, I completely agree with this! It’s all about the rhythm and the journey.
So true Shinjini. What really matters is how you feel and not the nameless, faceless audience. Keep going. Hope you are well now.
Yes. Seems like I need that reminder from time to time, though! I am much better now, thank you so much!
It’s good to know a bit more about you Shinjini. While I enjoy both going slow and chasing things, I’m also not a check list person. I like going with the flow. That flow can be slow or fast 🙂
Good know that tarot is not just fortune telling. I’m guilty of not knowing much about it. But every time I visit your space, I learn something new.
Ah yes, of course. Going with your own flow – be it slow, fast, or somewhere in between is key.
And yes, there is a lot more to Tarot than mere fortune telling. I think I should figure out how I can convey these other, lesser known aspects of tarot.
What a lovely post. An absolute delight. I can really associate with this quiet writer’s life, away from the grandeur and high-flying life.
Haina? Sadly, though, if you have any hopes of being published, you have to engage in the hustle. I wonder how books were promoted in the age before social media – we still knew famous books and authors, but there was an air of mystery around them too.
How very true. It’s manic now
It is!!