ABSOLUTELY. I am in a similar spot. I just got Cal Newports new book Slow Productivity. I've been a fan of his for a while (loved digital minimalism), and I've noticed that while the info about which HE himself speaks resonates with me, he still entertains and interviews all the big names in the Toxic Productivity Industry on his podcast... So I stopped consuming those and I've started hiding and saying not interested to the ones that get suggested. It's all the same hogwash from a different dude and takes up time I can be using actually doing the stuff that will fulfill me and get me where I want to go. Believe it or not, I actually don't want to be another toxic-productivity, self-proclaimed guru bro on the Internet, which is what all these guys all seem to think we all want to be 😅 nah, I'm good!
I can so relate to what you’re saying! Honestly, the years that I’ve been trying to improve myself have been the most miserable. I was so fortunate to find a wonderful therapist last year and with his help I learned to work on self acceptance instead. When I was working on self improvement / development, it stemmed from my low self-esteem. I was trying to improve all these perceived flaws without accepting that no one is perfect so neither can I be. Only through acceptance of myself with all my quirks, flaws and mistakes, I’m finding peace in life that I hadn’t experienced before. I’m tuning in and exploring myself without judgement, rather than seeking how to improve on the internet and forever shifting the goalposts and therefore never actually being satisfied with the way I am in the moment.
The level of self acceptance & self compassion I feel when watching this video is incredible. Thankyou for sharing your journey in such an integral way, it's such a breath of fresh air to see. ❤ Have loved watching your journey unfold ❤
yeaaaah ... productivity is a capitalist lie, and the way it poisons our creative gardens is truly insidious. I've been through similar journeys, and my tip for illustration is to pick something you love. I have a whole series where I put dinosaurs where they don't belong, and half the fun is creating the reference models and scenes for the paintings! Don't worry: if you're enjoying your process, you're doing it right, no matter what anyone says!
I find your videos so affirming and powerful. It's amazing how much work it takes to figure out how to just "be" and do what feels good. It's a bit counter-intuitive because it keeps me online, but I like surrounding myself with creators who remind me to back up and slow down, and that the growth I long for is actually done through doing nothing well.
I love how you edited the video! It has such a nostalgic feel and I could feel the rawness in the "in the moment" short clips of nature and surroundings ❤ And again what you talked about is such great food for thought, truly appreciate it 👍
This quote comes to mind "Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will evade you, but if you notice the other things around you, it will gently come and sit on your shoulder. Henry David Thoreau
I like this approach of "just being". I think a lot of the self development content has similar mechanisms to commercial advertising - it kinda feeds into this idea that you're broken and need fixing. It also encourages a lot of the procrastination behaviours you outlined in a previous video - spending time researching , rather than doing. Something that keeps surprising me personally on this digital minimalism journey is just how much the internet has effected the actual cognitive functioning of my brain. My attention span is terrible. I notice if i binge watch youtube etc, I can barely even read a page of a book, but if I stay offline altogether, I can get through chapters. Similarly, I think the internet has made me very internalized and 'stuck in my own head' a lot of the time - because being online puts you into a sort of trance where you're cut off from reality and just "surfing" mindlessly. I'm having to use a lot of grounding techniques to slowly move me out of that tech induced brain fog back into reality - and as outlined in this video, just being - and not loading your brain with all that "stuff". I think this is the problem. There's just too much "stuff" on the internet. It's overwhelming. And it feels healthy just to step away and do things like take walks in nature and be present in the moment with real people - enjoying the world around you.
You and me both Charlie! Your video popped up and I’m leaving the self-help and self-development, no, I’m running 😂 so relatable, and the time I chose to stop it, it’s the time I felt freer than ever! I don’t know how to explain that but I don’t feel too much pressure anymore ❤
yep.. in the end it's about having coherence, many ways, but we are human, the important thing is to learn from these experiences.. the exchange clears up what is about living.. btw, nice soundtrack.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this. I agree, sometimes we need to just be. And i will definitely be listening to the podcast you mentioned, it sounds interesting😊
Oh heck, I already have one of those Silvene pocket notebooks!! They're really useful, and you're right, they are DIRT cheap - I often wonder how expensive notebooks and stationary and journalling etc can get, often unnessecerily so? Like ultimately cost shouldn't be a barrier to entry, and I loved treating myself to cheap stationary and pens and notebooks and stuff from Wilko when it was open (RIP!) and now I do the same in Asda or elsewhere.
I can’t help but wish we could live in a world where we didn’t have to compartmentalise and label ourselves by the things that make us different from… from what? The “norm?” What is the norm anyway? An illusion. In my seventh decade I have given up trying to figure out or name the things that make me unique or “different” and that is a freedom as grand as any. Also, and this is only my own very small experience so I really don’t know anything, but I have been a professional artist-illustrator for many years now (it’s how I earn a living), and I do not draw or paint without some kind of reference. But I am infinitely creative in how I put my ideas and love for colour and experiences together in a piece of work that is uniquely my own. I think, and could be wrong, that we all find our own way to our best work practices, if we just keep showing up to do the work. Knowing if I have aphantasia or not doesn’t change that. But trying to figure out if I do could waste time that I could use for just doing my work. For me, the work is the way. I find my way by doing. I hope that makes sense 😅
I would recommend you two books : 'Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times' by Katherine May and 'Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist' by James Gurney. First book has made me feel ok with going in my own pace and flow, rather than pushing against the current because everybody is going that way :) Second is on my TBR list, but maybe you could see it useful regarding your drawing. It comes with high recommendations. Have a lovely week!
Subscribed 💜 absolutely loved this video and relate to so much of what you said. I’ve felt almost addicted to self development content at times, but it’s actually when we get quiet that we connect with ourselves. Thanks for the beautiful reminder
I’ve been having the exact same thoughts about self development recently (actually found this video just as I had the thought and you had uploaded it a few hours before 😂). As an adhder I end up hyper focusing and finding a million self growth tips and ending up completely overwhelmed by it all. On the subject of aphantasia, I also have it and I’m an artist in the animation industry and I can draw from imagination. However, I never see an image or piece of acting fully in my head, I only have a feeling of what I want to create (a great animator called Glen Keane speaks of this too). So it just leads me to having to feel my way and try a few different things before I reach my end goal. I think it’s just about finding a way of drawing that is fun, regardless of aphantasia. There are so many art tips out there that might not apply to us. Love your videos ❤
What do you think about the tension between “progress” and “contentment”? It seems like the happiness industry prioritizes the former, when its customers would really prefer the latter.
![I Read 693 Psychology Books: Here Are The Few That Fixed Me - Inner Work Library [161/500]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/KH-ZIGS8U1o/mqdefault.jpg)
ABSOLUTELY. I am in a similar spot. I just got Cal Newports new book Slow Productivity. I've been a fan of his for a while (loved digital minimalism), and I've noticed that while the info about which HE himself speaks resonates with me, he still entertains and interviews all the big names in the Toxic Productivity Industry on his podcast... So I stopped consuming those and I've started hiding and saying not interested to the ones that get suggested. It's all the same hogwash from a different dude and takes up time I can be using actually doing the stuff that will fulfill me and get me where I want to go. Believe it or not, I actually don't want to be another toxic-productivity, self-proclaimed guru bro on the Internet, which is what all these guys all seem to think we all want to be 😅 nah, I'm good!
I love that your videos are B&W. It removes the distractions and helps your message to get through.
I can so relate to what you’re saying! Honestly, the years that I’ve been trying to improve myself have been the most miserable. I was so fortunate to find a wonderful therapist last year and with his help I learned to work on self acceptance instead.
When I was working on self improvement / development, it stemmed from my low self-esteem. I was trying to improve all these perceived flaws without accepting that no one is perfect so neither can I be. Only through acceptance of myself with all my quirks, flaws and mistakes, I’m finding peace in life that I hadn’t experienced before.
I’m tuning in and exploring myself without judgement, rather than seeking how to improve on the internet and forever shifting the goalposts and therefore never actually being satisfied with the way I am in the moment.
The level of self acceptance & self compassion I feel when watching this video is incredible.
Thankyou for sharing your journey in such an integral way, it's such a breath of fresh air to see. ❤
Have loved watching your journey unfold ❤
❤️
It's been so interesting watching your journey, seeing you come into your own. You are blossoming in your own sweet way, and in your own time.
yeaaaah ... productivity is a capitalist lie, and the way it poisons our creative gardens is truly insidious. I've been through similar journeys, and my tip for illustration is to pick something you love. I have a whole series where I put dinosaurs where they don't belong, and half the fun is creating the reference models and scenes for the paintings! Don't worry: if you're enjoying your process, you're doing it right, no matter what anyone says!
I find your videos so affirming and powerful. It's amazing how much work it takes to figure out how to just "be" and do what feels good. It's a bit counter-intuitive because it keeps me online, but I like surrounding myself with creators who remind me to back up and slow down, and that the growth I long for is actually done through doing nothing well.
I love how you edited the video! It has such a nostalgic feel and I could feel the rawness in the "in the moment" short clips of nature and surroundings ❤ And again what you talked about is such great food for thought, truly appreciate it 👍
Thank you so much!!
I just love the creativity and laid back vibe of this video.
This quote comes to mind "Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it, the more it will evade you, but if you notice the other things around you, it will gently come and sit on your shoulder.
Henry David Thoreau
I like this approach of "just being". I think a lot of the self development content has similar mechanisms to commercial advertising - it kinda feeds into this idea that you're broken and need fixing. It also encourages a lot of the procrastination behaviours you outlined in a previous video - spending time researching , rather than doing.
Something that keeps surprising me personally on this digital minimalism journey is just how much the internet has effected the actual cognitive functioning of my brain. My attention span is terrible. I notice if i binge watch youtube etc, I can barely even read a page of a book, but if I stay offline altogether, I can get through chapters.
Similarly, I think the internet has made me very internalized and 'stuck in my own head' a lot of the time - because being online puts you into a sort of trance where you're cut off from reality and just "surfing" mindlessly. I'm having to use a lot of grounding techniques to slowly move me out of that tech induced brain fog back into reality - and as outlined in this video, just being - and not loading your brain with all that "stuff". I think this is the problem. There's just too much "stuff" on the internet. It's overwhelming. And it feels healthy just to step away and do things like take walks in nature and be present in the moment with real people - enjoying the world around you.
You and me both Charlie! Your video popped up and I’m leaving the self-help and self-development, no, I’m running 😂 so relatable, and the time I chose to stop it, it’s the time I felt freer than ever! I don’t know how to explain that but I don’t feel too much pressure anymore ❤
So glad!
yep.. in the end it's about having coherence, many ways, but we are human, the important thing is to learn from these experiences.. the exchange clears up what is about living.. btw, nice soundtrack.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about this. I agree, sometimes we need to just be. And i will definitely be listening to the podcast you mentioned, it sounds interesting😊
I am alway happy when I see that you have upload something even before watching.
I will watch later with a cup of tea.
Love from Canada.
Oh heck, I already have one of those Silvene pocket notebooks!! They're really useful, and you're right, they are DIRT cheap - I often wonder how expensive notebooks and stationary and journalling etc can get, often unnessecerily so? Like ultimately cost shouldn't be a barrier to entry, and I loved treating myself to cheap stationary and pens and notebooks and stuff from Wilko when it was open (RIP!) and now I do the same in Asda or elsewhere.
So happy when I see your name pop up with another video! Wish you could do hour long ones so that I could listen to you on the way to work🦋
I can’t help but wish we could live in a world where we didn’t have to compartmentalise and label ourselves by the things that make us different from… from what? The “norm?” What is the norm anyway? An illusion. In my seventh decade I have given up trying to figure out or name the things that make me unique or “different” and that is a freedom as grand as any.
Also, and this is only my own very small experience so I really don’t know anything, but I have been a professional artist-illustrator for many years now (it’s how I earn a living), and I do not draw or paint without some kind of reference. But I am infinitely creative in how I put my ideas and love for colour and experiences together in a piece of work that is uniquely my own. I think, and could be wrong, that we all find our own way to our best work practices, if we just keep showing up to do the work. Knowing if I have aphantasia or not doesn’t change that. But trying to figure out if I do could waste time that I could use for just doing my work. For me, the work is the way. I find my way by doing. I hope that makes sense 😅
I adore Mary Oliver. I actually got to see her twice in person and it was truly amazing. Thank you for your great videos.
I would recommend you two books : 'Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times' by Katherine May and 'Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn't Exist' by James Gurney. First book has made me feel ok with going in my own pace and flow, rather than pushing against the current because everybody is going that way :) Second is on my TBR list, but maybe you could see it useful regarding your drawing. It comes with high recommendations. Have a lovely week!
Subscribed 💜 absolutely loved this video and relate to so much of what you said. I’ve felt almost addicted to self development content at times, but it’s actually when we get quiet that we connect with ourselves. Thanks for the beautiful reminder
I’ve been having the exact same thoughts about self development recently (actually found this video just as I had the thought and you had uploaded it a few hours before 😂). As an adhder I end up hyper focusing and finding a million self growth tips and ending up completely overwhelmed by it all.
On the subject of aphantasia, I also have it and I’m an artist in the animation industry and I can draw from imagination. However, I never see an image or piece of acting fully in my head, I only have a feeling of what I want to create (a great animator called Glen Keane speaks of this too). So it just leads me to having to feel my way and try a few different things before I reach my end goal. I think it’s just about finding a way of drawing that is fun, regardless of aphantasia. There are so many art tips out there that might not apply to us.
Love your videos ❤
i appreciate this channel and the topics u talk about so much
What do you think about the tension between “progress” and “contentment”? It seems like the happiness industry prioritizes the former, when its customers would really prefer the latter.
You look like Cocteau Twins - Liz Fraser
🫠 (1) fear: love the vision!! army of me • björk haha