Slow Brew

I subscribe to a newsletter called Slow Brew Sunday, a wonderful weekly reminder to slow down and take life at an easier pace. The creator, Jules Acree, is a new mom—an entirely different stage of life than this grandma—but her words of wisdom and approach to mindful living often resonate with me.

It’s been a hectic few days, and now that I’ve reached midweek, I find myself being overly critical for not accomplishing all the goals I had set. Do you ever do that? Even when others reassure you that you're doing just fine, you still feel like you’re falling short?

I think it’s the creative person’s curse. My mind is always buzzing with new ideas and projects, and when I don’t get to them all, I beat myself up. Instead of recognizing everything I have done, I fixate on what I haven’t.

This blog is often a source of that inner struggle. I want every post to be meaningful, to truly connect with my readers. And sometimes, that pressure keeps me from posting as often as I’d like. If it’s not deeply inspiring, is it even worth sharing? Is this topic “blogworthy”? Is this conversation valuable enough to justify the effort?

On top of that, my day job has been particularly demanding lately. I work in a busy university office, and the pressures of administrative work can be overwhelming, especially at certain times of the year. At the moment,  I see my coworkers feeling the weight of it too. I want to support them, but it can be  exhausting—worrying about my friends and their struggles in addition to my own.

The Slow Brew Sunday newsletter arrives (you guessed it) every Sunday, but it wasn’t until today that I finally took a rare coffee break at my desk to read it. And I’m so glad I did. It had exactly the message I needed to hear.

Jules Acree reminds us that it’s okay to share simply for the sake of sharing. She encourages letting go of overthinking, embracing the joy of expression, and trusting that creativity flows more freely when we stop putting so much pressure on ourselves.

I can relate to that. I’ve never considered myself a perfectionist, but I suspect that my own expectations—especially about the quality of my writing—sometimes hold me back from even starting.

So, I’ve decided to take her advice to heart. I’m going to share more of the small, joyful moments in my life—just because I feel like it. Hopefully, along the way, I’ll write something that resonates with you, something you can carry in your heart for the day.

But I’m going to try not to overthink it. I’m going to step out of my own way.

Because really, isn’t that what this is all about? Just sharing myself with you. I'll just be here. And that's enough.