Freedom From Self Improvement Day

I'm super excited about the launch of Jennifer Louden's holiday: Freedom From Self Improvement Day on May 14th.

It means a great deal to me that Jennifer does the work that she does: actively and wisely leading women toward self-care.  It would seem that most of us were not taught how to take care of ourselves- I wasn't, so now I live forgetting to do things like EAT and SLEEP, and be nice to myself when I'm struggling. 

Jen says, "After all, I’m the perfect paradox: my mission in life is to help people feel how perfectly okay they are and I constantly struggle with evaluating myself for everything I’m not doing or didn’t do right".

This really resonates with me.  Being a parent has made my self-awareness and evaluation multiply by about a bazillion.  I really don't want to f*ck up my kid, so I second guess what I'm doing with him a lot, which leads to trying to improve myself every minute of the day.   Many times, it isn't very productive.

Some of my favorite non-self help writers will be contributing to this project, and I'm ecstatic about hearing what they have to say about all of this "don'ting" and "shoulding" that rains down in our inner ears.

I intend to fully embrace Jennifer's holiday, and turn that switch off next week!  Want to play with me?

Comments

[patricia]

about 10 years ago, during a particularly difficult period as a a struggling single parent family, my kids and i worked with a woman who was a tremendous support and teacher -- at the end of our work (over the course of several weeks) together, she gave me jennifer louden's woman's comfort book, so yeah! i'm on for an ffsid...

[Gemma]

I think it was you, Pixie, who introduced me to Jennifer Louden's work through your blog. I signed up for the self-care emails, and ultimately got the Life Organizer, which together with The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, is revolutionizing my life in gentle but powerful ways. Thank you, thank you! (Wearing my silver 5 step bracelet, which really helps me remember to actually do them now and then!)

[HerbanGirl]

What a powerful reminder! As a therapist, I often find myself holding the same paradox - how to help people do what they came to my office to do (improve something in their lives) while also holding the absolute knowledge that they are perfect just as they are. Next Monday I'm going to put up a sign in my office that says "Happy FFSID!" Well, you know, I'll spell it out so my clients know what the hell I'm talking about. It should make for an interesting conversation about the nature of our work together.

And I think I'll take that night off and read some...gasp...fiction!

Loving you so much!
Mags XOXO

[summer]

"I really don't want to f*ck up my kid, so I second guess what I'm doing with him a lot, which leads to trying to improve myself every minute of the day. Many times, it isn't very productive."
I greatly connect with this sentiment. I haven't heard of Jennifer Louden but I will be checking her out this week! thanks!