hello there, friend

hello there, friend,

i know for me picking up a camera and taking pictures is one of the things that long ago helped me start noticing the ordinary beauty of the things around me... ironically, after taking pictures every day for four years i decided this year not to do a '365'. not having to take a picture and post it feels liberating, knowing i won't get behind even more so.

gretchen rubin talks about the tendency of obligers in her work. they have trouble with inner expectations, but often respond to outer expectations. i fit rather neatly into this category, finding it much more easy to finish something related to work by a deadline, but finding it rather difficult to run or meditate every day. today i heard her say something about obliger burnout. that is, after responding over and over to expectations of others, obligers get to the point where they say, 'enough, no more!' they become rebels, to some degree, not wanting to be told what to do any longer.

it was like a lightbulb went on for me. this is so true of how i feel over time, how i was feeling about taking a picture and posting it every day. this speaks to other areas of my life as well... and the answer to burnout for me is what this year is about... letting go, shedding what no longer brings me joy.

xo,
b