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From "Connected (with Abe + Isaac) — Volume 16"
What are we doing here, eh?
We can always be chasing the sun
Why have a newsletter? What are you here to read, and what am I here to write?
All we can do is try
I’m not interested in writing an advice column. I’m not interested in committing to giving the world a play-by-play on my life.
Why don’t we turn back time for tonight
We’re makers, all of us—whether or not that’s an identity thing for you, we all make by virtue of our focus. Our movements are informed by our attention, and when we steer our senses toward a thing, the trillion layers of our existence engage with it, and the world is changed, just a little.
Why don’t we turn
A pearl is formed when an irritant (the internet’s words, not mine) is lodged in an oyster, mussel, or clam. That’s striking, eh? A pearl, that thing of beauty, could not come into existence were it not for the arrival of something irritating. The response to that unwanted thing unavoidably creates something beautiful.
oooooo, let me in or I’ll get physical with you
What are you making? Are you doing it on purpose yet?
I just gotta dance right now, it’s critical to do
I wrote on Instagram earlier about releasing artificial measures of success. It’s a dance, sort of. Sort of? (I love dancing.) To make a thing that is a pure expression of my own expression (redundancy intentional) is glorious, and to find it well-received is no bad thing. The magic trick here is to read that reception for what it really is.
Wave goodbye, wish me well, you gotta let me go
We’re wired to learn from the feedback our environment gives us, to then tune our behavior accordingly, to more reliably get the results that we want. But feedback can be interpreted, can be mis-interpreted, and listening for what’s really happening is critical.
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
When I make something that is mine, and I release it into the universe, and I receive accolades and celebration and affirmation in return, I have a choice in how I interpret this feedback:
The motions that I made resulted in approval, which felt good. I should repeat those motions, and I’ll get more approval, and I’ll keep feeling good.
Or: The energy that I run in resulted in this unique, ne’er to be repeated expression, inspired these specifically unique motions, and it reminded those who were there for it of their own power, their own singular self-ness, and they expressed that joy back to me. Those motions I made, they’re dead by themselves, without the inspiration, so I’m gonna keep running in my own energy, and I’ll discover what motions of mine are inspired next, and I’ll keep feeling good.
That first one has an expiration date. That second one is time itself.
Are we human, or are we dancer?
I love making things. I love making real things, and for me that means things that are connected by a live, electric wire to my heart and soul, to my being. That has always been most important, and always will be, regardless of how the scales of money/audience/staff/influence/presence move. Those scales are there to be played with, to be genuinely enjoyed, to be adjusted, even, as inspiration demands.
Come watch us rise again Out of the fever Life will never be the same I'm a believer Don't call us another name We were born to the same sunrise It's getting brighter all the time 'Cause all my friends, they know Been making messes out of silence If we're the same, let me let go Somebody save me from the madness
I love you, dear reader. :) You are able, powerful beyond belief, and yet you are exactly as powerful as you believe. Fall back with me, into belief: this trust fall is how we fly.
So raise your glass if you are wrong in all the right ways All my underdogs We will never be never be, anything but loud And nitty gritty, dirty little freaks Won't you come on and come on and raise your glass Just come on and come on and raise your glass With me
It is useful useful useful to look for things that remind you of how you want to think, how you want to be focused. Abe made a coffee table book expressly for this purpose. You can find it at lightward.com/joy.
Originally sent out via email
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