Mid-September DID/SAW/HEAR/DRAW
“Hmmm, interesting. I go to Bitcoin conferences for work and you go to religion conferences for fun.” -Jonny
Dear Readers,
September feels like an exhale.
I’ve settled a bit more into a routine the past few weeks, and it feels nice. Although I do miss aspects of being in the classroom every day, I have been trying to take advantage of the time to hone in on my creativity, which you’ll see reflected a lot in today’s newsletter about what I’ve been up to this month so far. I think I am trying to fill my days and my time and my life with doing things which help me feel most like me.
Like I wrote about in my last Sunday newsletter, discovering my identity has been a major part of my twenties. In a niche culture, there is pressure to fit yourself into an easily explainable aesthetic (maybe it’s just me???). It’s been nice to try not to measure myself up to anyone else. “What would be the most Kimber thing to do?” is a fun question to ask myself.
So, here is what Kimber has been doing for the past few weeks!
DID:
I did yoga. A lot of it!
Jonny and I each picked priorities we wanted to focus on in September. Mine was my physical health. There is a yoga studio three minutes from my house and I have been taking classes nearly every day. Yoga is a fun way to improve your flexibility, strength, and balance. Though I have been focusing on my physical health this month, I have enjoyed noticing how it helps my mental health, too.
Every time — EVERY TIME — I do wheel pose in class, my heart rate goes up before I do it. I don’t know if it’s being upside down, or being afraid I am going to slip my hands… but I am scared every time! But then I do it anyway, and I think facing those mini fears in class translates well to taking on challenges outside in the real world, too.
SAW:
I saw people from all walks of life gathered in pursuit of a more inclusive church community.
I went to the Restore conference by Faith Matters! Faith Matters is an organization that makes space for people in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who have doubts/questions/a more nuanced view than the mainstream teachings. I wasn’t sure what the conference was going to be like, but I left feeling hopeful and inspired. They had a meditation room, an art gallery, and diverse speakers on important topics like interfaith dialogue, LGBTQ+ involvement, and women’s place in the church.
It was heartening to see so many people wanting to learn and grow within an expansive view of faith. I was surprised to see thousands of people there from all stages of life. I made friends there who were 19 and other friends who were in their 70’s. It’s cool to see an organization that has quite literally carved out a space for belonging that did not exist before.
HEAR:
I heard/read a life-changing book.
I just finished listening to the audiobook of Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert! It was incredible and is something I want to revisit every year. Her final insights on the paradoxes within creativity have been living rent-free in my head since I finished the audiobook:
“Creativity is sacred, and it is not sacred.
What we make matters enormously, and it doesn’t matter at all
…Art is a crushing chore, and a wonderful privilege.
Only when we are at our most playful can divinity finally get serious with us.
…The treasures that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say yes.”
DRAW:
Perhaps inspired by Big Magic ^^^, I have been on a creative kick the last few weeks.
For the past few years, some friends and I have participated in a Chalk Art competition each summer (I wrote about that here!)
Each year, we gather little tips and tricks to make the process go smoother, and we finished our portrait this year in record time! The competition took place at a local library, so we decided to draw a portrait of Malala Yousafzai, who fights for women’s right to education in Pakistan.
Underneath I wrote my favorite quote from her: “If you don’t raise your voice, it is unlikely anyone will hear you.” <3
Let me know what you are doing, seeing, hearing, and drawing!
Thanks for reading,
Kimber was here… and you’re here, too.
Thank you so much for being here and encouraging my writing. The biggest way you can support my work is by sharing my newsletter with someone you think might enjoy it!
It’s a joy to connect with you through your comments, replies to my emails, dms, etc. Thanks for being here :)
A September full of learning and growing! You are really making the most of this time in your life. 🍂
You are creating such beautiful art💕