PUBLISHER’S PAGE
The Homebody By Jami Appenzeller
I
WORKOUT
f you’re doing joyful jumping jacks in your living room, you’re not alone... Well, maybe you are.
So, a couple days ago, this call happened via cell... “Hi Jame! I can tell by Facebook Friend Finder that you’re near my house! Let’s go out and do something...come on — ‘Oh yes it’s ladies’ night and the feeling’s right. Oh yes it’s ladies’ night, oh what a night.’” “Um...what? Who is this? And what kind of crazy Kool & the Gang throwback time-warp have I entered?” “OMG Jami. It’s Becca! You’re about five miles from my house. Wanna grab some ‘ritas at Deck Bar? They have a live band tonight and....!” She pitched me the hard sell as if she totally knew that I’d rather be crocheting a sweater for my dog. “...Wait, Facebook what?” I imagined Becca in one of her neon outfits, bobbing her head to the side with the beat like SNL’s infamous Butabi Brothers. “You know...Friend Finder. I can tell where you are. You know...GPS as in Gurrrrrl put on the Stilettos!” “Well, it’s not working because I’m um...I’m...uh...I’m actually in New Jersey at the vet with one of my fur babies,” I said biting my lower lip and crossing my fingers, making an epic WTF face. “Oh...okay Jami. Just thought… you know, we could hang out and have a good time. I’m sorry. I hope everything goes well with your dog! Let’s talk soon!” — Click. It was 30 seconds of sheer bewilderment and self-realization. 8|
MAY/JUNE 2021
examining just what it was that I wanted out of life. I took a deep dive into where I wanted to be and with whom I wanted to spend 8-10 hours per day/5 days per week. I finally got the guts to blissfully and confidently let go of what truly needed to be jettisoned. COVID led to deep introspection - anyone else? My gosh! What was I doing living in a rat race that left me too far from my family for too many hours per day, for so long? How did I get there in the first place and why didn’t I have the ability to recognize the lack of balance much earlier on? Or, I did, but again, found comfort in a stable paycheck vs. stable overall quality of life.
Is In the New Out?
By Leaps and Bounds
These days, my LBD is more like a Labradoodle, Beagle and Dachshund and less like a Little Black Dress. The shear thought of spilling myself into some Lycra-laden outfit and 4” heels is so far removed from my thoughts. Recently, I actually posted a pic of myself all dolled up on FB, just to save face and prove that I don’t just live in jeans, ponytail and dog hair! And we all know that lipstick doesn’t pair well with hair, dog hair that is. Here’s the thing...I seriously cannot remember the last time I went out and had a “good time.” During the pandemic, my priorities flipped more than flapjacks at a pancake house. Anyone else? Human contact wasn’t available. So, I filled that space with other things. And ya know what? It was perfectly fine. I was perfectly fine. Solitude became my savior, not my doom. I chose books over babes, tea over tête-à-tête and slippers over slinky. I turned inward and discovered my true self as I had no audience, which felt welcomingly freeing. There was no guilt associated with declining offers and no arm twisting by others to go or do or see. For me, alone time was a blessing, a chance to reconnect with someone that I missed. Me! In a recent Publisher’s Page, I spoke about letting go of my full-time gig downtown, and being true to myself —
According to Natalie Nixon, PhD, keynote speaker and author of the award-winning ‘The Creativity Leap’, “A lot of us have figured out how to tap the power of rituals. Rituals are different from routines because they’re intentionally meaningful and purposeful. Rituals are promises that we keep to ourselves which yield contentment and satisfaction. These at-home rituals that we’ve created during the coronavirus (mindful yoga, meditation, deep breathing, morning stretches, etc.) all point to well-being, not wellness. The distinction is that wellbeing has to do with alignment of the mind, heart, body and emotions whereas wellness has a more physical reference.” Nixon, who is also the Creativity Strategist and President of Figure 8 Thinking, LLC. also believes that the pandemic pause afforded our timepressed, overworked society the opportunity to indulge in new rituals that we’ve been longing for. She is convinced that this feeling of being centered and grounded is a desire that will extend far past the CDC’s precautionary recommendations. If you’d like to download Natalie Nixon’s full free guide “4 Creativity Leaps We Must Make” just visit figure8thinking. com. You can also sign up for the Figure 8 Thinking Newsletter and get a complimentary sneak peek of her award-winning book. There’s some really great information and sage advice that you can use throughout life’s journey. If you
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