Beth, this week I've suggested Viktor Frankl's book, "Man's Search for Meaning," several times. It's my go-to inspiration for when things seem too difficult. Thank you for recommending it here. There's also a meme floating around Substack that says something like: "The opposite of depression is not joy, it's expression." Writers, artists, creatives of any sort -- take this as an invitation to create. The internet is filled with people who have "written their way out of the darkness," and lived to tell the tale.
For me, your new landscape is perfect for these times. My eyes are drawn to those beautiful mountains. There will be rough days ahead and we can continue to make art, make beauty, make love, make mercy, make understanding, make purpose, make meaning. The mountains and their beauty are made from great upheaval; art can be made from upheaval too.
May this passage be a teacher. May we find meaning in our days. May we continue to create.
You and I are on the same wavelength! Frankl's beautiful book is the one I've gifted to people more than any other book. I've read it in times of strife, and it calms me. In having "Man's Search for Meaning," as our go-to book, we have another thing in common!
I love that meme that's making its way around Substack. You make a great point: creation -- art, writing, dance, creating musical compositions, playing musical instruments, and so on are key to preserving our center and balance. And it is during such times of stress, with bad days inevitably coming, we need to reach out to create something -- that will save us.
You say it so beautifully, "There will be rough days ahead and we can continue to make art, make beauty, make love, make mercy, make understanding, make purpose, make meaning." That's what we who are downtrodden need to do -- to find meaning in our existence in order to save ourselves.
I have to grin — so many commonalities in our miles apart lives. The warmth in my heart must be the welcoming and grace of finding a kindred, creative spirit in you.
This was something I needed this morning. I am reeling from these election results, and am trying to figure out how to deal with what’s coming. Like you, I have committed to avoiding main stream media and also, like you, I will avoid seeing, listening to and being in the presence of his face for my own mental stability.
I’m glad you have your artwork to sustain you. I see painting as such a wonderful physical and emotional outlet.
I’m still figuring out what I will do to sustain my inner peace for the future we’re facing but it will certainly include family, close friends, books, art and lots of walks.
Thanks for calming me down this morning….my panic comes and goes in waves. Reading this helped calm me this a.m.
Beth's article calmed me down too! As with you, my worry comes and goes. But it's my disappointment in women - white women who voted for Trump - that I have the most trouble coming to terms with. Disappointment weighs heavy. It feels like a betrayal. Anyway, how about you join this community and start writing your own column here?
Hi Claudia, I'm so glad my post helped you. I also have been devastated, but all we can do is cope day to day and take one day at a time. It sounds like you have a good support system of people and activities that will help you cope. Walks are wonderful -- exercise helps release those endorphins and helps our mental state.
All we can do is keep busy with what sustains us. We need to nurture our mental stability. Self-care is vital, as giving Trump this kind of power over us is futile and damaging to ourselves. I think our self-imposed news diet will help.
Beth, I love the new painting. Prussian blue and Payne’s Gray are two of my favorite blue colors. I love that the path is in there, it adds mystery and interest.
As far as self-care goes, in Kamala Harris’s concession speech she reminded us of the quote- paraphrasing here- “Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars”. I wish the news media could avoid covering him, but now that will be impossible.
I think it’s a great idea to avoid seeing Trump’s face and I will do that too on my new news diet. Based on our conversation yesterday,in my mind he is now P.F. (Pronounced pay effay) Pendejo Feo. And that is how I will refer to him until he is gone.
You make me laugh with the P.F.!! Spanish is a kind of salvation, too! Mr. Pendejo Feo will not have power over our minds and creativity! As I mentioned, I am trying to improve my Spanish and will be watching Spanish soap operas if I can find them. For now, my television is off, and I feel so much better.
Thank you for your kind comment about my new painting. I really love Prussian Blue and Ultramarine Blue. Eventually, the clouds will make their way into the mountains. But, alas, I'm waiting for the draft to dry so I can rework it. Today I'm going to try some paint studies of how to create cloth in a painting. Definitely one of my weaknesses, and the only way to improve that skill is to do it!
Please take care of yourself too; I hope your back gets better each day. And keep painting, too!!
Beth, thank you for this powerful post, reminding us to stay ever more determined to make and share our art with the world. There is nothing more important than to be able to express our creativity openly and freely. And your brave life is proof of that. Self-care is more necessary than ever. It is imperative that we fight to keep our first amendment rights protected. Keeping this one brief and to the point: shine on!!
Yes, creating and sharing our art are so vital, and I know you speak from great experience and artistry yourself. We poets, painters, sculptors, writers, dancers, musicians, and so on must express ourselves in order to preserve those first amendment rights and, just as importantly, to practice the utmost self-care.
And Frankl knew what he was talking about. To me, he defines a hero. We need to believe in what Frankl taught and not let ourselves be brought down by Trump and all the right wingers
Allan, thank you for your comment. I wholeheartedly agree -- Frankl offers something profound and comforting. I agree that he is a hero. We need more people like him in the world.
Hi Allan, I asked Substack why one can't follow me, and this is what Substack says, "If you have a Substack publication, the subscription relationship is prioritized over following. In this case, visitors to your publication will only see the option to subscribe, not follow." I think because you've subscribed, you can't follow me.
It has been a sad couple of days Beth. Thank you for this lovely post, it heartened me. It is for us now, the artists, the creatives, the healers, to continue to help others heal.
I turned all of the news and social media notifications off on my phone during his first term, that has been so helpful for me. My browser does open to 2 mainstream newspapers, I scan the headlines, I don't click through unless it is important. I otherwise scroll past for sections like cooking, games, arts, etc. It's taken some practice and hard work to turn off to it all, especially as I was a professional political blogger until 2016.
Hi Pamela, I had no idea you were a professional political blogger! Good for you for being able to "shut off" most of the news items and be able to scan headlines and not click around. This is such a crucial element of self-care, and you are practicing it well. Yes, the creatives will help heal the world.
Hi Beth, It took me a long time to master shutting everything off and I still fight the urge at times including now. Politics is a very toxic environment and the internet has made it so much worse. I am first and foremost an artist, political blogging was a fluke, I was good at it, it stayed in until I could not any longer because it was too unhealthy. I’d rather be an artist and a healer ultimately.
I'm with you on the news diet also. I deleted myself from a Facebook group I belonged to prior to the election that supported Kamala Harris. I need to move on from all that, otherwise it's just too damn depressing. I will continue to write and do other things I enjoy to occupy my time and mind. Nice painting you started there.
Thank you so much for your compliment on my painting! When I painted it yesterday, I was determined that it would be a good day. And it was.
Good for you for getting out of the Facebook group. It sounds like it has no longer served you. I've seen people gathering online to be political activists, and that's fine for them. But it doesn't work for me; I don't have the energy or desire to be an activist at this point. To me, such work goes against my self-care goals.
Reading your post in and of itself was calming somehow. I don't know if it's your words themselves, knowing we feel the same about Trump, your advice, your book recommendation, looking at your painting or something else. Maybe it's a combo. So, thank you for that.
I love your idea of a news diet. That's what I'm trying to do as well. A diet doesn't mean you must give up a particular food, but you limit your portions and monitor your intake. I am going to keep that in mind before I listen to any news. I also appreciate your book recommendation. If it's your all-time favorite book, I'm going to have to add it my to-read list.
Good for you for starting a new painting. I'm not sure what I've accomplished since Tuesday's debacle. I'm okay with that, though. I have walked every day, so at least there's that. I will get back to my regular routine soon. Thank you for writing and painting. Both are so helpful not only for you, but for us as well.
I'm so glad my post made you feel better. It definitely put things into perspective for me. Although we are both not happy about the outcome of the election, we can keep nurturing ourselves and occupy that self-care space, which can seem elusive sometimes.
Yes, a news diet is in order. All news is not good for us. Also, bad things happen in history, and then things get better. That's what I keep telling myself.
I think it's great that you are taking walks. There's nothing like a good walk to clear the mind and provide some semblance of normalcy.
I'm glad you have Frankl's book on your to-read list. His observations living through the Holocaust are amazing, and he uses it to help others years later in his practice.
Beth, this week I've suggested Viktor Frankl's book, "Man's Search for Meaning," several times. It's my go-to inspiration for when things seem too difficult. Thank you for recommending it here. There's also a meme floating around Substack that says something like: "The opposite of depression is not joy, it's expression." Writers, artists, creatives of any sort -- take this as an invitation to create. The internet is filled with people who have "written their way out of the darkness," and lived to tell the tale.
For me, your new landscape is perfect for these times. My eyes are drawn to those beautiful mountains. There will be rough days ahead and we can continue to make art, make beauty, make love, make mercy, make understanding, make purpose, make meaning. The mountains and their beauty are made from great upheaval; art can be made from upheaval too.
May this passage be a teacher. May we find meaning in our days. May we continue to create.
Hi Stephanie,
You and I are on the same wavelength! Frankl's beautiful book is the one I've gifted to people more than any other book. I've read it in times of strife, and it calms me. In having "Man's Search for Meaning," as our go-to book, we have another thing in common!
I love that meme that's making its way around Substack. You make a great point: creation -- art, writing, dance, creating musical compositions, playing musical instruments, and so on are key to preserving our center and balance. And it is during such times of stress, with bad days inevitably coming, we need to reach out to create something -- that will save us.
You say it so beautifully, "There will be rough days ahead and we can continue to make art, make beauty, make love, make mercy, make understanding, make purpose, make meaning." That's what we who are downtrodden need to do -- to find meaning in our existence in order to save ourselves.
Thank you for your comment, friend. Sending hugs.
I have to grin — so many commonalities in our miles apart lives. The warmth in my heart must be the welcoming and grace of finding a kindred, creative spirit in you.
I am so grateful we have crossed paths in the Substack space. Xo
This was something I needed this morning. I am reeling from these election results, and am trying to figure out how to deal with what’s coming. Like you, I have committed to avoiding main stream media and also, like you, I will avoid seeing, listening to and being in the presence of his face for my own mental stability.
I’m glad you have your artwork to sustain you. I see painting as such a wonderful physical and emotional outlet.
I’m still figuring out what I will do to sustain my inner peace for the future we’re facing but it will certainly include family, close friends, books, art and lots of walks.
Thanks for calming me down this morning….my panic comes and goes in waves. Reading this helped calm me this a.m.
Hi Claudia,
Beth's article calmed me down too! As with you, my worry comes and goes. But it's my disappointment in women - white women who voted for Trump - that I have the most trouble coming to terms with. Disappointment weighs heavy. It feels like a betrayal. Anyway, how about you join this community and start writing your own column here?
Hi Claudia, I'm so glad my post helped you. I also have been devastated, but all we can do is cope day to day and take one day at a time. It sounds like you have a good support system of people and activities that will help you cope. Walks are wonderful -- exercise helps release those endorphins and helps our mental state.
All we can do is keep busy with what sustains us. We need to nurture our mental stability. Self-care is vital, as giving Trump this kind of power over us is futile and damaging to ourselves. I think our self-imposed news diet will help.
Hang in there and take care of yourself.
Beth, I love the new painting. Prussian blue and Payne’s Gray are two of my favorite blue colors. I love that the path is in there, it adds mystery and interest.
As far as self-care goes, in Kamala Harris’s concession speech she reminded us of the quote- paraphrasing here- “Only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars”. I wish the news media could avoid covering him, but now that will be impossible.
I think it’s a great idea to avoid seeing Trump’s face and I will do that too on my new news diet. Based on our conversation yesterday,in my mind he is now P.F. (Pronounced pay effay) Pendejo Feo. And that is how I will refer to him until he is gone.
Take care of yourself well and keep painting! 💕
Hi Alene,
You make me laugh with the P.F.!! Spanish is a kind of salvation, too! Mr. Pendejo Feo will not have power over our minds and creativity! As I mentioned, I am trying to improve my Spanish and will be watching Spanish soap operas if I can find them. For now, my television is off, and I feel so much better.
Thank you for your kind comment about my new painting. I really love Prussian Blue and Ultramarine Blue. Eventually, the clouds will make their way into the mountains. But, alas, I'm waiting for the draft to dry so I can rework it. Today I'm going to try some paint studies of how to create cloth in a painting. Definitely one of my weaknesses, and the only way to improve that skill is to do it!
Please take care of yourself too; I hope your back gets better each day. And keep painting, too!!
Beth, thank you for this powerful post, reminding us to stay ever more determined to make and share our art with the world. There is nothing more important than to be able to express our creativity openly and freely. And your brave life is proof of that. Self-care is more necessary than ever. It is imperative that we fight to keep our first amendment rights protected. Keeping this one brief and to the point: shine on!!
Hi Gerry,
Yes, creating and sharing our art are so vital, and I know you speak from great experience and artistry yourself. We poets, painters, sculptors, writers, dancers, musicians, and so on must express ourselves in order to preserve those first amendment rights and, just as importantly, to practice the utmost self-care.
And Frankl knew what he was talking about. To me, he defines a hero. We need to believe in what Frankl taught and not let ourselves be brought down by Trump and all the right wingers
Allan, thank you for your comment. I wholeheartedly agree -- Frankl offers something profound and comforting. I agree that he is a hero. We need more people like him in the world.
I’m trying to follow you but I keep getting a message that I can’t?
Hi Allan, I asked Substack why one can't follow me, and this is what Substack says, "If you have a Substack publication, the subscription relationship is prioritized over following. In this case, visitors to your publication will only see the option to subscribe, not follow." I think because you've subscribed, you can't follow me.
That's strange. Let me look into this.
It has been a sad couple of days Beth. Thank you for this lovely post, it heartened me. It is for us now, the artists, the creatives, the healers, to continue to help others heal.
I turned all of the news and social media notifications off on my phone during his first term, that has been so helpful for me. My browser does open to 2 mainstream newspapers, I scan the headlines, I don't click through unless it is important. I otherwise scroll past for sections like cooking, games, arts, etc. It's taken some practice and hard work to turn off to it all, especially as I was a professional political blogger until 2016.
Hi Pamela, I had no idea you were a professional political blogger! Good for you for being able to "shut off" most of the news items and be able to scan headlines and not click around. This is such a crucial element of self-care, and you are practicing it well. Yes, the creatives will help heal the world.
Thank you for your comment.
Hi Beth, It took me a long time to master shutting everything off and I still fight the urge at times including now. Politics is a very toxic environment and the internet has made it so much worse. I am first and foremost an artist, political blogging was a fluke, I was good at it, it stayed in until I could not any longer because it was too unhealthy. I’d rather be an artist and a healer ultimately.
Wow. I think your art is so healing. You are so gifted, and I enjoy your photo essays. Keep it up! You are an inspiration.
Thank you Beth. I’ve had an interesting life, to say the least.
I'm with you on the news diet also. I deleted myself from a Facebook group I belonged to prior to the election that supported Kamala Harris. I need to move on from all that, otherwise it's just too damn depressing. I will continue to write and do other things I enjoy to occupy my time and mind. Nice painting you started there.
Nancy,
Thank you so much for your compliment on my painting! When I painted it yesterday, I was determined that it would be a good day. And it was.
Good for you for getting out of the Facebook group. It sounds like it has no longer served you. I've seen people gathering online to be political activists, and that's fine for them. But it doesn't work for me; I don't have the energy or desire to be an activist at this point. To me, such work goes against my self-care goals.
Hi again,
And a huge thank you for the mention! So kind of you. x
Of course! Your blog posts are always insightful.
Hi Beth,
Reading your post in and of itself was calming somehow. I don't know if it's your words themselves, knowing we feel the same about Trump, your advice, your book recommendation, looking at your painting or something else. Maybe it's a combo. So, thank you for that.
I love your idea of a news diet. That's what I'm trying to do as well. A diet doesn't mean you must give up a particular food, but you limit your portions and monitor your intake. I am going to keep that in mind before I listen to any news. I also appreciate your book recommendation. If it's your all-time favorite book, I'm going to have to add it my to-read list.
Good for you for starting a new painting. I'm not sure what I've accomplished since Tuesday's debacle. I'm okay with that, though. I have walked every day, so at least there's that. I will get back to my regular routine soon. Thank you for writing and painting. Both are so helpful not only for you, but for us as well.
Hi Nancy,
I'm so glad my post made you feel better. It definitely put things into perspective for me. Although we are both not happy about the outcome of the election, we can keep nurturing ourselves and occupy that self-care space, which can seem elusive sometimes.
Yes, a news diet is in order. All news is not good for us. Also, bad things happen in history, and then things get better. That's what I keep telling myself.
I think it's great that you are taking walks. There's nothing like a good walk to clear the mind and provide some semblance of normalcy.
I'm glad you have Frankl's book on your to-read list. His observations living through the Holocaust are amazing, and he uses it to help others years later in his practice.
Thank you for restacking my latest post, Allan. I so appreciate it.