Haaaaaappy Monday! If you want to check out my previous issues, you can do so here.

This issue, we’re doing something new, friends. Instead of writing about a recipe that I’ve been following, I’m writing about one I will be trying to follow this week.

This past weekend, I was in all-day trainings through the DC Doulas for Choice Collective on becoming a volunteer abortion doula. I love trainings like these, where I’m surrounded by like-minded caregivers and empaths, because I feel like I learn so much more than the actual topic of interest – like how to be a more loving individual and approaching uncomfortable situations with grace.

But one thing in particular really stood out to me during this training – the mantra “Be like water.”

This mantra didn’t always end there – often, another phrase was tacked on.

“Be like water, go with the flow.”

“Be like water, keep moving forward.”

“Be like water, be gentle and forgiving.”

To say this mantra stuck with me would be an understatement. After our 6 hour training sessions, I sat at my desk in silence and meditated on that mantra for a few minutes.

So this week, I’m going to try to be like water. I’m not sure exactly what that will look like, but I suppose that’s the point of going with the flow.

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Be like water?” Let me know, if you’d like!

Talk soon,

Emily

The Recipe Breakdown

Lemon: Being like water. Okay, so this isn’t necessarily a lemon; it’s more of an intention. But I already have rebranded this newsletter too many times, so we’re sticking with the lemon analogy.

Ingredient #1: Responding instead of reacting. Reacting to an experience is immediate, it’s survival, it’s not often thought out. Responding is thoughtful, purposeful, and (ideally) done in a way that mitigates harm. Responding rather than reacting requires us to take a beat in an uncomfortable or unexpected situation, then think about how we actually want to move forward. In my experience, giving yourself that beat – even if you don’t think you need it – and responding rather than reacting allows us to avoid excess anger, tension, and hurt feelings in our relationships. This will be my conscious attempt at being like water, by being gentle and forgiving.

Ingredient #2: Morning pages. This is a ritual I’ve wanted to partake in for years, but have never been inspired enough to actually do. Morning pages is a practice from the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. Essentially, each morning, you start your day by filling three full pages of paper with whatever thoughts come to mind. It doesn’t matter what you write, as long as it fills three pages. The point of the exercise is to help creative juices flow without giving our internal critic a chance at self editing. Morning pages is how I’m going to practice being like water by letting my mind flow freely and by continuing to move forward.

Ingredient #3: Actively reduce stressors. Going with the flow does not come easy to me. I’m a micromanager in every aspect of my life, and I always have to make an intentional effort to not lose it over things I didn’t plan for or expect. Now, a lot of my micromanaging and the like are things I’m working on in therapy, and not something I can just dissolve for the sake of this newsletter. However, there are certain stressors that I can control (with enough thought and intention) that I am going to work on reducing – like doomscrolling (and excess phone time in general), snoozing one too many times, and procrastinating.

Want to talk about your own lemons, ingredients, or lemonade recipes? Feel free to reply to this email!

🍋 Lemon Zest 🍋

The Little Things that help make my days a little brighter 💕

🎵 Obviously I’ve been listening to a lot of Olivia Rodrigo, but this playlist for liberation is also so, so good.

👟 Last weekend my roommate and I went on a two mile hike and I absolutely loved it. DMV friends – what are your must-do hikes for beginners? I’m ready to make this my new personality.

📝 My workload has increased a bit recently, so I’m officially transitioning over to my Papier Daily Planner to help keep my life on track. I love that they have so many cover options, as well as goal trackers integrated with the daily and weekly spreads.

💸 All I want is to be a natural deodorant person. But, as some of you may remember from summer 2017, my body straight up rejects natural deodorant in a terrible, itchy way. This roll-on deodorant is the closest I can get to natural that still protects me from smelling bad and doesn’t make my skin hate me.

💊 I take my vitamins very seriously. Persona is the first brand of vitamin subscriptions I’ve ever used that asked me which medications I was taking to ensure none of their recommendations conflicted with my meds. That really helped instill my trust in them, and I’ve loved how my packs have been making me feel. Here’s my referral link, if you’re interested.

💛 As some of you may know, I attended a Sunlight Retreat for Survivors in August 2019, and it kickstarted my healing journey. Now, I’m taking on a larger volunteer role with the non-profit. If you or anyone you know may be interested in volunteering or interning (unfortunately, unpaid internships for now) with Sunlight – whether that’s writing a blog post or helping with retreat logistics –please fill out this form. Thank you!

☕ Thank you to Azlin and Liz for buying me coffee last issue! If you’d like to support my work and Making Lemonade, consider buying me a coffee or sending a few dollars my way via Venmo: @emmyfromminny! ☕