Friday, October 14, 2011

Tipping My Hat to Some Thoughts on Reinvention

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Hat stores abound in Dijon, France

Today you are being sent to read something better than I could have written, even though it says exactly what I would want to say.

This week has been a difficult one at the computer.  I’ve had problems with my arm, shoulder, and neck for a long time and next week I go under the knife to see if they can be improved.  This has been a week of spasming, tingling, and other ailments that made it difficult to type for long or work a mouse.  As I was wondering how I was going to get through a blog entry, I clicked on a new piece posted by Nadine Feldman on her site, A Woman’s Nest.

She writes about transformation, travel, creativity and all kinds of things good for the soul.  This week she talked about a hat, a hat and how what the world sees changes how we see ourselves.  With wonderfully poetic language she wrote about how we so easily let others limit us.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be so unencumbered by others' images of us?
10/14/11_tipping hat2
If I were to choose one thing that fences me in, that puts me in a box, it it's probably my genes.  I think I’m genetically predisposed to put everyone and everything else first.  It seems to be a trait handed down in the DNA of the women in my family.  I wake up almost every day and say, “What needs to be done?  Who needs what?”  It’s hard to imagine a different sense of self like Nadine describes if I don’t take time to ask what I want and how I’ll get there.  I can’t reinvent myself if I give all my time to making sure someone else achieves what he or she wants.  I’m trying to work on it, to find a balance between me and “them.”

So today I’m sending you over to read Nadine’s post because she wrote exactly what I’d like to say if I had as much insight and mastery of the language as she does.  Enjoy.

You can find it here:  Sometimes It’s More Than a Hat

Be sure to leave a comment on her page to let her know you stopped by.  Then come back here and let us know what you feel limits you from the outside.


Maybe one day I'll be bold enough to think I deserve to wear gladiator sandals
10/14/11-tipping hat3
 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am up early on a Saturday morning, and this post is one of the first things I saw. Thank you so much!

Tele said...

So sorry to hear it's been a rough week, Julie! I'll be sending good thoughts your way this week for a successful fixin' up and smooth, speedy recovery. Good on you for today's post - nice negotiation of taking care of yourself and sharing your thoughts with us!

Marlene Samuels, PhD said...

Julie- you state that you're genetically predisposed to put everyone and everything before yourself and your own needs. Well, clearly you and I have some significant genes in common! From what I've observed, this is a major gender "flaw" among women - especially those of us who are women of a "certain age". I struggle with that exact flaw constantly! The only thing that helps is reminding myself consistently and regularly that it gets to be my turn first now. I put "Post-It Notes" on my bathroom mirror. They serve as an important reminder first thing each morning! Then, just in case I forget by the time I get to my computer because on the way there, I've been going through my mental task list of everything I have to do for everyone eles (including my dog) there's another note there. My greatest achievement on my NEW program thus far: I've mastered walking into the kitchen for my morning coffee and walking out BEFORE I become obsessed with unloading the dishwasher and checking the freezer and pantry to sort out the dinner menu. I truly related to your posts!
Marlene www.marlenesamuels.blogspot.com

Joan Hanna said...

Julie, I'm so sorry to hear that you are having a rough time and have to have surgery! Yikes! I'll send best wishes and good energy your way next week. Hopefully the surgery will be the first step in feeling better so you can concentrate on writing instead of pain. Thank you so much for sharing Nadine's wonderful post. Feel better soon!

Laura@Catharsis said...

Julie, let me first say I am so sorry you are experiencing medical problems. A long time back pain sufferer myself, I can only imagine what you're dealing with. If it's bad enough to send you under the knife, I know it must be bad. Here's to a speedy and healthful recovery. Secondly, that hat picture is absolutely adorable. I wish hats were still in fashion like they once were. My grandmother had so many beautiful hats, my guess is she didn't know what to do with all of them. I'm off to check out the post. Thanks for the recommendation.

Julie Farrar said...

Marlene, you're so right that even the dog is higher on our to-do list than we are ourselves. I'm working on getting to writing before I do anything related to the house. A hard habit to break.

And Laura, I'm not sure who is wearing all these hats. There are 2 or 3 of these stores in Dijon, but I don't see that many people walking around every day wearing one.

Thanks for the well-wishes.

Anonymous said...

Julie, I hope your surgery goes well. I'll be thinking good thoughts for a strong recovery so you can return to focusing on creative writing rather than managing pain. Thanks for sharing Nadine's post. I enjoyed both of yours!

Bella said...

Julie, here's hoping you're feeling some relief from your back pain and that your surgery will be a success. That said, thank you for directing your readers to Nadine's blog. What a fantastic piece of writing! I was blown away! She touches on a subject that many of us can relate to and clearly, it's time we do something about it. Allowing others to limit us, well, it's just not right. Now that I'm older, I've learned that I don't really care what others think. I strive to do whatever makes me feel good and if that means others won't approve, then tough crunchies. I love your hat photo, by the way. You have to love those French shop windows!

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