Just so you know I think empathy IS a superpower. It's proof that you're human. I think, especially in these times, people need to learn how to have empathy for themselves and uncomfortable emotions. It's just life life-ing
I think that's beautifully put. I can see that I could make some room for self-forgiveness around the idea that I'm so messy. Thanks for the illumination.
Crap. And now I’m snuffle-blubbering. 🥰😭🤩 Welllll, that’s a nice intro to your world. Honestly, you had me at “multipotentialite & passion” combined with which of my publications you gravitated toward. Then I read these first paragraphs. Oh, a subscribe button mid-post—
Boom.
Yes. This. All of this. I’m doing a FB experiment this month after years of being blissfully away. It’s…eh. Worth it so far because some of my peeps trickle over here where I live, and my feed is so well trained it mostly sends me gorgeous nature, inspirational quotes, dance stuff and a plethora of Self Help & Woo courses that I auto-scan over now. But if it goes the way of the toilet as we approach November and especially after, I’ll just take my toys and come solely back to my hidey hole.
It’s nice to know that my fort now has a little paper-cup-and-string telephone connected to yours. Soooo excited to find you on here! And just think. All we had to do was confess embarrassing truths. 🤣
I'm so honored at the thought that my writing made anyone snuffle-blubber! Wow 😍 And I'm definitely thrilled to have a paper-cup-and-string direct line to your blanket fort. I asked the Universe for some new kindred spirit friends and It didn't let me down. 🫶🏻
I'm also impressed that you are so far surviving one of the most tumultuous times to be on FB and envious that your feed is all unicorns and rainbows. I know it's my own fault mine's not, but don't enable me, Facebook!!
Dang…if this is one of the most tumultuous times, either I did something really good before I left for 3 years, or maybe I’m sort of under a rock. 🤪 Then again, when I got back on, I applied some steady hardcore use of those “show less” and “block ads from” features so maybe I trained it well.
It's good to know that it can be done! Although FB listens when my mom calls and lures me into talking about politics, so I think, for me, it's a lost cause. It's okay, I like Substack being my only social media for now. It feels wholesome...so I'm going to marinate in that for a bit.
It was a blissful 3 years away for me. I am really on a mission right now and once I can train my peeps where I ACTUALLY live…I’m hoping to abandon ship again. Although it has been fun to post funny or moving things and actually get, like…a response?? I’m still in Cricketville here. Hahahah!
And oh yes! Big Brother Stalking is so real! I haaaate that. But google does it to me too, even though I’m a Duck Duck girl. I do have Gmail soooo…I refuse to install the actual FB app on my phone though. I use the desktop on computer, or go through the site which is cumbersome and crappy on phone, but it may be cutting down on quite so much stalking redirection onto my feed.
PS I just saw your handle. 🤣🤩🤣🤩🤣😈 Yaaaaas. Clink, from one SOL to smother. Dang it, autocorrect. Another!!! To another! (Sorry. My martial artist self is apparently overactive today.)
It brings me such joy to know this resonated for you, Michelle. Even knowing there's one other soul who feels on this kind of scale makes it easier to cope with. We don't have to hide it anymore because it's actually not "weird."
Glad to have found you today on notes Jennie - this is a beautifully crafted piece of writing. I relate to the empathy/being too sensitive. I especially liked the exchange about how secrets have transitioned in our society to things rarely shared into more commonplace exchanges.
Thank you for the kind words and happy to meet another kindred spirit.
Re: secrets, I've been seeing accusations lately of "inauthentic vulnerability," or being vulnerable as a growth tactic. It never ceases to amaze me, our human ability to take things too far 🤦🏼♀️
Hey Jennie -thank you for this - and omg vulnerability as a growth tactic - that makes me feel a bit sick. And there is something healthy about sharing our secrets but I agree - we need to find the balance. Something unhealthy happened when it started to correlate to growth.
As someone who used to cry when someone "got their burger their way" in the Burger King ads on tv - I feel you! And theatre experience is a primary teacher of empathy. But I always felt bereft when the "deep" friendships I made in a show did not last past closing night. Thank you for your sensitivity. It's a very heavy load to carry in our world.
Just so you know I think empathy IS a superpower. It's proof that you're human. I think, especially in these times, people need to learn how to have empathy for themselves and uncomfortable emotions. It's just life life-ing
Side-note: I love the way you write
I think that's beautifully put. I can see that I could make some room for self-forgiveness around the idea that I'm so messy. Thanks for the illumination.
Crap. And now I’m snuffle-blubbering. 🥰😭🤩 Welllll, that’s a nice intro to your world. Honestly, you had me at “multipotentialite & passion” combined with which of my publications you gravitated toward. Then I read these first paragraphs. Oh, a subscribe button mid-post—
Boom.
Yes. This. All of this. I’m doing a FB experiment this month after years of being blissfully away. It’s…eh. Worth it so far because some of my peeps trickle over here where I live, and my feed is so well trained it mostly sends me gorgeous nature, inspirational quotes, dance stuff and a plethora of Self Help & Woo courses that I auto-scan over now. But if it goes the way of the toilet as we approach November and especially after, I’ll just take my toys and come solely back to my hidey hole.
It’s nice to know that my fort now has a little paper-cup-and-string telephone connected to yours. Soooo excited to find you on here! And just think. All we had to do was confess embarrassing truths. 🤣
I'm so honored at the thought that my writing made anyone snuffle-blubber! Wow 😍 And I'm definitely thrilled to have a paper-cup-and-string direct line to your blanket fort. I asked the Universe for some new kindred spirit friends and It didn't let me down. 🫶🏻
I'm also impressed that you are so far surviving one of the most tumultuous times to be on FB and envious that your feed is all unicorns and rainbows. I know it's my own fault mine's not, but don't enable me, Facebook!!
I was asking too. 🥰🤓🥰
Dang…if this is one of the most tumultuous times, either I did something really good before I left for 3 years, or maybe I’m sort of under a rock. 🤪 Then again, when I got back on, I applied some steady hardcore use of those “show less” and “block ads from” features so maybe I trained it well.
It's good to know that it can be done! Although FB listens when my mom calls and lures me into talking about politics, so I think, for me, it's a lost cause. It's okay, I like Substack being my only social media for now. It feels wholesome...so I'm going to marinate in that for a bit.
It was a blissful 3 years away for me. I am really on a mission right now and once I can train my peeps where I ACTUALLY live…I’m hoping to abandon ship again. Although it has been fun to post funny or moving things and actually get, like…a response?? I’m still in Cricketville here. Hahahah!
And oh yes! Big Brother Stalking is so real! I haaaate that. But google does it to me too, even though I’m a Duck Duck girl. I do have Gmail soooo…I refuse to install the actual FB app on my phone though. I use the desktop on computer, or go through the site which is cumbersome and crappy on phone, but it may be cutting down on quite so much stalking redirection onto my feed.
PS I just saw your handle. 🤣🤩🤣🤩🤣😈 Yaaaaas. Clink, from one SOL to smother. Dang it, autocorrect. Another!!! To another! (Sorry. My martial artist self is apparently overactive today.)
This made me LOL.
Love this beautiful post … I’m soaking it all in and realizing how emotional I am and how I’ve covered it up for so many years!
It brings me such joy to know this resonated for you, Michelle. Even knowing there's one other soul who feels on this kind of scale makes it easier to cope with. We don't have to hide it anymore because it's actually not "weird."
Glad to have found you today on notes Jennie - this is a beautifully crafted piece of writing. I relate to the empathy/being too sensitive. I especially liked the exchange about how secrets have transitioned in our society to things rarely shared into more commonplace exchanges.
Thank you for the kind words and happy to meet another kindred spirit.
Re: secrets, I've been seeing accusations lately of "inauthentic vulnerability," or being vulnerable as a growth tactic. It never ceases to amaze me, our human ability to take things too far 🤦🏼♀️
Your pub looks fascinating! I've subbed!
Hey Jennie -thank you for this - and omg vulnerability as a growth tactic - that makes me feel a bit sick. And there is something healthy about sharing our secrets but I agree - we need to find the balance. Something unhealthy happened when it started to correlate to growth.
As someone who used to cry when someone "got their burger their way" in the Burger King ads on tv - I feel you! And theatre experience is a primary teacher of empathy. But I always felt bereft when the "deep" friendships I made in a show did not last past closing night. Thank you for your sensitivity. It's a very heavy load to carry in our world.
Thank you for yours! I suspected we were kindreds on many levels so this does not surprise me.