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This reached me at just the right time, after a full on and tender week of living and not writing. Thank you so much Lisa for your most magical words and for the permission slips, which allowed for many realisations. I also love that John O’Donohue quote, thank you for the reminder xx

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So glad it found you at the right time -- with you in the tenderness 🧡

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Someone told me earlier I can find meaning in everything, like it was a gift, this amazing thing.

But I do feel it is more like a reactive mechanism I got after living a childhood full of chaos, confusion, and stress. And maybe my urge to share every little detail may be an urge to feel seen and heard, needs that weren't met then.

The tension between joy and grief is real.

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The tension -- yes. This connection and thread is so powerful to be with, to recognize. I hear and see you in it.

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Beautiful. Yes. I wonder how our experience as creatives is different in this social media age compared to generations gone by - how much we’ve been trained to now look outward. I’m finding such a desire to live in response to the flow rather than the pressure to prove, produce and make sense of it. It’s complex. I’m curious what it could be like to completely disregard sharing anything (even though that’s rather frowned upon and deemed insular or selfish) and see what space would open up. What wisdom or clarity or peace would come from living that way.

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I think about this so often -- so complex. I grieve for how challenging it feels at times, and the grief helps me remember it isn't just personal but is something we're collectively reckoning with. Thank you for sharing x

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Yes. Keep wondering what it is doing to my soul and creative practice. Let me know if you try any experiments.

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I say, “Go for it!”

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Simply beautiful, Lisa. After reading, this quickly came to mind - this is a permission slip to water my roots at my leisure and to bloom however and whenever I am ready.

Thank you for your words that allow me to dig deeper into who I am and who I long to be. 🧡

- Melissa

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Whenever you are ready -- yes 🧡

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Thank you for putting words to how I’ve been feeling lately. I do not have a popular newsletter, but I do enjoy writing anyway. The challenge has been that I have been learning to enjoy experiences without having to understand them in my brain and from that, the content for writing has become more difficult. You’ve put it so beautifully.

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Yes yes yes, this. Thank you <3

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Sep 16Liked by Lisa Olivera

Thank you for this. While reading I had this vision of myself sitting in the most divine quiet moment and sending the moment to my far-out future self that doesn’t have much life left to live. Savoring something just for her and remembering the precious fragility of this life made “the audience” seem rather ridiculous to be honest. I think this is important and I hope it sticks with me.

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I hope it sticks with you, too -- and this scene you painted will stick with me <3

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Sep 15Liked by Lisa Olivera

Oof, just what the doctor ordered. Thanks for finding the words for this one. ☝️

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Thank you for reading 🤍

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Sep 15Liked by Lisa Olivera

🤍 yes...allowing ourselves to 'be' and absent of any other agendas or descriptives. It feels untethered, but also profoundly in touch with essence.

Your humanity always shines through Lisa, even in the times you may feel the need to search for the right words.

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Untethered yet in touch with essence -- this 🤍

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I have something to regift to you. I got it from one of Watchman Nee’s books, The Spiritual Man.

It is: disinterested benevolence.

It has been the answer to many of the heartfelt questions this beautiful piece of you highlighted in this post.

And, it has changed my life

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Grateful you found what helped you! Thank you.

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Ooo I’m so interested in this. Can you give a short description?

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‘Permission to let certain wisdom take decades to truly acquire’ - this is why I do my substack 🥹❤️ thank you for your always beautiful potent words that speak straight to my soul xxx

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Thank you for reading and for staying the path <3

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So much this. Hearing you over here as writer/therapist/private person xx

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Such gratitude for the kinship from afar xx

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so good. every. damn. time. your words reach into my chest, my being and soothe my soul. I needed this reminder to remember what’s important and why. thank you x

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So grateful, thank you <3

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Sep 16Liked by Lisa Olivera

Such a beautiful and healing read, thank you so much for sharing. I smiled at the irony of my feeling this way lately but being unable to find the words for it! Your perspective is always a gift, however and whenever you choose to share it 🧡

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So much irony -- in a lot of what I share, really :) thank you for reading, for being here.

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I drink every word, and it is so satisfying and life-giving. Thank you!

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I am so grateful for that!

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Sep 16Liked by Lisa Olivera

So, remain silent and just be a while. 🧡

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That's the hope <3

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Thank you so much for this. Today is my 39th birthday. Before reading this I sat with my morning matcha and journaled. I like to have a word and energy for each year. Something I loosely hold on to and I let it evolve as time moves forward. My word was magnetic and my theme was joy. I don’t really pick it, it picks me. I then read your work and it was so kismet. I’m feeling all these feelings too. I gave myself the greatest birthday gift of permission this morning and my heart is filled with joy. I hope this year I live like a river flows, I stay open and present to the joy and surprises in life and I let myself be free to experience moments much more fully and deeply. Thank you.

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Happy happy birthday -- may you stay open and present to it all, akin to a river, finding your own flow. <3

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