Thank you so so much for this beautiful newsletter and for everything you’ve shared all year round! I cannot even begin to tell you how much I appreciate your writing, your presence, your wisdom, your words. I always look forward to your newsletter and am able to find wisdom and comfort in what you write each time. I look forward to reading more of your work next year and I am very excited for all the newsletters you have yet to write and share! I always love coming here because I know that reading your words will make me feel just a little more comforted, a little lighter, a little bit better. I greatly appreciate you and I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful work. You are truly amazing.
I wish you a wonderful Christmas and may you enjoy the time spent with your family and loved ones. Sending you so much love🫶🏻
“What I want to say most is that the ache might remain forever, and the pressure to get rid of it often hurts more than the ache itself, and the ache can become a companion instead of a nuisance, and the ache can teach us things joy can’t.” 😍
Dec 22, 2023·edited Dec 22, 2023Liked by Lisa Olivera
Wow. Words cannot express how incredibly grateful I am for your mind and soul, Lisa. Honestly, your presence is a literal gift, if not to the wider world at least to me. I always look forward to seeing your newsletters enter my inbox ; often times - as this year has been a challenging one for me - it was your worlds that held me from one Sunday to the next. Truly, you have been such a light during the darker times, reminding me not to fear the darkness, reminding me I am human, reminding me that possibility still exists. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I reflected on something so similar in my notes this morning 💛
I’ve been thinking so much about what recovery looks like at the stage of healing I am in. While, like anyone else, the highs can be high and the lows can be low, the volatility of my experience has reduced so much. That, paired with my window of tolerance growing, has come with so much peace. Peace I’ve never experienced before and have learned to love and reach for.
My days are filled with so much routine, welcomed routine at that, in the form of self-care and keeping house. 5 years ago I snorted when my therapist first suggested I try lighting a candle once in a while. I wondered how a candle and a cup of tea could possibly stand against the beast that was an untreated eating disorder, uncontrolled anxiety, and trauma.
I’ve since adapted and learned to seek flexibility in addition to the routine. I see now that the candle, soft blankets, tea, and gentle music are no cure. I see that my therapist wasn’t claiming they would be. I also see necessity in having to learn to give myself permission to be truly comfortable, be it in ways that allowed me to sit back and rest or in ways that pushed me to fight harder to get my needs met.
Now that I’ve gotten a taste of this peace, this joy, and what it feels like to feel truly safe and secure in myself, my body, and the space I’ve cultivated, I’m growing protective of it. I’m fighting for more of it, while knowing and accepting the beauty in it lies in its transient nature. I’m aware of how much less mercurial this process is when compared to the experiences of early recovery.
Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and the way you do it. I smiled when you said "fancy coffee and a pastry is no small thing". The smallness of a croissant is what carries me. The smallness of buds on a dormant tree carries me. The bright fuchsia blooms of the camellia carries me. Happy Holidays and cheers to celebrating today and all the tiny joys we can find.
“What I want to say most is that grieving is perhaps the most human thing we can do, right after loving, and that grieving might actually be just another way of loving.”
Phew! Thank you so much Lisa! You are truly gifted beyond words. Thank you for sharing you with us. Thank you for your words, for healing, for being here. Have a wonderful break. Sending love and warmth to you and yours ♥️♥️♥️
"What I want to say most is that a walk around the block might solve a lot more than intensely trying to Do The Inner Work seems to."
also the lighting of candles always soothes, for me in particular fire is such a powerful connection, reminder even as they say a place dimly lit too often can encourage broodiness i do it with intention and not all the time cheap transportation the equivalent of mental "feet" thanks for all this
I especially liked your opening paragraph, much wiser and accepting than the constant pressure to excel. It's quality over quantity, being aware of an inner need for growth, rather than an external pressure to perform.
Like a condensation of human wisdom rephrased through your own dancing, vibrant experience, this had the effect of triggering many recognition responses, resonations, inside me.
What a great slideshow for this last year and for our lives in the process of expanding to include all there is.
(I have to do this... :-) What I'd like to say is...
Thank you, Lisa for letting yourself be seen. For taking the plunge into that unknown pool of authenticity, vulnerability, exposure... that we might see it is survivable... that we might also take the plunge, that this injured culture supporting closeted selves may find a space for expression, healing and growth. Thank you.
How lovely and thanks for sharing! I so related to so many of the messages (including those opening ones around preferring wholeness to "upgrading" I have reached that same conclusion myself just recently. Thanks for carrying us on your journey with you
Thank you Lisa. This is exactly what I too have been writing about, heeding the call of our higher self to turn toward wholeness rather than fixing what’s broken.
I appreciate you shining light on the details of our lives, calling us to notice them with joy. May you be well and have a nurturing break!
Wishing you a beautiful, restful holiday season with your loved ones Lisa. Thank you for all of your sharing and vulnerability, always. Here’s to more in 2024.✨
Thank you so so much for this beautiful newsletter and for everything you’ve shared all year round! I cannot even begin to tell you how much I appreciate your writing, your presence, your wisdom, your words. I always look forward to your newsletter and am able to find wisdom and comfort in what you write each time. I look forward to reading more of your work next year and I am very excited for all the newsletters you have yet to write and share! I always love coming here because I know that reading your words will make me feel just a little more comforted, a little lighter, a little bit better. I greatly appreciate you and I can’t thank you enough for your wonderful work. You are truly amazing.
I wish you a wonderful Christmas and may you enjoy the time spent with your family and loved ones. Sending you so much love🫶🏻
“What I want to say most is that the ache might remain forever, and the pressure to get rid of it often hurts more than the ache itself, and the ache can become a companion instead of a nuisance, and the ache can teach us things joy can’t.” 😍
Wow. Words cannot express how incredibly grateful I am for your mind and soul, Lisa. Honestly, your presence is a literal gift, if not to the wider world at least to me. I always look forward to seeing your newsletters enter my inbox ; often times - as this year has been a challenging one for me - it was your worlds that held me from one Sunday to the next. Truly, you have been such a light during the darker times, reminding me not to fear the darkness, reminding me I am human, reminding me that possibility still exists. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I reflected on something so similar in my notes this morning 💛
I’ve been thinking so much about what recovery looks like at the stage of healing I am in. While, like anyone else, the highs can be high and the lows can be low, the volatility of my experience has reduced so much. That, paired with my window of tolerance growing, has come with so much peace. Peace I’ve never experienced before and have learned to love and reach for.
My days are filled with so much routine, welcomed routine at that, in the form of self-care and keeping house. 5 years ago I snorted when my therapist first suggested I try lighting a candle once in a while. I wondered how a candle and a cup of tea could possibly stand against the beast that was an untreated eating disorder, uncontrolled anxiety, and trauma.
I’ve since adapted and learned to seek flexibility in addition to the routine. I see now that the candle, soft blankets, tea, and gentle music are no cure. I see that my therapist wasn’t claiming they would be. I also see necessity in having to learn to give myself permission to be truly comfortable, be it in ways that allowed me to sit back and rest or in ways that pushed me to fight harder to get my needs met.
Now that I’ve gotten a taste of this peace, this joy, and what it feels like to feel truly safe and secure in myself, my body, and the space I’ve cultivated, I’m growing protective of it. I’m fighting for more of it, while knowing and accepting the beauty in it lies in its transient nature. I’m aware of how much less mercurial this process is when compared to the experiences of early recovery.
Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and the way you do it. I smiled when you said "fancy coffee and a pastry is no small thing". The smallness of a croissant is what carries me. The smallness of buds on a dormant tree carries me. The bright fuchsia blooms of the camellia carries me. Happy Holidays and cheers to celebrating today and all the tiny joys we can find.
“What I want to say most is that grieving is perhaps the most human thing we can do, right after loving, and that grieving might actually be just another way of loving.”
Phew! Thank you so much Lisa! You are truly gifted beyond words. Thank you for sharing you with us. Thank you for your words, for healing, for being here. Have a wonderful break. Sending love and warmth to you and yours ♥️♥️♥️
What I want to say most is how very much I love and deeply appreciate, your sharing each week.
Thank you, thank you.
🤍🤍🤍
"What I want to say most is that a walk around the block might solve a lot more than intensely trying to Do The Inner Work seems to."
also the lighting of candles always soothes, for me in particular fire is such a powerful connection, reminder even as they say a place dimly lit too often can encourage broodiness i do it with intention and not all the time cheap transportation the equivalent of mental "feet" thanks for all this
enjoy
I like your thoughtful list. There are so many lists floating around these days it is hard to come up with something meaningful. You did. Thank you!
I especially liked your opening paragraph, much wiser and accepting than the constant pressure to excel. It's quality over quantity, being aware of an inner need for growth, rather than an external pressure to perform.
Like a condensation of human wisdom rephrased through your own dancing, vibrant experience, this had the effect of triggering many recognition responses, resonations, inside me.
What a great slideshow for this last year and for our lives in the process of expanding to include all there is.
(I have to do this... :-) What I'd like to say is...
Thank you, Lisa for letting yourself be seen. For taking the plunge into that unknown pool of authenticity, vulnerability, exposure... that we might see it is survivable... that we might also take the plunge, that this injured culture supporting closeted selves may find a space for expression, healing and growth. Thank you.
How lovely and thanks for sharing! I so related to so many of the messages (including those opening ones around preferring wholeness to "upgrading" I have reached that same conclusion myself just recently. Thanks for carrying us on your journey with you
What i want to say most is THANK YOU for the AUTHENTICITY.
This was fabulous! A cool way of repeating the things you were sharing, and important thoughts, each one. Bravo!
Vicki
Thank you Lisa. This is exactly what I too have been writing about, heeding the call of our higher self to turn toward wholeness rather than fixing what’s broken.
I appreciate you shining light on the details of our lives, calling us to notice them with joy. May you be well and have a nurturing break!
Wishing you a beautiful, restful holiday season with your loved ones Lisa. Thank you for all of your sharing and vulnerability, always. Here’s to more in 2024.✨