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SPatterson's avatar

What a wonderful thing to start the day with reading. So happy that you are on substack now, Jen, and i’m so happy for your month away. I will hold the brilliance of this idea as both a dream for the future and an informant for today. Thank you!

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The World According to Grace's avatar

So much wisdom here. I'd like to add that those questions (What do I love? What lights me up?) don't just come at midlife or empty nest time. I think they come whenever we experience a shift in our lives. I am in a stage of grief (having lost my mom, dad and brother, all too young). I find myself questioning everything, realizing now more than ever that time is finite. My family is gone. I'm still here. How do I want to live? What matters to me? Thanks for this insightful post!

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Sarah Jo Austin's avatar

I needed this reminder today!! To keep nurturing the creative juices any way I can!

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Sinead Martin's avatar

This is such a great post! I’m so happy to read your art on here Jen. X

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In Between Sessions's avatar

Thank you for this! I am a mom of three young kids, a therapist, a writer, and a wife to a firefighter… I don't have a lot of free time, but I started to feel so disconnected from myself when I am not in the process of creating something. This is the inspiration I needed this morning to book a weekend away from me in the fall (because Summer feels like one big long December when you have little kids) to write and work on my book proposal!

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Julene Tegerstrand, Ph.D.'s avatar

Love the idea of Me-Camp! My version became the sabbatical I have taken when my college closed! It has been a container for reclaiming me and uncovering my expertise and creativity that had been buried under the exhaustion if keeping a college barely breathing.

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Brieanna Wilkoff's avatar

Thanks so much for this, Jen. I'm close to finalizing my own divorce and just came back from a weeklong vacation with my 12-year-old and soon-to-be-ex-husband. We had a good time, but I thought a lot during the trip about what kinds of vacations I want for myself moving forward, and what you've described is exactly what I'm looking for. ❤️

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Stacy Bronec's avatar

Sounds dreamy! Enjoy your time!

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