when joy holds the pen ✍️
Dear Starry-Eyed Romantic,
You don’t deserve to suffer. Being miserable is not honourable. Nor does success come solely from torment. I tend to push myself. Stay consistent. Remain disciplined. Overcome. Endure, endure, endure — until I’m exhausted. I’m left with the familiarity of melancholy, longing, and disappointment. But meaningful success is built upon discomfort and enjoyment. 🌼
There’s this really clever rule called the Olympian’s Rule Of Thirds and it tells us that when we’re chasing a goal, one-third of the time it’ll feel good, one-third of the time it’ll feel okay, and one-third of the time it’ll feel crappy. No one can live every third feeling great, nor can you live every third feeling crappy. There is a balance to be had. (I’ll recommend some books on this later in the newsletter 😉)
As a poet, I tell myself that only my best work is created in anguish. That I have to be unfulfilled to write. But that’s simply not true… Perhaps joy is something I have to explore, experience, and practice in order to write about more. But it is entirely possible to write from a place of peace and happiness. I cannot wait to practice it more. Here’s to the Happy Poet Era 💫
Don’t forget to like and comment on this week’s newsletter! 🥰
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📚 Book Recs 📚
These two self-help books have helped me better understand healthy striving and the impacts of stress on the body and mind.
I first read about the Olympians Rule of Thirds in Fear Less by Dr. Pippa Grange. It’s an amazing book about how fear of failure, perfectionism, and shame can hold us back. The book delves into embracing vulnerability, connection, and courage in pursuit of excellence. I read the entire book and highly recommend to everyone! I would read it again, that’s how good it was.
Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski takes a compassionate, science-based approach to understanding emotional exhaustion. The book explains what the stress cycle is and how to complete it. Although I have yet to finish this book, it’s already impacted me so much in how I view stress and rest. I would highly recommend this book for anyone experiencing burnout, especially givers; first responders, nurses, caretakers, parents, etc.
📖 Fear Less by Dr. Pippa Grange
📖 Burnout by Emily and Amelia Nagoski
🪶 Writing Prompts 🪶
🤍 Describe what your “Happy Poet Era” would look, sound, and feel like.
🤍 What would the weather forecast of your heart include — clouds, sun, wind, or rain?
🤍 If your thoughts were a garden, what’s growing? What needs pruning? What’s in full bloom?
🎶 Stuck In My Head 🎶
🎵 Do You Like That, Baby? by Baby Nova
✨ Stardust Thoughts ✨
💫 Suffering ≠ Success.
🌿 Give yourself space. See how you f l o u r i s h
🌙 “When I run after what I think I want, my days are a furnace of stress and anxiety.” — Rumi
💌 Know someone who’s been pushing too hard? Forward this letter to them! 💌
You can grab a copy of my poetry book Supernova 💫, find me on IG @tayashokkerwriter, or check out my website www.tayashokker.com.
Until next time,
Taya