The end (of August) is nigh
Wigg’s Wednesdays is here again to share inspirational content on life hacks, self-development, sustainability, personal finance, minimalism, and travel tips.
Today marks one month since I arrived in Auckland! The weather is starting to look up, I have three more housesitting gigs soon, and I’ve started to find my favourite coffee shops and dumpling places. I still get caught off guard occasionally by the New Zealand accent, most recently when someone was bragging about the large deck at their house. Highly amusing.
Hope you’re having a great week! x Michelle Wigg
This Week’s Favourites
READ: I Have Forgotten How to Read – Michael Harris, The Globe and Mail
I identify with this so much! While I still read plenty online, this is a such a different feeling: “My attention – and thus my experience – fractures.”
“It’s been unnerving to realize: I have forgotten how to read – really read – and I’ve been refusing to talk about it out of pride.”
“We (have) become more intolerant of moments of time that pass without the arrival of new stimuli. So, I throw down the old book, craving mental Tabasco sauce.”
READ: The Art of Enough – Experience Life
Seems this is a recurring theme in my links lately. While I was content to live out of a backpack for a year in USA, I’m already feeling the urge to buy more while I have a homebase (of sorts) in Auckland. A reminder to mindfully enjoy what we already have for greatest satisfaction.
“Many of us are used to sailing past our satiety point. We numb out and eat the rest of what’s on the plate or watch a lackluster TV show. But cultivating presence can help, Gielan says. That means developing an understanding of what truly brings us pleasure, and knowing how to savor what we’re doing, eating, or watching in the moment.”
LISTEN: The 7 Faces of Fear – with Ruth Soukup – Afford Anything podcast
Loved this episode. After surveying 4000 people, Ruth Soukup identified 7 archetypes to describe how fear manifests itself, including the fear of not being liked, of making mistakes, of adversity, and of responsibility. Some good actions plans provided to work through your tendencies once identified. Turns out I’m a Procrastinator with a hefty dose of Self-Doubter. Which one are you?
- “Sometimes, fear takes the form of procrastination. We’re afraid of botching something, or we don’t like the feeling of anxiety that a project gives us, so we avoid it, dodge it, and indefinitely put it off.
- Other times, fear takes the form of perfectionism through endless iterating and tweaking. We want to keep tinkering with a project, to get it “just right.” We applaud ourselves for our attention to detail.
- Fear takes the form of making excuses and rationalizations for why we can’t pursue a goal or dream. We tell ourselves that some outside factor is to blame.
- Fear takes the form of throwing ourselves pity parties and locking ourselves into a negative self-talk spiral. We get easily discouraged.
- Fear takes the form of thinking others can’t be trusted, and pushing people away.
- Fear has many faces.”
EVENT: The Creative Impulse: An Evening with Joe Chindamo and Steve Vizard
Another interesting free event coming up, by the Sia Furler Institute and Don Dunstan Foundation. With live performance of jazz improvisation, string quartet compositions and cabaret.
“In this unique personal and musical encounter, Gold Logie winning interviewer, writer and academic, Steve Vizard, interviews celebrated musical treasure, performer and composer, Joe Chindamo, about the art of creativity.”
Tuesday 17 September, 6pm-7.30pm | Elder Hall, North Terrace, Adelaide | Free! | RSVP
Thanks for reading. Feel free to share this with others who can subscribe here. See you next Wednesday!