9 Comments
User's avatar
Don's avatar

you're still trying to "know who you are and what you actually want to do" so that *working* "won’t feel like work anymore" - you're still stuck in the capitalist-productivity paradigm.

I recommend The Idler's Glossary for a terrific, revolutionary version of this essay:

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-idler-s-glossary-joshua-glenn/43203c7bcfab30ae?ean

Expand full comment
Neha Patel's avatar

I appreciate the recommendation - the book looks incredibly delicious!

Expand full comment
Tracy Creelman's avatar

I love that you are exploring this. We are not machines, we are not only as worthy as our usefulness

Expand full comment
Lynda Bardfield's avatar

This is beautiful Neha. A truth that all of us impatiently awaiting the next chapter need to hear.

Expand full comment
Aisha Piracha's avatar

I loved this piece and all the paths you took us down as you wondered and pondered...Who am I? My value is just me. I am enough. Each paragraph, with beautiful prose and reflection, and giving yourself allowances. "It’s about reclaiming your relationship to time and attention, allowing your brain to wander and your body to exhale." Thanks for sharing!

Expand full comment
Ilka Maria Rondinelli's avatar

👏👏👏❤️

Expand full comment
Pramada Menon's avatar

A thoughtful piece and echoes with me. Learning to let go that frenetic productivity I was part of has been the most joyful process of my life. Enjoy the boredom, soak it in, much appears in it’s whorls and watch the notion of boredom change!

Expand full comment
Sudha Nandagopal's avatar

Such an important exploration! I love this, I love knowing you’re saying rest, and not being governed by a calendar. Unlearning identity connected to productivity is a lifelong project. As you know I went through my own version of this experience last year. People were challenged to know I was not doing everything… but also I wasn’t ever bored because in spaciousness my creativity came back, I wrote, I played, I frolicked. This has changed the synapses of my brain and now I can’t persuade myself to go back to the before.

Expand full comment
Nyamwathi Adodoadji's avatar

What a poignant piece and invitation. Thank you for sharing a bit of your story.

Expand full comment