Getting Your Spark Back ✨

when was the last time you felt like yourself?

This voiceover is an audio version of my Slow Sunday Letter below. It is unedited, so may have some stutters, imperfections, and background noise. I hope you enjoy listening to it anyway!

Welcome to Generosity of Spirit, a gentle community for YOU. We find pockets of time for slow & gentle living, books, writing, journaling & life affirming work. You are so welcome here in our cosy space, grab a cuppa & stay a while... 🐢🙏📚☕💌

Welcome back to another Slow Sunday Letter! I hope you have had a slow and gentle week.

In this week’s Slow Sunday Letter, I want to create a little pocket of time for us to slow down and reconnect with what brings us joy. If you have felt a little flat, more serious than normal or unable to tap into joy lately, your spark may have dimmed. Your spark hasn’t disappeared, but sometimes it can get buried beneath stress, exhaustion, routine, pressure, or overwhelm. Today, I want to explore the ways we can both get our spark back so we can reconnect with joy, curiosity, creativity, and our true selves again.

So, grab a cuppa, get cosy and let’s get our spark back …

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image @emilycharlottepowell

"I am out with lanterns, looking for myself" Emily Dickinson

When was the last time you felt like yourself?

Such an abstract question I know, but stay with me… I am talking about the last time you felt energised, excited, lit up, full of joy - boundless. Not the version of you that is going through the motions, trying to keep up with the demands of life, or working diligently through an ever growing ‘to do’ list.

When was the last time you soared?

I like to think of this magical ingredient, that literally lights us up, as our spark. But, sometimes our spark can get lost, or dimmed.

If you have felt a little flat lately, or have been going through some difficult times, changes, or maybe you just see yourself arriving in a new phase of life, your spark may have got lost along the way.

When we are in survival mode, our brain and our nervous system are just trying to keep us safe and are hyper focused on getting through each day. Access to joy, play, fun and with it, creativity can feel all but cut off. Realising you have lost your spark can happen gradually, or it can happen with a wake up call, a realisation that everything feels out of reach.

But here’s the truth, your spark is not lost… but you have lost the ability to turn it on.

So how do you flip that switch, and get yourself having fun again, digging out of that rut and feeling motivated and alive again?

There are 2 steps …

1. slow down

2. reconnect

Together we are going to slow down our nervous system, return it to a place of peace where it feels safe and then invite reconnection. Reconnection to self, and reconnection to all those things that make us feel alive.

would you like to join me?

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1. Slow Down

Slow down, be still, quieten your mind.

Before you can get your spark back, you need to slow down and bring yourself back into the present.

Our concept of time is so warped in modern life. Life feels like it is rushing past us and most of us are running behind it trying to keep up. The messaging most of us are subjected to on a daily basis is tied to this idea that we need to do something, achieve something, look forward to this holiday, prepare for the weekend, the next holiday season. The present is a hard place to exist in, when we are constantly barrelled through life.

When we feel tired or overwhelmed, so many of us find ourselves reaching for our phones and consuming social media, short form content or doom scrolling. In doing so, time disappears before our eyes, literally.

We have all done it, you scroll for a few minutes - look up at the clock and 30 minutes have gone by. Time flies. Without realising it, or even being aware of what you have turned your attention to and without even the ability to recall what you have spent your time doing - the time is gone.

“It is the flowers in the soul of the person who put them there that make us happy and enliven our hearts. The beauty of the flowers is a clue to the beauty of a human heart. They are a keyhole into a human heart.” Pure Colour by Sheila Heti

Take back your time.

Being ‘bored’ or being quiet and letting your thoughts arrive on their own is a key to unlock your inner creativity, uniqueness and inspiration. Find ways to allow your brain to wander, day dream, people watch and get lost in thoughts. Next time you reach for your phone out of boredom, choose stillness instead and see where it leads.

Slow down, and revel in your days.

Try…

When you wake up, leave your phone alone for as long as you can.

Open the curtains, make a warm drink, pick up a book, journal if you like … or just sit outside in the world. Our first few choices in the day set the tone for the rest of our day… let your brain wake up naturally. Slow down, and let yourself open your eyes, greet the day and discover the world yourself, not just consuming what your phone wants to feed you.

2. Reconnect

Have fun getting to know yourself and finding out what fills you with joy.

This is harder than it seems, as we are constantly bombarded with things, products, suggestions, well places adverts, influencers … all vying for our attention and nearly all prescribing what we should like or want.

So we need to strip back the noise, tune into ourselves and let ourselves explore the things that we like. This way, we can start to access our own thoughts, ideas, likes, dislikes. We are a constantly growing and evolving species. So embrace that and enjoy building and creating a life full of all the things you actually love.

You may have heard of the term brain rot, which is essentially the term for not using our brains the way they want, or are capable of being used. Mindlessly consuming or moving through the day reduces our capacity. You can un-rot your brain by tapping into your creativity, your true self and empowering yourself to make your own decisions again. More than any other generation the algorithms are controlling the narrative of our lives. But that reduces us so much.

“I contain multitudes” Walt Whitman

You are a wonder. And when we embrace our individuality, and let our brains play, follow curiosity and have fun - the world opens up. Our excitement and interest is ignited. True connection can be made with yourself and others.

Fill your life with things you love.

Your days don’t need to be filled with strangers online, ideas, videos, views, adverts, that you experience through your phone screen. I am not saying we all need to throw our phones away, but practice putting your phone down more often. Slow down your consumption and let yourself live a little in your own life. The real one happening all around you.

And when you inevitably do find yourself online and on social media, do an audit and learn how to bloom scroll.

Read more here ➡️ How To Bloom-Scroll 💐

Try…

Once a week plan to try something new…

This can be anything… and I urge you to have fun experimenting. Watch a new movie, pick a new recipe to try. Play a game. Go to a museum, sit in a garden, go somewhere new for a walk. Sign up to a new class. Book an event, or a show. Read a new book, or a magazine. Try a new hobby.

Get out there and find something new.

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I hope you are enjoying this Slow Sunday Letter 📚💌 It is my pleasure to bring these as a free offering to you each week.

You can support my work by buying me a coffee following the link below ☕️ . I’m so grateful for your company and support. Thank you 🙏

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Getting Your Spark Back ✨ Journal Prompts

When did I last feel truly energised or inspired?

What has been draining my energy lately?

What do I miss doing simply because I loved it?

What made me feel excited as a child or teenager?

What topics, hobbies, or ideas am I naturally drawn towards?

What kind of life feels expansive and alive to me?

What am I curious about right now?

Is there something I want to try just for fun?

What creative habits make me feel most like myself?

What does my mind, body, and spirit need right now?

Where might I need more rest before inspiration can return?

What environments make me feel calm, inspired, or creative?

What small routines help me reconnect with myself?

What is one thing I can do this week to reconnect with joy?

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Slow & Steady - My Paid Membership!

A cosy and gentle space to gather together, learn from and inspire one another. Go deeper into Slow & Gentle Living and what it can mean for you.

Read more here… A Year of Gentle Rhythm, Mindful Growth & Seasonal Living

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I really hope this week’s Slow Sunday Letter, has provided you with space to really tune into what makes you, you. Your spark is within, and you can ignite it with things that light you up any time you wish. I hope this inspires you to turn away from the rush of every day life and the bombardment of social media and have fun discovering ways to bring more joy into your life.

If you had a free afternoon, no plans, no commitments … what would you do?

I would really love to know your thoughts if you feel able, please do share in the comments.

Thank you for being here,

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