12 Comments

Keeping a "how to live" doc is such a smart idea. Thanks for the mention, too. Wish I could take credit for the actual Latin phrase, but I believe that honor belongs to Saint Augustine :)

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A hat-tip to Saint Augustine, and thank you Jenny for bringing his wise words into my inbox 🙏

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Thank you for giving me a Latin phrase to use to describe my coping strategy lol. I especially love taking a walk at the end of a crappy day and letting the outdoors calm me down. And my husband and I have our tough conversations while walking. Somehow it helps us hear each other out more effectively.

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Ha! There's something about Latin that real fancies up the humble walk, isn't there? But hey, it worked for Saint Augustine and it works for us! Some of the best conversations I've had with my partner have happened on long walks. I don't know how it works, but some combination of nature, movement and fresh air helps us to communicate more clearly.

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May I add there’s no such thing as willpower? Having spent a childhood and adult life being told that I’m fat because I lack will power has given me an absolute hatred for the word. Just as with laziness, there is usually an underlying reason why someone keeps repeating a pattern of behaviour or sometimes it just means someone isn’t conforming to society’s expectations.

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Preach! The idea of "willpower" has never resonated with me either. It just feels so heavy and laborious, especially when compared with the things I actually *want* to do.

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So thoughtful! And thanks for your mention here, Clare!

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Very wise words, Constance!

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I love this so much! And that Helen Mirren quote is one of my faves. I'm going to start my own "How to live" file. Thanks for the inspiration!

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Really recommend it Katrina! Anytime I go "visit" it, I always leave feeling a little better.

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Thanks for sharing - I had never really put it into words but I really treasure my house and it is made to be practical and comfortable for my very specific needs, and having the means to do that has really changed my quality of life.

And that picture with the cat is so lovely, made me laugh too!

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Me too, Albe. It was a real reframe to start thinking about my home as a place to be, rather than a thing to be looked at. Having a safe space to rely on is trully life changing.

Sweet Budino always makes me smile too! 😻

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