Oh, I love this post. One thing I love about Substack is how fascinating other people's unpacked baggage is. It's such a human thing to be able to share and relate to
I have a similar/same one: not being heard- this has occurred in my life with big things over and over again. I worked hard to break this pattern. I feel finally made headway since my 50’s. I have a chapter in my Laura book entitled- not being heard🥲I guess it’s one that needs to be posted someday too.
I hear you!! You are heard! Thanks for hearing me too and for the shout-out in your last post too.
Substack is a place where I can and many others. can express ourselves and finally be heard. 🌻
Yes! Writing is a great way to be heard, even if your actual physical voice isn’t being heard. Sometimes when people read our work, what we have to say sinks in better. How is your book going? Wow, that says something! A chapter called NOT BEING HEARD!!! Our baggage wrapped up in 3 words :)
Still working on book. I want to hold a zoom meet with a selection of my subscribers who are willing to read some of my posts on Laura and discuss it- give feedback to help me make my message/story stringer and to format it going forward. You i interested? I am thinking March? will send an email at some point. 🌻❤️
Ooh, I have lots of those too! It's like when you come back from a long trip and you open your luggage, put a little bit away but you're too tired and over it and then it's there for the next month, glaring at you every time you walk in your closet!!!
bahahah!!! I did not rap it then but I totally am now! Yes, I have this baggage too, especially since I had a career in one industry for a long time and left it because it was so unfulfilling to me but I made a decent income. I also fall easily to hitting the go button until I topple over. I've had a few cases of burnout where I was paying for it in every aspect of my life.
let's leave it at lost luggage and not put our name and contact info on the tag so it will never be returned to us!
This is sooooo good, Stephanie. I love how you laid out your archived essays (realizing what I’ve missed - flagged a few for TBD and soon!)
Ever since I found you here I was captivated by your authenticity and open heartedness. That shines through here. Your flow of consciousness as you write has an ability to draw your reader right in.
And you like to curse. I like to curse. And now I have a new podcast to follow where I can hear more curse words. Score!
Thank you, Allison, that means a lot to me! I do try to be open and honest and I really just don't know how to write any other way, especially since I typically write on the fly. Cursing is fun when you know when to use it! hehe!
I have been really enjoying your honesty with your sobriety. That one essay you wrote on how you used to be and how your relationship with drinking isn't a "problem" to someone from the outside world... it spoke to me! Real, authentic! The nuance is what's important! I shared it with my friend, a lawyer too, who recently celebrated 1 year sober.
Oh I love that you shared it with another sober lawyer. Thank you, Stephanie. And thanks for letting me know it resonated.
That’s why we keep showing back up, right? To reach inside and write through what we need to and if we’re lucky, we get to connect with others through our stories. ❤️
This was on 🔥 Stephanie!! So much I resonate with here (like rules are the to follow and break 💯) and to write with a fire under the ass.... no good at planning ahead here either... it’s a bit like planning what you eat a week in advance (how do I know what I want to eat on X day NEXT week...?! 😂)
I remember when you wrote your piece on not worrying about it being perfect, how you don't have time to agonize and re-edit and just get the work out there... I was inspired! I have tried to write ahead of time and it doesn't feel right to me. Is it procrastination? Or is it me wanting to show my most authentic self the week I publish it? Probably both!
Laughing so much at the relatability of the tumbleweed that rolls through when people ask what you write about. "I...I don't know. Do you know? Let me know if you work it out."
I'm working on an intro post atm too! Isn't it funny, you sometimes forget new subscribers know nothing about you!
Yes, it's the weirdest most uncomfortable feeling! Also, when I tell people I'm a writer... like kick me now, it feels so cringe to say it out loud. I'll say this instead. "Yeah, soooooo.... I write. a blog. just a thing. I don't know. If you want to read it, I can email it to you." Clearly this is my other piece of baggage, I'm now realizing haha. Must add to the list, build confidence in who I am and what I do.
Oh my gosh. I hear you. For years and years and years even after landing paid acting roles, I would say "I do acting." Only now on a 6 year hiatus to Mother intentionally, do I say, "I'm an actor."
"I write," is such a familiar refrain.
Dammit.
I'm with you and I see you Stephanie Jucar Cooley writer!!!
Love this... I’m feeling inspired to jump on the hero post wagon too!! Hmmm... baggage... so many pieces to unpack... currently working with holding and harnessing anger and rage in a more healthy way... and also constantly unpacking my health anxiety... among many others! So much baggage!!!
Do it! Like I said, it's a great way to hone in on what you write about. I had all of it in my head and then when I wrote it down, it got clearer, especially since I don't write about just one topic. Plus, it was fun to look at some of my old posts and see how much I've changed or grown or stayed the same on some topics I explore.
Ooh, Lauren. That's some hefty baggage right there. I have a reactivity problem with my kids when I'm angry so I feel this a bit. It's OK we have so much baggage! Over the weight limit too!!
Swarnali, I love this comment so much! I forgot to tell you from your last comment to me that I subscribed to Chris La Tray and I pre-ordered his book! here's to us as kindred spirits! looking forward to more connection with you.
I have admired your work so much. You have spilled so many hard things on your newsletter. I appreciate that you talk about all the different therapies and ways to look at trauma. What you write is so important! And you are doing a great job on continuing to unpack it! It's lifelong work.
Subscribe! I love what you've wrote here, and I can relate in many ways. I should at some point also try to articulate a hero post but I am still very much finding my voice. I too write on the spot without planning ahead, but this week I got really stuck, I've started multiple topics and couldn't get past few paragraphs. Ah, the life of a writer :)
I like the focus of this newsletter, and where you're headed! 💜
Me too
Thank you, Sue!
Great post. And that podcast photo is terrific, by the way. It evokes joy!
Ooh thank you! It’s weird getting your photos professionally taken. But fun too. I’m glad it showed
Oh, I love this post. One thing I love about Substack is how fascinating other people's unpacked baggage is. It's such a human thing to be able to share and relate to
Thank you Louise!
I have a similar/same one: not being heard- this has occurred in my life with big things over and over again. I worked hard to break this pattern. I feel finally made headway since my 50’s. I have a chapter in my Laura book entitled- not being heard🥲I guess it’s one that needs to be posted someday too.
I hear you!! You are heard! Thanks for hearing me too and for the shout-out in your last post too.
Substack is a place where I can and many others. can express ourselves and finally be heard. 🌻
Yes! Writing is a great way to be heard, even if your actual physical voice isn’t being heard. Sometimes when people read our work, what we have to say sinks in better. How is your book going? Wow, that says something! A chapter called NOT BEING HEARD!!! Our baggage wrapped up in 3 words :)
Still working on book. I want to hold a zoom meet with a selection of my subscribers who are willing to read some of my posts on Laura and discuss it- give feedback to help me make my message/story stringer and to format it going forward. You i interested? I am thinking March? will send an email at some point. 🌻❤️
You are such a breath of fresh air!
Thank you! You made it here to comment, wooooo!!!
What if you unpack and have nowhere to put that stuff? And don’t know what to do with it? 🤔
Ooh, I have lots of those too! It's like when you come back from a long trip and you open your luggage, put a little bit away but you're too tired and over it and then it's there for the next month, glaring at you every time you walk in your closet!!!
Also…love being part of your welcome page 🥰
Hehe, what you said was very special to me!
🥹🌸🥰
First of all, hey Stephanie! Love this introduction.
Did else sing/rap when you read “let me (re)introduce myself” 🎤🎵🎶
Just me?!?!? Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. No doubt, no doubt, no doubt.
So, my baggage I’m unpacking is how I have somehow linked my worth with the money I make and how productive I am.
It’s a stinker and I want to leave it lost luggage this year. 🧳
bahahah!!! I did not rap it then but I totally am now! Yes, I have this baggage too, especially since I had a career in one industry for a long time and left it because it was so unfulfilling to me but I made a decent income. I also fall easily to hitting the go button until I topple over. I've had a few cases of burnout where I was paying for it in every aspect of my life.
let's leave it at lost luggage and not put our name and contact info on the tag so it will never be returned to us!
This is sooooo good, Stephanie. I love how you laid out your archived essays (realizing what I’ve missed - flagged a few for TBD and soon!)
Ever since I found you here I was captivated by your authenticity and open heartedness. That shines through here. Your flow of consciousness as you write has an ability to draw your reader right in.
And you like to curse. I like to curse. And now I have a new podcast to follow where I can hear more curse words. Score!
Thank you, Allison, that means a lot to me! I do try to be open and honest and I really just don't know how to write any other way, especially since I typically write on the fly. Cursing is fun when you know when to use it! hehe!
I have been really enjoying your honesty with your sobriety. That one essay you wrote on how you used to be and how your relationship with drinking isn't a "problem" to someone from the outside world... it spoke to me! Real, authentic! The nuance is what's important! I shared it with my friend, a lawyer too, who recently celebrated 1 year sober.
Oh I love that you shared it with another sober lawyer. Thank you, Stephanie. And thanks for letting me know it resonated.
That’s why we keep showing back up, right? To reach inside and write through what we need to and if we’re lucky, we get to connect with others through our stories. ❤️
This was on 🔥 Stephanie!! So much I resonate with here (like rules are the to follow and break 💯) and to write with a fire under the ass.... no good at planning ahead here either... it’s a bit like planning what you eat a week in advance (how do I know what I want to eat on X day NEXT week...?! 😂)
I remember when you wrote your piece on not worrying about it being perfect, how you don't have time to agonize and re-edit and just get the work out there... I was inspired! I have tried to write ahead of time and it doesn't feel right to me. Is it procrastination? Or is it me wanting to show my most authentic self the week I publish it? Probably both!
Laughing so much at the relatability of the tumbleweed that rolls through when people ask what you write about. "I...I don't know. Do you know? Let me know if you work it out."
I'm working on an intro post atm too! Isn't it funny, you sometimes forget new subscribers know nothing about you!
Yes, it's the weirdest most uncomfortable feeling! Also, when I tell people I'm a writer... like kick me now, it feels so cringe to say it out loud. I'll say this instead. "Yeah, soooooo.... I write. a blog. just a thing. I don't know. If you want to read it, I can email it to you." Clearly this is my other piece of baggage, I'm now realizing haha. Must add to the list, build confidence in who I am and what I do.
Oh my gosh. I hear you. For years and years and years even after landing paid acting roles, I would say "I do acting." Only now on a 6 year hiatus to Mother intentionally, do I say, "I'm an actor."
"I write," is such a familiar refrain.
Dammit.
I'm with you and I see you Stephanie Jucar Cooley writer!!!
Love this Stephanie! Saved some posts for later 🤓🤓
Hi Kylie-Ann! Thank you for reading and saving and reading later!
Love this... I’m feeling inspired to jump on the hero post wagon too!! Hmmm... baggage... so many pieces to unpack... currently working with holding and harnessing anger and rage in a more healthy way... and also constantly unpacking my health anxiety... among many others! So much baggage!!!
Do it! Like I said, it's a great way to hone in on what you write about. I had all of it in my head and then when I wrote it down, it got clearer, especially since I don't write about just one topic. Plus, it was fun to look at some of my old posts and see how much I've changed or grown or stayed the same on some topics I explore.
Ooh, Lauren. That's some hefty baggage right there. I have a reactivity problem with my kids when I'm angry so I feel this a bit. It's OK we have so much baggage! Over the weight limit too!!
I feel like I have found you at the right time and I am here to support you through all of your endeavours. You feel kindred. 💜🌼
Swarnali, I love this comment so much! I forgot to tell you from your last comment to me that I subscribed to Chris La Tray and I pre-ordered his book! here's to us as kindred spirits! looking forward to more connection with you.
Here’s to us 🥂
I'm working on unpacking the mental, emotional, and spiritual baggage from sexual abuse.
I have admired your work so much. You have spilled so many hard things on your newsletter. I appreciate that you talk about all the different therapies and ways to look at trauma. What you write is so important! And you are doing a great job on continuing to unpack it! It's lifelong work.
Thank you!! It has been therapeutic to write the newsletter. At times it is difficult. Recovery is definitely lifelong work.
Subscribe! I love what you've wrote here, and I can relate in many ways. I should at some point also try to articulate a hero post but I am still very much finding my voice. I too write on the spot without planning ahead, but this week I got really stuck, I've started multiple topics and couldn't get past few paragraphs. Ah, the life of a writer :)