What would it be like, I often wonder, to be a naturally extroverted social butterfly? How many more and stronger professional connections would I have? How many more clients?
Oh Jenny, I couldn’t help myself, had to laugh at “What a flake, that Jenny Blake.” Then I had to run out to my bookshelf and take up my copy of I Am That …the last few lines of chapter 28, All Suffering is Born of Desire, read: “Without love all is evil. Life itself without love is evil. …You are love itself - when you are not afraid.”
You, Jenny, are not afraid to share with us, your readers, your fears and desires and that makes you love itself.
Your books and podcasts and gold stars among all the joys you have given us all lead me to conclude:
John, you are the best!! This poem makes my month!! I am cracking up over here :D I love that you have a copy of I Am That . . . and that you knew exactly where to find it, and precisely which lines you wanted to pull :) There are so many good ones in there, and I'm just honored that you see me in this way. Your survey response the other day really came at the perfect time too, a moment of doubt that picked me right back up and encouraged me to KEEP GOING. I know I must be doing *something* right to have people as wonderful as you here reading and listening, sharing all the gold stars back and forth with each other as needed! 🌟
I have recently wondered whether the thing that holds me back, in addition to fear of failure, is an equal fear of success and all the ‘maintenance’ that that would entail.
@Ben — Yes, I think about that all the time!! And that even if I achieved the level of success I sometimes dream about for any given project whether that level of attention/input/etc is *actually* in the highest good or not. Obviously not, or it would be happening that way! At least that's what I believe . . . I always remember Tim Ferriss' post on fame too — that was fascinating: https://tim.blog/2020/02/02/reasons-to-not-become-famous/
Oh my goodness, great guilty minds think alike! I hadn’t seen her post, thanks so much for sharing the link! I’ll have to send her mine too — we can commiserate 😅 . . . silently, at a snail’s pace 🤣🤣🤣
Reading through what Tim says, I would guess that the majority of people, when it comes down to it, actually want to be rich. Unfortunately, in our influencer culture, most think that this comes by being famous. Historically, a lot of famous people were only famous incidentally, as a byproduct of actually making a significant contribution or being significantly notorious. It feels like the way back is the focus on honing a craft and recognizing it’s significance may not be realized in our lifetime, a la almost every artist who ever lived, prior to the radio.
All well said! I relate to all of this so strongly! This is my greatest business anxiety -> “Perhaps all my Doh woes stem from this very shortcoming, moving through the world with the social capacity of a teacup while others have a 40-ounce Stanley.”
There are strengths to this solitude and introspection, but it’s tough to let them shine sometimes in a world where the loudest people seem to always get ahead.
@Dana, yes!! How you put it: "There are strengths to this solitude and introspection, but it’s tough to let them shine sometimes in a world where the loudest people seem to always get ahead."
I remember when someone told me the phrase isn't "best-writing author, it's best-selling author" — ugh! It's true in many ways, and yet for those of us quieter types who don't enjoy all the hoopla (much of it hollow), we can just keep cheering each other on to find our own way forward. I refuse to sell myself out just to hawk my wares . . . and I know you do too! Joyful selling and marketing sure, but not at the expense of who we are at our core.
I am not mad at you. You can put me down on the people who are not mad at me list forever. That, however, will not stop me from saying, "What a flake, that Jenny Blake" whenever I need to say your name. For example, "Hey Mel, who were you just talking to?" "Oh, that was my friend, what a flake that Jenny Blake!" You're doing great, you Jenny Blake! Just keep going❤️
Gah, thank you Mel for the blanket snail permission slip!!! Haha re: the flake take now accompanying any mention of my name 🤣🤷🏻♀️😭 Here in the city I just tell neighbors to remember me as “Jenny From the Block…not the original of course, just *a* Jenny from *a* block.”
Oh Jenny, I couldn’t help myself, had to laugh at “What a flake, that Jenny Blake.” Then I had to run out to my bookshelf and take up my copy of I Am That …the last few lines of chapter 28, All Suffering is Born of Desire, read: “Without love all is evil. Life itself without love is evil. …You are love itself - when you are not afraid.”
You, Jenny, are not afraid to share with us, your readers, your fears and desires and that makes you love itself.
Your books and podcasts and gold stars among all the joys you have given us all lead me to conclude:
Jenny Blake is not a flake
Because she gives and does not take.
John, you are the best!! This poem makes my month!! I am cracking up over here :D I love that you have a copy of I Am That . . . and that you knew exactly where to find it, and precisely which lines you wanted to pull :) There are so many good ones in there, and I'm just honored that you see me in this way. Your survey response the other day really came at the perfect time too, a moment of doubt that picked me right back up and encouraged me to KEEP GOING. I know I must be doing *something* right to have people as wonderful as you here reading and listening, sharing all the gold stars back and forth with each other as needed! 🌟
I have recently wondered whether the thing that holds me back, in addition to fear of failure, is an equal fear of success and all the ‘maintenance’ that that would entail.
@Ben — Yes, I think about that all the time!! And that even if I achieved the level of success I sometimes dream about for any given project whether that level of attention/input/etc is *actually* in the highest good or not. Obviously not, or it would be happening that way! At least that's what I believe . . . I always remember Tim Ferriss' post on fame too — that was fascinating: https://tim.blog/2020/02/02/reasons-to-not-become-famous/
Did you read Annie Scott’s post today, https://open.substack.com/pub/anniescott/p/the-unbearable-lateness-of-replying?r=2rpnfa&utm_medium=ios. Seemed to fit well with what you were chewing on too.
Oh my goodness, great guilty minds think alike! I hadn’t seen her post, thanks so much for sharing the link! I’ll have to send her mine too — we can commiserate 😅 . . . silently, at a snail’s pace 🤣🤣🤣
Reading through what Tim says, I would guess that the majority of people, when it comes down to it, actually want to be rich. Unfortunately, in our influencer culture, most think that this comes by being famous. Historically, a lot of famous people were only famous incidentally, as a byproduct of actually making a significant contribution or being significantly notorious. It feels like the way back is the focus on honing a craft and recognizing it’s significance may not be realized in our lifetime, a la almost every artist who ever lived, prior to the radio.
All well said! I relate to all of this so strongly! This is my greatest business anxiety -> “Perhaps all my Doh woes stem from this very shortcoming, moving through the world with the social capacity of a teacup while others have a 40-ounce Stanley.”
There are strengths to this solitude and introspection, but it’s tough to let them shine sometimes in a world where the loudest people seem to always get ahead.
@Dana, yes!! How you put it: "There are strengths to this solitude and introspection, but it’s tough to let them shine sometimes in a world where the loudest people seem to always get ahead."
I remember when someone told me the phrase isn't "best-writing author, it's best-selling author" — ugh! It's true in many ways, and yet for those of us quieter types who don't enjoy all the hoopla (much of it hollow), we can just keep cheering each other on to find our own way forward. I refuse to sell myself out just to hawk my wares . . . and I know you do too! Joyful selling and marketing sure, but not at the expense of who we are at our core.
I am not mad at you. You can put me down on the people who are not mad at me list forever. That, however, will not stop me from saying, "What a flake, that Jenny Blake" whenever I need to say your name. For example, "Hey Mel, who were you just talking to?" "Oh, that was my friend, what a flake that Jenny Blake!" You're doing great, you Jenny Blake! Just keep going❤️
Gah, thank you Mel for the blanket snail permission slip!!! Haha re: the flake take now accompanying any mention of my name 🤣🤷🏻♀️😭 Here in the city I just tell neighbors to remember me as “Jenny From the Block…not the original of course, just *a* Jenny from *a* block.”