11 Comments
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Terje Äkke's avatar

Who nowadays even uses the term "lady of leisure"? It's the oddest thing I have heard lately. Having heard more and more about people scaling and slowing down, I predict this movement will grow, and all to the benefit of the mental health and the environment. Wishing you resilience and joy along the way. Creativity will part of the journey anyway.

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Vanessa McCausland's avatar

This was an inspiring read. It made me want to move to the country too!

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Maggie Szabo's avatar

People are often jealous of those who buck the system or actually listen to their hearts & follow their own paths. It makes them realise they should maybe be doing the same thing. But it takes guts, commitment, and bucketloads of faith to do, and not everyone has that.

I applaud your decision, Monique 👏🏻 you’ll never regret it. And take those ‘lady of leisure’ comments 🙄 and stuff them into the covers of Jane Austen books where they belong 😅 You’re going to be woman of inspiration 🥰

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Feasts and Fables's avatar

Love this energy!

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Saved by Grace's avatar

I'm so grateful that my post resonated with you. As you explore your way towards changing your life, may I advise you to give yourself time to slow down your thoughts and turn inwards. I spent quite a long time reading and thinking, when all the answers we need are already there deep within us. Looking forward to reading about your ongoing journey 🤍 Karen

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David Wilson (E. regnans)'s avatar

Lovely reflections, Monique. Probably the path will open before you. Maybe it won’t even look like or feel like a path.

Love the Willy-wagtail. Reminded me of this beautiful story I read today: https://www.footyalmanac.com.au/the-amazing-tale-of-the-eagle-and-hawk-his-dad-his-friend-the-former-giant-and-docker-tenacious-jack-the-archibald-artist-my-dad-and-the-willie-wagtail-fathers-day-part-ii/

It’s all a mystery.

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Emily Paull's avatar

Isn’t it interesting that the work we do is only considered valuable to others sometimes when we draw an income? But the projects we do around the house, our writing, the ways we make a life for our families are work too. It’s not so much that you’re becoming a lady of leisure, and more that you’re making space for other kinds of important work - hopefully much of it will nourish the soul. Beautiful piece, and much to relate to here! ❤️

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Barbs Honeycutt's avatar

haha lady of leisure XD The house with the separate workshop thoughhhhhh and the bookstore? I mean... "what if" 🤩

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Alyssa Curtayne's avatar

My plan is to build a life of passive income that will feed me the rest of my life and beyond my death ;)

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Feasts and Fables's avatar

I developed a internal mantra when I left the traditional world of work and questions poured in about ‘what next’ from folk who were still in that world or who created a post-employment world that largely replicated it.

Not to be pointed, but I wonder if folk ask those questions in the way because our choices tap at the boundaries of their imagination … having to frame an answer to suit their limits also ends up compromising the thrill of choosing to define our futures differently and to do something about making them as we imagine them.

So, I made sure the questions were internal, checkpoints to make sure I was pushing myself into the right spaces. What was my purpose and how would my life be shaped to embrace it. That’s how the weaving of our encouragement manifesto sits comfortably with adventures and travel … I give to others but I give to me too - a happy me is obvious to everyone who wants to brush up against it. They tend not to be the folk who have to ask the question in the first place about ‘what next’.

Anyhoo, Monique, we’re excited for you, for the pathway that doesn’t need to be described, it just needs to be walked. B

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Feasts and Fables's avatar

Also, also … such a good post, Monique, and aside from my mini rant about folk asking their damn fool questions, I have way more encouraging things to say. About less being more and the unlearning. I’ll send a proper note. Also, Encouragement Sessions are made for this stuff. Time zones can be wrestled with. Would love to listen and offer an old beardy bloke’s angle. B

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