Seeking out the good parts
January's Journaling prompts for paid Mothership members
I wrote last week about some of the things that have made this January feel even harder and slower than normal. I’ve been trying to use my journalling practice to find the moments of magic in between the tricky bits — here are some of the things that have felt good this month:
Unhurried days with my daughter: Seeing her figure out how the world works, letting her make decisions, saying ‘yes’ to things that will slow us down (like jumping in puddles or chasing squirrels or pausing to share a snack), if we have the time. No matter how slowly they seem to crawl by, I know these days are fleeting.
My new writing desk: It's an old schooldesk, currently painted off-white, and the lid is stained by the ghosts of art projects past. I’d had a vision for a while of a small, unobtrusive spot to write in the heart of our home (the fancy standing desk in the box room is dusty and piled with boxes, the kitchen table is usually cluttered or occupied or both). I spotted it in a charity shop for a fiver and now I’m writing this letter to you at it.
Playdates where the kids actually play together: At two-and-a-half, my daughter and her friends are in the midst of toddlerdom. They’re figuring out how to interact with one another and share toys and kinda-sorta play together. I’m not saying playdates are uninterrupted (they’re not), but all of a sudden “getting the kids together” has become a chance to catch our breath, drink a hot coffee, and have a meaningful conversation.
This post used to contain paywalled journaling prompts — I’m experimenting with a new model and you can get sixty prompts to write through motherhood here (for free). All I ask in return is to follow me on Instagram @zoepickburn and subscribe (also for free) on here — I’m currently working on building my platform to give my book proposal the best chance of success when it lands on agents’ desks, so every follow and subscribe really helps!