Oh goodness Aly, I love being within your words. This line: "I did the thing! I moved toward the discomfort on purpose! Quite literally plunged in and came out the other side. Do I have the resolve to stay?" That resolve. The discomfort on purpose. So good. Thank you for writing and also recording your voice- I listened instead of "read with my eyes" for this essay and I truly enjoyed the experience of being with your spoken voice.
Thank you so much, Lindsay! And I’m glad to know you enjoyed the voice recording—I still feel kinda sheepish about those.
OCD recovery (I was diagnosed 3 years ago) is literally moving toward—and staying with—discomfort on purpose. 😵💫 it was a tough sell at first but it’s helped me in so much more than just battling OCD.
So beautiful! I’ve been thinking about a polar plunge next New Year’s Day at our local state park… they have one every year. If you can, maybe I can too :)
I’ve gone everyday since January 9th! Now it’s my favorite part of the day, getting to connect with nature and myself and God. I probably sound like one of those crazy health influencers or something, but I’ve also had so much more energy and I’m sleeping through the night, which as a lifelong insomniac, is huge. I would do it without those benefits, though, as a chance to slow down. Instead of grounding, I guess I have “watering” 😂
Thank you for reading, Becky, and taking the time to comment! Hope you are doing well! I am always excited to read the snippets and stories you share 💛
Wow Aly, I LOVED this! The shifting of your perspective on wonder gave me chills. I relate to the indignation you feel about something hard in your life stealing everything else and then stealing your writing too, but for what it's worth, your writing on OCD is very impactful and I always appreciate everything you share. 🤍
Thank you, Kelsey. I’m sorry you can relate to a hard struggle taking over your life and writing. Thank you for your encouragement to keep writing about OCD! Almost three years in to writing about my OCD journey and it was the FIRST time I questioned what it would be like to write about something else—shows how all-consuming recovery has been in my life. I am grateful for the ways writing about it helps me connect with others and hopefully offer some kind of insight or stepping stone to healing in their own journey.
Oh, Aly. What a wonderful reflection on "childlike" wonder. I, too, didn't experience innocent wonder as a child, but I am finding it in art and in my adulthood. Thank you for your thoughtful reflection!
Thank you, Kristina! I’m sorry you didn’t get to experience childlike wonder, either. So glad you can find wonder in art and in your healing as an adult 💛
Oh goodness Aly, I love being within your words. This line: "I did the thing! I moved toward the discomfort on purpose! Quite literally plunged in and came out the other side. Do I have the resolve to stay?" That resolve. The discomfort on purpose. So good. Thank you for writing and also recording your voice- I listened instead of "read with my eyes" for this essay and I truly enjoyed the experience of being with your spoken voice.
Thank you so much, Lindsay! And I’m glad to know you enjoyed the voice recording—I still feel kinda sheepish about those.
OCD recovery (I was diagnosed 3 years ago) is literally moving toward—and staying with—discomfort on purpose. 😵💫 it was a tough sell at first but it’s helped me in so much more than just battling OCD.
That last paragraph was *chills* 😍
Thank you, Ashley!
So beautiful! I’ve been thinking about a polar plunge next New Year’s Day at our local state park… they have one every year. If you can, maybe I can too :)
Thank you, Kim! You can do the polar plunge! Now I’m addicted and have been going every day ❄️
every day?! That's seriously amazing!
I’ve gone everyday since January 9th! Now it’s my favorite part of the day, getting to connect with nature and myself and God. I probably sound like one of those crazy health influencers or something, but I’ve also had so much more energy and I’m sleeping through the night, which as a lifelong insomniac, is huge. I would do it without those benefits, though, as a chance to slow down. Instead of grounding, I guess I have “watering” 😂
Thank you for sharing this, Aly! I’m so glad you are starting to be able to experience some of that childlike wonder!
Thank you, Laura! I’m excited to dive into more of this wonder in the upcoming creativity cohort 🤗
Aly, thank you for sharing these words and pieces of yourself. This inspired me.
Thank you for reading, Becky, and taking the time to comment! Hope you are doing well! I am always excited to read the snippets and stories you share 💛
Thanks, Aly! Cheering you on!!
Loved this, Aly! <3
Thank you, Lisa!
Loved this!!
Thanks, Kim!
Wow Aly, I LOVED this! The shifting of your perspective on wonder gave me chills. I relate to the indignation you feel about something hard in your life stealing everything else and then stealing your writing too, but for what it's worth, your writing on OCD is very impactful and I always appreciate everything you share. 🤍
Thank you, Kelsey. I’m sorry you can relate to a hard struggle taking over your life and writing. Thank you for your encouragement to keep writing about OCD! Almost three years in to writing about my OCD journey and it was the FIRST time I questioned what it would be like to write about something else—shows how all-consuming recovery has been in my life. I am grateful for the ways writing about it helps me connect with others and hopefully offer some kind of insight or stepping stone to healing in their own journey.
Oh, Aly. What a wonderful reflection on "childlike" wonder. I, too, didn't experience innocent wonder as a child, but I am finding it in art and in my adulthood. Thank you for your thoughtful reflection!
Thank you, Kristina! I’m sorry you didn’t get to experience childlike wonder, either. So glad you can find wonder in art and in your healing as an adult 💛