Love, love, love it! All of this. Loved reading about it and how you came to this word. Love the idea of it fully.
One of my zestipes (if I’ve got that right!) is dance parties while cooking. I told Alexa to play “wannabe” by spice girls a few days ago and the songs that followed were PERFECT.
"As I add the zest, I like to picture the whole pan awakening–each component becoming more itself." I love this idea, and then to pair it at the end with all your thoughts of what "being zesty" will mean to you this year. It sounds like zest means flourishing. And flourishing means not being held captive by things you can't control but living life anyway. I hope it also means you'll continue to share your paint pictures! I love seeing your work.
Ooh, Ashley, I love that definition. “And flourishing means not being held captive by things you can't control but living life anyway.” Yes! That is the intention 💛 I am attempting to plunge, paint, poem every day in February! I have a separate Substack pub where I send weekly PPP updates (when I’m doing it) if you aren’t subscribed. https://plungepaintpoem.substack.com/
I’m sure I’ll still share highlights here. It makes me happy that you enjoy my paintings!
You know I am OBSESSED with this word and everything you’re doing! “I want to live like everything is a bonus”—this line really got me! You bring zest to my life, friend, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for you!
Aly, I loved this so much! I’m excited to follow along with your year of zest 🍋. I especially love your shift from writing out of pain to now writing into joy—what a wonderful transition!
Wow, Aly! This piece is powerful! So much about it to take with. “I won’t know if I chose best, but I can live my life with zest.” Zest as being present. Zest as a bonus worth having in our life. The idea of zest days. I am heading to write some of this in my journal, feeling so encouraged and zesty. Thank you!
Thanks, Leslie! Yes, you’ve had to listen to me over and over wonder about the purpose of writing if not to process pain, but I’m finding I still can’t stop chasing the light and the revelation and meaning that writing brings.
Love, love, love it! All of this. Loved reading about it and how you came to this word. Love the idea of it fully.
One of my zestipes (if I’ve got that right!) is dance parties while cooking. I told Alexa to play “wannabe” by spice girls a few days ago and the songs that followed were PERFECT.
Ooh, yes! That is an amazing zestipe—literally spicing up your life 🤣💃
Such a good word! Love your little lemon chart! Get it, girl!!
Thanks, Becky! I love my little lemon chart 🍋 somehow much more motivating then a checkbox or bubble (though I do love a good check box 😆)
“I want to live like everything is a bonus”—love that! Zest is such a good word and I’m excited to hear more about how it shapes your year!
Thanks for your constant encouragement, Laura!
"As I add the zest, I like to picture the whole pan awakening–each component becoming more itself." I love this idea, and then to pair it at the end with all your thoughts of what "being zesty" will mean to you this year. It sounds like zest means flourishing. And flourishing means not being held captive by things you can't control but living life anyway. I hope it also means you'll continue to share your paint pictures! I love seeing your work.
Ooh, Ashley, I love that definition. “And flourishing means not being held captive by things you can't control but living life anyway.” Yes! That is the intention 💛 I am attempting to plunge, paint, poem every day in February! I have a separate Substack pub where I send weekly PPP updates (when I’m doing it) if you aren’t subscribed. https://plungepaintpoem.substack.com/
I’m sure I’ll still share highlights here. It makes me happy that you enjoy my paintings!
You know I am OBSESSED with this word and everything you’re doing! “I want to live like everything is a bonus”—this line really got me! You bring zest to my life, friend, and I’m excited to see what’s in store for you!
I have to remind myself many times since posting this to switch back to the bonus mentality. I’m preaching to the choir…
🤍🤍🤍
Thank you so much for driving me to that first OCD conference! And turns out I didn’t need to worry about our drive at all—I loved chatting with you!
Aly, I loved this so much! I’m excited to follow along with your year of zest 🍋. I especially love your shift from writing out of pain to now writing into joy—what a wonderful transition!
Thanks, Kelsey! I’m excited to see what this year holds and what kind of writing bubbles up with zest 🍋 thanks for being here!
And also: are you allowed to share the recipe here??
Here’s the recipe: https://open.substack.com/pub/whattocook/p/healthy-ish-turkey-bolognese?r=1mb8ke&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
(Let me know if it’s paywalled and I might have a free subscription I can send you.)
Love this Aly!
Thanks, Lisa!
Wow, Aly! This piece is powerful! So much about it to take with. “I won’t know if I chose best, but I can live my life with zest.” Zest as being present. Zest as a bonus worth having in our life. The idea of zest days. I am heading to write some of this in my journal, feeling so encouraged and zesty. Thank you!
Thank you, Jessica! Let me know if you take a zest day and what it entails! Stay zesty!
Zest = taking something unexpected (like shaving of the peel) and finding wonder in the outcome
Yes! Like walking into a freezing lake…and loving it!
“I want to be zestfully creative, engaged, alive, open to the unexpected, committed to love and care and paying attention.”
Love this line! 💚🍋
And also the shift from writing out of pain to writing into light.
Thanks, Leslie! Yes, you’ve had to listen to me over and over wonder about the purpose of writing if not to process pain, but I’m finding I still can’t stop chasing the light and the revelation and meaning that writing brings.
I love this!!! What a great way to approach the year, especially in these difficult times.
Thanks, Laura! Trying to focus on things I can control. I can show up zestfully even when the world the confusing.