Dear T —

(off topic)

(not really)

So while building confidence, how do we battle fear?

Watching the Olympics, I noticed the archers’ heart rate monitors. During her set up, one archer’s heart rate kept falling.

Every time. By 10 points, or more…

She learned that.

I don’t know how she did it.

(Have to admit, watching women’s archery turned me on a little.)

I use this trick:

Before big presentations to Executive Creative Directors or clients, I do “box breathing.”

(I always do this actually.)

It turns a formal presentation into a casual conversation.

For work, I create ideas.

At first I struggled. I felt blocked by fear, frozen by pressure.

In fact, the harder I thought the worse my ideas got.

I’d have very little or very boring stuff.

(The first rule of entertainment? Never bore.)

I finally figured it out:

Free yourself. Have fun.

You can’t do ballet in a space suit.

(Later I found this study:

A researcher took people who had never played tennis before and made two groups.

Group 1 took lessons. Group 2 fooled around.

Afterwards, guess which group played better?)

Make work play. It works!

Simple. (Obvious.) Effective.

Play lets you take risks and make wonders.

(From an album review: —…brave enough to fail, although they come out heroes…)

A teacher once told me she writes because —Nobody’s life depends on it.

(it could though)

+

(new topic)

(random thought)

If you do something because you have to, but it harms you, it’s an addiction.

If you do something because you have to, but it fulfills you, it’s a passion.

(You know why I write.)

It may not always feel fun, but it always feels satisfying.

I love it because of its difficulty, not in spite of it.

Do you find all you do rewarding?

(I hope so.)

+

At the grocery store today I saw a little girl, 4-ish.

She had long black hair, a long blue dress, and a white stuffed rabbit she dragged around by one long ear.

She skipped everywhere.

(so sweet)

My daughter was a tomboy.

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I have some good news. I’ll tell you next time.

—All my love, no matter what,

D

P.S.

I saw a movie with my son last night. We sat in the second row in the middle.

He’ll never read this so I can tell you:

He has ADHD, anxiety, BPD and self-harmed, but I still don’t know a happier, smarter, more talented kid.

He’s worked through it, with help. We’ve worked through it.

You can love someone so much it hurts.

I love that kid so much.

P.P.S.

Best lines from the movie we saw:

—You don’t face your fears, you ride ’em.

—If you love something, you spend your whole life trying to understand it.

—If you feel it, chase it!

P.P.P.S.

I don’t know why but I had this song stuck in my head all week.

I looked it up and of course what it’s about…

P.P.P.P.S.

Would you say you’re more of an Anglophile or Francophile?

(think I know)