This was deeply moving Sarah, almost poetic. Your calm voice unraveling a bunch of personal horror stories without hype or drama. Just matter-of-factness. Heart-wrenching content delivered by a singular human voice that had me on the verge of tears. I loved that I was denied any visual distraction or secondary sound input as required in an interview. Your words, your tone of voice, your rhythm, your pain and my own imagination were pulled into focus.
Sorry if this sounds like an art performance critique for a cheap magazine. I just found this to be a deeply melancholic experience. So unexpected. So memorable.
You are a most refreshingly unusual human. The world needs to catch up with you.
Go well these next few weeks. I so look forward to what your Loss has opened up for you and ultimately all of us.
Merry Christmas Sarah, and thank you for your honesty. have bought your book as a Chrissy present to myself so will be reading it over the break. and its interesting what you say in your audio. As for my changing world - I am going to continue to work at least part of the week at home through 2022 and my partner is seriously considering retiring next year. he's had some health issues this year and that, and Covid, and the fact he's nearer 70 than 60 has made him decide that after 50+ years in the work force, its time for a change. Lets hope the new year brings change for Good :) all the best
It was interesting that I listened to this today, I haven’t bothered with anything you’ve said since the vaccine post on Instagram. All my family are at a cycling event and I was avoiding doing washing. Do you think that this last 2 years has really shown us how disconnected from people we really are that we will so easily attack them if they don’t think and do the same things. I have watched my unvaccinated friends struggle immensely with being excluded and not being able to attend things for their children and I truly can’t understand how we even got here. I sat this week at the back gate in a carpark, on a camp chair( 8 months pregnant I need to sit a lot) at my sons school to attend his yr 6 graduation because I wasn’t allowed in because I was vaccine free, I got him to run out after he got his award so I could still be part of it, he was very happy I still came and it was a valuable lesson for him about showing up, no matter how uncomfortable and staying true to your values. There is so much wrong in this country right now, climate, rubbish, rampant consumerism, vaccine mandates, obesity, increasing social divide, why do we not see the strength that we have in numbers to challenge this and get somewhere, the government works for us not the other way round. Are we really that side tracked by shopping, drinking, gambling and sport like the government made it sound. I hope your health has now improved, my husband had heart problems for months after his which was concerning. Raw honesty is where we should be at, I get called an over sharer, but what is the point of carrying around baggage, it’s just full of junk, and it is wonderfully freeing to say I am not perfect, these are my faults, take me as I am, or not at all.
For your honesty, for your truth, for the part of you that simply had to tell it. Thank you for your voice. I agree, there is something about audio - the human voice unemcumbered by the baggage of the visual - that can cut through the noise. You expressed an openness, not only in your words but in your tone. And it was refreshing. More than that, it made me stop. Rather than listening to you while I multitasked, I was compelled to stop, to listen, to give your words my time and space and full attention. And as such I heard you. And to be honest, so much of what you said was like listening to my own dialogue. I don't know you Sarah, but with a few similarities of experience and an abundance of similarities of thought and process, I settled into your stream of consciousness with the familiarity of shared conversation. I hesitate to write on here for fear of insincerity; the shallow online world of "fandom" and "oh that's just like me", with no real means of verification, it bothers me. But radical honesty, fierce honesty, is a part of me and... well, I believe you. The power of your truth and strength of your vulnerability. It's real, and we need as much real as we can get. "Owning" our experience and our decisions and the things they call flaws which aren't flaws but just parts of ourselves that require the courage to explore... this is vital to being human.
On a slightly specifc note.. always remember, no one knows your body, your illness, or your experience of living in your body with that illness, like you do. Of all things to "own", own that. Chronic illness challenges us in so many ways, but learning to listen to our body, of being forced to pay attention, is truly a gift of presence. I believe that listening to my body, changing my life to look after it even, is one of the few ways of honouring the fact that I exist. Even if I decide and believe that the world and its inhabitants and our problems are more important than me, and want to sacrifice myself, noble or otherwise, for the cause, my body will let me know what I can and can't do. And if I just climb down of my high horse and listen, its right, and will send me on a path to achieving my goals without killing myself in the process. It is humbling and grounding and sometimes ridiculously frustrating, but perhaps... just perhaps, it is simply a manifestation of our innate wisdom, taking on whatever form it needs to get our attention. Yeah so now I'm rambling and getting philosophical... but still... perhaps...
Hi. This offering is beautiful. The transparent vulnerability of your voice with no visuals ~ the meandering searching quality of your voice, it’s a balm. You are profoundly generous. You don’t have to hustle. I did not have had tickets to whatever tour was cancelled. You’ve given us a back stage pass to a real moment. Grateful to you. Merry Christmas.
Dear Sarah, thank you very much for this message. I'll confess that I got a little misty-eyed whilst listening, which affirms what you were saying about the directness of this medium.
Alex from Deep Fix has opened a discord server for community sharings with his readers, would you consider doing something like that for your following too? It's a great platform to generate dialogues amongst readers, with a much cleaner feeling than social media.
Once again, thanks for sharing so openly about your process. It is a privilege to be part of your readership. 🌟
It so important for us all to remember that when we see others who look like they live happy and 'successful' lives, there are so often challenges going on for them that we don't know about. It's important for us all to remember that life isn't easy or perfect for anyone. It's the antithesis to what people portrait on social media.
I also think your decision not to plough ahead with your work because you feel like you should, despite struggling, is a great example for us all. Let's look after ourselves and each other x
Thank you, Sarah. I was of course disappointed to see that the tour had been cancelled (esp. also after hearing all the amazing effort you had gone to with the format). But in truth, I am tired. So it's a relief to have something dropped off my radar, and now I can spend some time resting and getting small with what is actually important. The irony of not wanting to got the shops to buy Christmas presents (and therefore risk a COVID exposure needing home quarantine), so I can have a better chance at seeing my family on Christmas Day isn't lost on me. I hope you stay well and can fill your cup a little. Sending love from Brisbane xx
I agree with what others have shared about the beauty of your words in audio form. Thank you for showing a counter to hustle culture and willingness to model gentleness and shifting to whatever the collective is being pulled to. I’m going to find that Vox article because YES 🙌🏼 This week I realized so much of my angst stems from this strange reality we’re in where we just keep doing all the “normal” things as if the world isn’t breaking around us. Our outpatient clinic keeps buzzing on like biz as usual (which was burning all of us out even pre Covid) - because it makes the $$ - instead of (idk, one thought) redistributing resources and staff to our hospital side which is bending/breaking. People in our community just have no idea what’s actually going on. I’m nervous our rural hospital won’t survive. It just feels like there’s a call to do something greater than hustling for the status quo.
Hi Sarah, I’ve been a long time fan of yours and I think it’s because in everything you do, there is one shining value: authenticity. This audio recording reflects that.
I’m sorry to hear that you have had some personal battles recently. Thank you for sharing so candidly. It reminds me that we’re all human, doing the best we can in spite of the potholes we encounter on our journey.
Thank you for your honesty Sarah, for going gently and moving away from the pressure hustle culture. We all need to reassess priorities and make big decisions and thank you for sharing the thought process behind that. You’re right the audio does make a real and raw connection. We are human after all.
Hi Sarah, I can’t articulate my thoughts as fantastically as you but thankyou for your authenticity, everything you said did make sense….hope you have some lovely time in the sunshine this summer, soak in the rays and recharge for what will inevitably be another challenging year as we try to improve the crazy world we live in. xx
Hi Sarah, I have followed you for years now, and met you at a function on the Sunshine coast a few years back. My daughter was with me and we both felt an immediate connection with you. She too has Hashimoto's, and is a very passionate advocate of better deals - for the underprivileged, for the planet, and many other causes. I always thought she would take up something similar to your calling, and still feel she is on the threshold of great work. Everything I read and listen to by you is like my own thoughts, which of course I simply cannot put into words. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think you are just precious, and I thank you for the efforts, the struggle and the pain you have gone through to put your work out to the universe. We hear you, we struggle along with you. I myself am an anxious personality who worries constantly about the state of the world that awaits my grandchildren's children, while also struggling with auto-immune and its daily challenges. However, I maintain a compelling belief, like you, that where we are is completely the right place, time and being. I wish you a peaceful and blessed Christmas period. Hugs,
Thank you for your authentic and honest message. I didn’t have tickets to your show (I had considered going but I have so much decision making fatigue right now, buying tickets just never happened) and while I appreciate the apology to those who were going, I think what is most important is that you made the right choice for you.
I resonated with your message. I share with you what you describe as your earnest nature, and this led me down a path of exhaustion and despondence this year, and a drift away from my purpose and values that I am still struggling to bring back. It led to taking 3 months off work with burnout and the uncomfortable realisation that I need to undergo a transformation at a very deep level. It’s a work in progress. And I know that, in so many areas of my life, it needs to include, as you say, learning to be comfortable with a new level or type of discomfort. Thank you for reminding me of that.
I wish you the best in your journey and I look forward to reading your subsequent posts when they do come my way.
This was deeply moving Sarah, almost poetic. Your calm voice unraveling a bunch of personal horror stories without hype or drama. Just matter-of-factness. Heart-wrenching content delivered by a singular human voice that had me on the verge of tears. I loved that I was denied any visual distraction or secondary sound input as required in an interview. Your words, your tone of voice, your rhythm, your pain and my own imagination were pulled into focus.
Sorry if this sounds like an art performance critique for a cheap magazine. I just found this to be a deeply melancholic experience. So unexpected. So memorable.
You are a most refreshingly unusual human. The world needs to catch up with you.
Go well these next few weeks. I so look forward to what your Loss has opened up for you and ultimately all of us.
x
Merry Christmas Sarah, and thank you for your honesty. have bought your book as a Chrissy present to myself so will be reading it over the break. and its interesting what you say in your audio. As for my changing world - I am going to continue to work at least part of the week at home through 2022 and my partner is seriously considering retiring next year. he's had some health issues this year and that, and Covid, and the fact he's nearer 70 than 60 has made him decide that after 50+ years in the work force, its time for a change. Lets hope the new year brings change for Good :) all the best
It was interesting that I listened to this today, I haven’t bothered with anything you’ve said since the vaccine post on Instagram. All my family are at a cycling event and I was avoiding doing washing. Do you think that this last 2 years has really shown us how disconnected from people we really are that we will so easily attack them if they don’t think and do the same things. I have watched my unvaccinated friends struggle immensely with being excluded and not being able to attend things for their children and I truly can’t understand how we even got here. I sat this week at the back gate in a carpark, on a camp chair( 8 months pregnant I need to sit a lot) at my sons school to attend his yr 6 graduation because I wasn’t allowed in because I was vaccine free, I got him to run out after he got his award so I could still be part of it, he was very happy I still came and it was a valuable lesson for him about showing up, no matter how uncomfortable and staying true to your values. There is so much wrong in this country right now, climate, rubbish, rampant consumerism, vaccine mandates, obesity, increasing social divide, why do we not see the strength that we have in numbers to challenge this and get somewhere, the government works for us not the other way round. Are we really that side tracked by shopping, drinking, gambling and sport like the government made it sound. I hope your health has now improved, my husband had heart problems for months after his which was concerning. Raw honesty is where we should be at, I get called an over sharer, but what is the point of carrying around baggage, it’s just full of junk, and it is wonderfully freeing to say I am not perfect, these are my faults, take me as I am, or not at all.
Sarah, thank you.
For your honesty, for your truth, for the part of you that simply had to tell it. Thank you for your voice. I agree, there is something about audio - the human voice unemcumbered by the baggage of the visual - that can cut through the noise. You expressed an openness, not only in your words but in your tone. And it was refreshing. More than that, it made me stop. Rather than listening to you while I multitasked, I was compelled to stop, to listen, to give your words my time and space and full attention. And as such I heard you. And to be honest, so much of what you said was like listening to my own dialogue. I don't know you Sarah, but with a few similarities of experience and an abundance of similarities of thought and process, I settled into your stream of consciousness with the familiarity of shared conversation. I hesitate to write on here for fear of insincerity; the shallow online world of "fandom" and "oh that's just like me", with no real means of verification, it bothers me. But radical honesty, fierce honesty, is a part of me and... well, I believe you. The power of your truth and strength of your vulnerability. It's real, and we need as much real as we can get. "Owning" our experience and our decisions and the things they call flaws which aren't flaws but just parts of ourselves that require the courage to explore... this is vital to being human.
On a slightly specifc note.. always remember, no one knows your body, your illness, or your experience of living in your body with that illness, like you do. Of all things to "own", own that. Chronic illness challenges us in so many ways, but learning to listen to our body, of being forced to pay attention, is truly a gift of presence. I believe that listening to my body, changing my life to look after it even, is one of the few ways of honouring the fact that I exist. Even if I decide and believe that the world and its inhabitants and our problems are more important than me, and want to sacrifice myself, noble or otherwise, for the cause, my body will let me know what I can and can't do. And if I just climb down of my high horse and listen, its right, and will send me on a path to achieving my goals without killing myself in the process. It is humbling and grounding and sometimes ridiculously frustrating, but perhaps... just perhaps, it is simply a manifestation of our innate wisdom, taking on whatever form it needs to get our attention. Yeah so now I'm rambling and getting philosophical... but still... perhaps...
Hi. This offering is beautiful. The transparent vulnerability of your voice with no visuals ~ the meandering searching quality of your voice, it’s a balm. You are profoundly generous. You don’t have to hustle. I did not have had tickets to whatever tour was cancelled. You’ve given us a back stage pass to a real moment. Grateful to you. Merry Christmas.
Hi Sarah,
Hearing you own and speak your truths on here, was immensely cathartic for me. Thank you.
I needed to hear (literally) your truths in order to acknowledge my own.
What you said about needing to courageously choose rather than waiting on fate to do it for us…struck a chord.
Hearing your courage is inspiring me to find my own.
Again, thank you.
Happy Christmas!
Dear Sarah, thank you very much for this message. I'll confess that I got a little misty-eyed whilst listening, which affirms what you were saying about the directness of this medium.
I also wanted to share this incredible essay on the Great Resignation (aka the Great Dharma Gate) by one of my favourite writers on this platform: https://deepfix.substack.com/p/a-child-of-the-recession-resigns
Alex from Deep Fix has opened a discord server for community sharings with his readers, would you consider doing something like that for your following too? It's a great platform to generate dialogues amongst readers, with a much cleaner feeling than social media.
Once again, thanks for sharing so openly about your process. It is a privilege to be part of your readership. 🌟
Hi Sarah.
I think your honesty is precious.
It so important for us all to remember that when we see others who look like they live happy and 'successful' lives, there are so often challenges going on for them that we don't know about. It's important for us all to remember that life isn't easy or perfect for anyone. It's the antithesis to what people portrait on social media.
I also think your decision not to plough ahead with your work because you feel like you should, despite struggling, is a great example for us all. Let's look after ourselves and each other x
Thank you, Sarah. I was of course disappointed to see that the tour had been cancelled (esp. also after hearing all the amazing effort you had gone to with the format). But in truth, I am tired. So it's a relief to have something dropped off my radar, and now I can spend some time resting and getting small with what is actually important. The irony of not wanting to got the shops to buy Christmas presents (and therefore risk a COVID exposure needing home quarantine), so I can have a better chance at seeing my family on Christmas Day isn't lost on me. I hope you stay well and can fill your cup a little. Sending love from Brisbane xx
I agree with what others have shared about the beauty of your words in audio form. Thank you for showing a counter to hustle culture and willingness to model gentleness and shifting to whatever the collective is being pulled to. I’m going to find that Vox article because YES 🙌🏼 This week I realized so much of my angst stems from this strange reality we’re in where we just keep doing all the “normal” things as if the world isn’t breaking around us. Our outpatient clinic keeps buzzing on like biz as usual (which was burning all of us out even pre Covid) - because it makes the $$ - instead of (idk, one thought) redistributing resources and staff to our hospital side which is bending/breaking. People in our community just have no idea what’s actually going on. I’m nervous our rural hospital won’t survive. It just feels like there’s a call to do something greater than hustling for the status quo.
Hi Sarah, I’ve been a long time fan of yours and I think it’s because in everything you do, there is one shining value: authenticity. This audio recording reflects that.
I’m sorry to hear that you have had some personal battles recently. Thank you for sharing so candidly. It reminds me that we’re all human, doing the best we can in spite of the potholes we encounter on our journey.
All the best, and bring on the next election!
Thank you for your honesty Sarah, for going gently and moving away from the pressure hustle culture. We all need to reassess priorities and make big decisions and thank you for sharing the thought process behind that. You’re right the audio does make a real and raw connection. We are human after all.
Hi Sarah, I can’t articulate my thoughts as fantastically as you but thankyou for your authenticity, everything you said did make sense….hope you have some lovely time in the sunshine this summer, soak in the rays and recharge for what will inevitably be another challenging year as we try to improve the crazy world we live in. xx
Appreciate you and all you do. Thank you ♥️
Hi Sarah, I have followed you for years now, and met you at a function on the Sunshine coast a few years back. My daughter was with me and we both felt an immediate connection with you. She too has Hashimoto's, and is a very passionate advocate of better deals - for the underprivileged, for the planet, and many other causes. I always thought she would take up something similar to your calling, and still feel she is on the threshold of great work. Everything I read and listen to by you is like my own thoughts, which of course I simply cannot put into words. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think you are just precious, and I thank you for the efforts, the struggle and the pain you have gone through to put your work out to the universe. We hear you, we struggle along with you. I myself am an anxious personality who worries constantly about the state of the world that awaits my grandchildren's children, while also struggling with auto-immune and its daily challenges. However, I maintain a compelling belief, like you, that where we are is completely the right place, time and being. I wish you a peaceful and blessed Christmas period. Hugs,
Hi Sarah
Thank you for your authentic and honest message. I didn’t have tickets to your show (I had considered going but I have so much decision making fatigue right now, buying tickets just never happened) and while I appreciate the apology to those who were going, I think what is most important is that you made the right choice for you.
I resonated with your message. I share with you what you describe as your earnest nature, and this led me down a path of exhaustion and despondence this year, and a drift away from my purpose and values that I am still struggling to bring back. It led to taking 3 months off work with burnout and the uncomfortable realisation that I need to undergo a transformation at a very deep level. It’s a work in progress. And I know that, in so many areas of my life, it needs to include, as you say, learning to be comfortable with a new level or type of discomfort. Thank you for reminding me of that.
I wish you the best in your journey and I look forward to reading your subsequent posts when they do come my way.
Go gently.