Magpie Journals 16: Just Getting Through
It's been a few months of "life experience" for me. Before now I have never spent swaths of time being unemployed or not at school. I started babysitting at an age that makes me question the adults in my life. Once I started a professional theatre career, I danced from job to job relatively effortlessly.
Not having a job for a few weeks sounded like a dream. I reset our lives, set up our apartment, and got some much-needed perspective on my previous position(s). Then it started. Rejection from interviews I had set up, and interviews that were supposed to be shoe-ins for me.
It has been rejection after rejection, with the added frustration that some of this is AI - not even a person taking the time to tell me no. We won't even interview you. This has been harder because I'm trying to find a job that gives me traditional weekends for once in my life. I don't know what I'm doing in a lot of very big ways. Friends, I've never even worked at a coffee shop. I didn't have to.
Then there's just everything. Like many of us, I'm just getting through. I figured writing about what's been helping me, may help someone else. What's super fun, is that this will include podcasts and more. I think I might try to tell readers a little more of the "more".
Mindful Hope
What does this mean? It's not necessarily toxic positivity, but it also feels like these two ideas could be frenemies. I truly believe that we can't live without hope. It's one of the things that makes us get through the hard stuff.
Luckily for us, a master of mindful hope has been going on a PR tour. That's right, it's John Green. Below are some of my favorite episodes.
Contextual Hope
A sibling of mindful hope. This is where you just understand more context to where we are now. I've been treading carefully into podcasts that offer some contextual hope for our current circumstances. This might be too much for some of us, but ho-boy. The ups and downs in these episodes are a mentally satisfying experience.
Brain Workouts
This is less about hope and more about personal challenge. There are few things that distract me as well as a brain problem. I am purposefully peppering content into my day to day that challenges my brain and gives me a feeling of accomplishment beyond finishing something.
Bonus, ya'll. Look at that cover!
More about Amorina Kingdon
Pure Escapism
If you had asked me ten years ago if I was a fan of romance, my jaded, eternally single self would've probably laughed in your face. I have made my way to romance, and I love it. There's a level of fantasy to it without having to learn a magic system. A lot of these scenarios involve professional athletes and billionaires (but why are there so many billionaires??).
I realize. It's not just a fantasy element of being with someone who has to, or can be, at peak Grecian physique. The money is a big fantasy. It eliminates the all too common issue of money. You can have deep problems without worrying about the number one cause of relationship strife. It's been a journey. Below are some of my favorite recent romance reads. This is all about warm fuzzies and happily ever afters.
Mallory Marlowe
Alicia Thompson
So We're Just Getting Through
Here I am, like everyone, just getting through some tough points in my life. I am happy to say if anything I can keep myself busy. Between depression naps, I have figured out filet crochet, darning socks, and some knit repair techniques. Somehow, I have gotten a lot better about believing in myself when walking into an interview. I believe more in Magpie than I think I ever have. I'm excited to see where I can go. I need to hold on to that excitement, even when it feels like there is no hope.
Thanks, Friends
I write this website because I love podcasts. I also write to get things out of my head. I never wanted to make Magpie about me as much as it's about the podcasts. However, we're all at this point where everything is capital T - Tough. So if you read this, I can't say how much I appreciate it. You aren't alone.
If you want to help support me and my latte blob journey (as seen on Instagram), you can send a few dollars to me via Stripe right here on the website, or you can donate via my Ko-fi. If you have any career advice or enjoy chatting with people through these times, find me on LinkedIn.
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