Hi friends, I’m Michelle from Opting Out, based in Brighton, UK. Here I share regular posts on slow living, rest, and opting out of burnout culture, plus my weekly Weekend Mood Board of what’s currently inspiring me. Paid subscribers also get access to our asynchronous Slow Reading Group (our next read starts at the end of December, and will be “The Restorative Rebel: Memoirs and Musings on Internalised Capitalism” by Dani Bicknell), yoga nidra audios and pre-recorded full-length restorative and yin yoga classes.
It’s my dream to create a community of misfits, questioners and resters. Are you in? ✨
What I’m reading:
I finished Knausgaard’s “The School of Night” and oh, my… it was truly fabulous. You could even read it as a stand-alone if you hadn’t read the rest of the series, it was a pretty standard novel by Knausgaard’s standards. Really curious about where he will take us next in part 5, but I’ll have to hold that tension for a while, as the English translation isn’t out until next autumn.
Off the back of that, I also read Christopher Marlowe’s Dr Faustus this week (can you tell that I don’t have a TV?!).
What I’m enjoying:
Having done the final exam this week in a fairly intensive course I’ve been doing most of this year, I’m enjoying not having to revise :-)
Winter branches:
What I’m Noticing:
The lightness that comes with dropping your bundle.
What I’m listening to:
Norweigan band ULD, who I had the immense pleasure of seeing live recently. Spell-binding.
What I’m Eating:
Aubergine curry.
What I’m Grateful For:
The culmination of an intensive period of study.
Alone time.
Silence.
The heated throw.
Quiet moments with Mary Oliver’s Devotions.
What I’m Looking Forward To:
An (almost) empty weekend.
What’s Inspiring Me:
Knausgaard, obviously.
Sharing the Mandala practices with new clients.
David Dimbleby questioning What’s the British Monarchy For.
The power of softness.
I love to hear what’s on your list - drop a comment below!