Table #12 - Christine
Christine shares her insight on how important and challenging it can be to return to one’s self as life marches on.
The Café Table
W:

How would you describe this chapter of your life, and what do you think that its teaching you?

I feel like over the last year I got a lot more clarity of who I am and what's important to me ... it's a challenge sticking to that. All the things that you learned, putting them into practice, and actually holding strong onto those things.
That's pretty hard, and I think right now this chapter is teaching me, not necessarily how to do that, because I haven't learned how completely, but it's teaching me resilience. Going back to those things as much as I can.

W:

So what are some things you’ve done to try to stick to those principles that you’ve established?

Meditation. Journaling. Reading through my old journal, to understand patterns and analyze the root of feelings and behaviors that I don’t like. Learning Buddhist principles. Going out and dancing. Listening to really good music. Being alone. - Umm… and even when we feel anxious or really uncomfortable, just instead of resisting it, just being like - 'there's a reason for this’ and 'I'm cool with that’ even if it doesn’t feel great.

W:

I love that. You mentioned being alone, and I think there's so much value in that. Can you expand on that?

So, one thing I learned over the last few years was how delicious solitude can be, and that's not something I knew at all - When you first move to New York, and you live in East Village, and you’re going out all the time, and all your friends live nearby, and all these things. - But I think I grew the most in times when I had to be alone because a relationship ended, or my friends were in relationships, or they weren't around, or I was traveling.