Hello!
Welcome to the first MeanderMe post. Thank you so much for signing up. I'm almost (but not quite) indecently excited to have you here.
I spent my twenties largely moping about like a troubled hermit crab, trying to answer questions about what I and everyone else was doing on this lonely rock hurtling through space. After much meandering, I finally feel as though I can say ‘yes’ to life, in all its difficulty and confusion.
In this newsletter, I will share creations of mine that are part of my process of making sense, or finding meaning or joy, in a world where none of this is guaranteed, but all of it is available. I hope that something here helps you do so in turn. (I plan to release it on the first of each month to go with the monthly challenges you can find at the bottom of the email.)
Happy reading!
🌍 The World Around Us: Understanding and addressing social and environmental issues
To bus or not to bus? The importance of making meaning in the fight to save the planet [5 min read] (And tune in next time for how someone (that's me!) can be shamefaced enough to release this article while travelling the world!)
There is no vaccine for the climate: Connecting Covid 19 to the climate crisis [8 min read]
ActionAble Update: I'm currently co-designing a programme to help people discover what makes them come alive and how they can apply this to the world around them. To find out more email us at actionable.org@gmail.com
Bio-Leadership Fellowship: I've recently taken on a role as a 'Pollinator' as part of the Bio-Leadership Fellowship, which is all about trying to reimagine humanity's story in a way that aligns with rather than works against nature. Part of that process is creating communities of people across the world who are interested in putting these principles to work. Click the link to find out more or send me an email - ronanloughney@gmail.com
🧠The World Inside: Insights and strategies in Psychology, Spirituality and personal growth
What do you believe about the world? Does it make you smile when you get out of bed in the morning? Or do you have to drag yourself up, to wade through the mire another time?
If any aspect of life makes you anything other than happy, ask yourself: do I know this to be true? Or have I taken it uncritically from someone else: Teachers? Friends? Advertising?
Because, whatever people tell you, we really don't know much at all. We see little segments of reality through our tiny slits of perspective and then extrapolate out about the world as a whole. Or we accept the opinions of others with their own tiny slits, and get upset that the world is this way or that. We forget that, really, we see the world through representations we produce after filtering experiences through our senses, and are always one-step-removed from the 'thing itself'. (And that we are evolved towards viewing the world as a threatening, hostile and unpleasant place, because this helped to keep us alive in the distant past.)
This doesn't mean that a lemon is actually a pot of custard. It doesn't mean that the world is a bed of roses. It doesn't mean there is no up or down or that there's no such thing as progress. It means that, if there is such a thing as true knowledge, this is about discovering something within ourselves that resonates beyond words. Something which is not conditional upon the changing opinions of society, eloquent argumentation or how we happen to be feeling from one day to the next. Something which every human knows in their hearts is what we are building towards, which is the secret fuel that keeps us going forward in spite of every reason not to.
What beliefs do you hold which you could let go of today?
--------------------------------------
Coaching: I offer coaching sessions to whoever feels they would benefit, on a pay-what-you-can basis
🤪Playtime: Just for fun
Future Song: The future doesn't repeat, but it rhymes
Chill Out: 101+ hours of songs to chill to I've built up over the past six years
🔥Monthly challenge: Every month features a challenge I am taking, designed to increase wellbeing. I'd like to create a community of challenge-takers, supporting and holding one another accountable.
Last month's challenge - Rise and Shine: wake up at 5am and take a cold shower to set yourself up for a productive day.
Having spent May doing this challenge, I repeated it in June, such is the difference it made to my life. I've found that my energy levels are higher throughout the day, and that it makes me feel stronger and more able to take on other challenges, because it represents a commitment to pushing through unpleasantness for the promise of future benefits.
This month's challenge - Social Butterfly: introduce yourself to a complete stranger each day and try to get to know them.
This month I'm going on a train trip across America, so I wanted to do a challenge that will make that journey as special as possible. I think that, ultimately, the quality of the journey will depend on the people I meet. This challenge is designed to make sure I follow up that sentiment with action.
If you'd like to join in with either of these challenges, get in touch with me at ronanloughney@gmail.com.
❤️Spreading the love: Other sites and newsletters you can try if you enjoyed this newsletter
High Existence: These guys, probably more than any other one source, have been key to helping me create the life I want (such as designing challenges to improve your life like those above). For deep dives into Spirituality, Philosophy and how to show up in the world, check out their newsletter 'Down the Rabbit Hole'.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enjoyed reading MeanderMe?
This content is free because I don’t believe in paywalls. However, if you feel that you have gained something from it, and would like to support me to produce more of the same, please consider subscribing using this link: https://www.ronanloughney.com/support-me. You can also support me by sharing this email or this link over WhatsApp/other social media with anyone you think might like it. Thanks!
Comments