Episode Summary
Thanks for joining me on our pause for tea this week.
Sometimes we know something before we’re ready to admit it. A feeling keeps resurfacing, or we notice that the way we’re spending our time no longer quite matches the way we want to live.
In this short Tea Mind practice, Erica reflects on returning from six weeks travelling with her family and realising that work had started to take up more space than she wanted it to.
Picking up a paintbrush simply for fun helped reveal something important: not everything we give our time to needs to be useful, productive or connected to our work.
Over a cup of tea, you’ll create some space to notice what may have been quietly asking for your attention. You’ll consider what becomes possible when you say it plainly, then choose one small action that responds to what you’ve noticed.
Today’s episode is brought to you by: Second Flush Darjeeling, a delicate black tea with a fresh aroma, characteristic muscatel notes, gentle depth and a clean finish.
Because the flavour reveals itself gradually rather than all at once, it’s a fitting tea for an episode about paying closer attention. Let it be an invitation to notice what is already there, both in your cup and in your life.
In this pause for tea, you’ll discover:
00:49 Giving a quiet, slightly uncomfortable truth enough room to be heard
02:35 Using your first sip to bring your attention back to what’s actually here
03:23 Noticing what has been taking up most of your attention lately
03:36 What six weeks travelling with family helped Erica see differently
03:58 Picking up a paintbrush without needing it to have a purpose
05:11 How recent conversations about slowing down and creativity planted seeds for change
06:37 The question that brings the practice into focus: what haven’t you quite admitted to yourself?
07:54 Turning what you’ve noticed into one small, realistic action
“I couldn't keep hoping for more balance while giving work first claim on all the available space.”
Resources and Links
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Previous episodes referred to:
Episode #84 Sarah Robertson on the Courage to Slow Down
Episode #80 Eleanor Cunningham on What Keeps Calling You Back
Thanks for pausing for tea with me today.
If this helped, I’d love a quick comment, a heart, or a share. It genuinely helps this post reach more people who need a calmer next step.
Erica x
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