002 The Sunday Supplement
Authenticity online, tarot, self-care journaling, recommendations and a September menu.
Hey babes, welcome to The Sunday Supplement, a weekly post about creativity, recovery and healing. A place for reflection, creation and affirmation. A place for curious souls to explore and ponder the big and little things in life.
Is it just me or does Autumn make you want to reinvent yourself? I can’t decide if it’s the changing season - Autumn screams going into hiding, working on myself and coming back out in Spring. Or, if it’s because I am an Autumn girly through and through; not in a fall, lit girl, pumpkin spiced lattes sense but in a black lace, black cats and crystal balls kind of way. I love that Autumn brings dark nights surrounded by candles, getting cosy and drinking hot chocolates just as much as I love that it brings early morning hikes when the air is crisp and the leaves are crunchy. These things make me want to dye my hair dark again, buy new silky pyjamas and dig out all my long sleeve black dresses. I’m basically here for the aesthetic; move aside you tanned, pastel mini dress wearing, picnics in the park summer girlies - it’s witch season!
All of this, the idea of reinvention, got me thinking about trends, aesthetics and identity. Specifically, how algorithms and the need for constant validation shape our online personas. I know that it is partly the side of Substack I am on but it feels like everyone is writing about the same things. I am undecided if this is because the topic is THAT interesting or if the writer wants a slice of what the algorithm is currently pushing out or a piece of the aesthetic that is currently trending. And, I suppose, this is the side of online authenticity I am bothered by. I don’t care that you only take photos of your best angles or only share the ‘cool’ aspects of your life (omitting the shit bits is fine by me) but what I do care about is that the things you are putting online are authentic in their sentiment, that the writing I am reading is fuelled by a passion to write it and not because you are writing what you think people want to read.
We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.1
With all that said, none of us will truly know what is and what isn’t authentic online but I know that when we are not sharing authentically we miss out on sharing what makes us unique. This is your friendly older sister reminder that as Substack gets even more saturated with people and notes and video content, just remember that writing about things that set your heart on fire is why you came to Substack.
September Menu
I know it’s kind of wanky (for want of a better word) but I love referring to lists of ideas as menus; a self-care menu, a hiking menu, a Halloween menu - you get the drift. It’s not a bucket list because I’m competitive and bucket lists feel like I have to complete them, instead it’s a menu you can peruse and choose something from dependant upon your mood. Here is my September menu -
Have a sunset picnic at Mam Tor
Partake in a full moon lake swim
Create a self love tin
Invite family round for a roast dinner
Take a candle lit bath when I’m bleeding
Make self love potions
Go thrift shopping for candelabras
Meet a friend for a ‘fall’ themed coffee (highly recommend the Starbucks Salted Maple Caramel Latte)
Make pancakes with the twins for breakfast
10 of Pentacles
The tarot pull for the week ahead is the Ten of Pentacles which represents achievement, abundance and coming to the end of a goal. This card is calling you to notice that the hard work is paying off and that whatever it is you have been putting your efforts into is coming to fruition.
For me, I have been working very hard on healing some traumatic relationships and this has been coming up at therapy and during my sister circles constantly (no matter how many times I have thrown someone into the fire, they haven’t quite disappeared). I feel like a weight has been lifted and that trauma has in some way been healed and this card feels like my sign to move on.
Journal Prompts
If you only take one thing from The Sunday Supplement let it be giving yourself 10 minutes (or longer) to sit with your journal and work through the below prompts. A hot drink, candles and blankets are optional but advised for optimal results.
How can I embrace the energy of the Ten of Pentacles in my daily life this week?
Where do I feel called to take action this week?
Where do I feel called to slow down this week?
Sunday Selection
I’ve been enjoying reading the discourse surrounding lit girls, this piece from
is a must readWe can’t just be writers; we have to be girl writers, in which girl is conjoined to an invisible adjective: hot. Or at least, we have to package ourselves as such. Because otherwise why would anyone want to read our work?
The Polyester Podcast is one of my favourites - I don’t miss an episode, they also have a Substack -
Kurt Vonnegut
Oh I'm so excited that it's roast weather again! I'm a fan of all the seasons, but I know what you mean: the changing of seasons really feels so special and motivating.
Happy September Laura! Love the menu idea!