September is upon us and I am overthinking what it means to begin again.
Notes on fresh starts, getting going, and embracing a new season.
Welcome to Gentle Company, a newsletter and hub for community and creative inspiration.
Scroll down to the bottom of this newsletter to see what workshops and events I’m hosting this month, including a workshop to learn about hosting your own dinner series in your hometown!
I have all sorts of fake rules that feel hard-wired that I’ve been trying to break:
Like that thing where you want to get back to going to the gym, but you decided on a Wednesday to do so, therefore you must put it off til Monday (everybody knows new habits start on a Monday).
Like the internal negative spiral after sort of mulling about all morning - instead of, at 2pm, having a personal berating of how unproductive / how wasteful / how unprofessional / how unorganized I am / how I don’t deserve success because I’ve proven that I don’t care enough to commit to doing the work the best and most efficient way, I can just choose, at any time, even in the middle of the day to have a nice re-start. Do you know how much work you can get done from 2-4pm if you just put your phone away, make yourself a little list, and get to it? Answer: so much work!
Like how I feel the need to declare what I’m doing, like give it a name, and by giving it a name, I’m giving it the feel that it’s intentional, directional, and well thought out. Maybe I can be present to this life without needing to call it anything or have it be some grand, big chapter.
Like how all week I’ve been feeling stressed that I don’t know what this new season is going to be about since it’s a new month, a month that signals the changing of seasons, the month that still feels like the real beginning of the year, the month that I usually feel a big call to do some internal inventory and get back to basics and refresh my focus and resolutions and goals and priorities and my sweater drawer, when I feel like I’ve been in the twilight zone of limbo and trying and putting myself out there for like a year and a half, and that season, apparently, isn’t over for me yet.
Which is all to say, hello, welcome to September, and it can be whatever you need it to be. Need a fresh page on the calendar to be your “Monday” of months and hit the ground running on some new goals? Go get 'em, tiger. Need to change the way you talk to yourself and get a little pep talk? There is so much time, it’s always a great time to start again, start fresh, restart and restart and restart. You’re doing great and going at the pace that you should be. Need to take it day by day and not have this month “be” about anything? That sounds really blissful and peaceful, embrace that approach unapologetically.
We start over anytime we declare it to be so.
Ways to connect
Poetry Club
Tuesday, September 12th at 7pm - 8:30pm EST
Poetry Club is the internet’s chillest-yet-tender club in all the land. Bring a poem you’ve written or a poem you love based on the month’s theme. This month: Poems about Change.
No need to register for paid Substack subscribers; a Zoom link will automatically be sent to you. If you’re a free subscriber, you can register for Poetry Club here!
Dinner With Strangers
Wednesday, September 20th at 7pm EST (Toronto, Ontario)
This event sold out *happy tear emoji* but October dates will be live soon, plus I’m hosting an online Zoom event to learn how to host your own dinner for strangers as detailed below.
If you want to have me come run a Dinner With Strangers for your community, send me an email at jessjanz@gmail.com to learn more!
In Good Company - a drop in writing workshop
Sunday, September 24th at 10:30am - 12pm EST
Our next gathering of In Good Company (a monthly writing workshop for paid Substack subscribers) is going to be Sunday, September 24th. We’ll be writing about: what do I want to keep?
No need to register - a Zoom link will be sent out to paid Substack subscribers 24 hrs before.
How to Host A Dinner With Strangers: Workshop and Q&A
Wednesday, September 27th at 7pm - 9pm EST
Join me for an introduction to how you can start a dinner series in your area! Hear about how I first started hosting monthly dinners, the components needed to make a great evening come together, and what kinds of questions make for great conversation. This will be part educational, part workshop (we’ll go through some Dinner with Strangers questions!), and we’ll have time for you to ask any questions you may have about starting your own dinner!
This event will be recorded, so even if you cannot make the live occurrence, your purchase here gives you access to the playback at your leisure.
This event is free for paid Substack subscribers! The zoom link will be sent to paid Substack subscribers in advance. To subscribe for my Substack, click here.
Nest In The Inn Between - A Yoga And Writing Retreat With Cassie Conner & Myself
Friday, October 20th - Sunday, October 22nd / Wolfe Island, Ontario
This one is for you, big-feeling people. Join myself and yoga teacher extraordinaire Cassie Connor for a weekend of movement, writing, rest and connection in the heart of the seasonal shift by the lake and around the fire.
Find more info & register here.