Apr 20, 2023·edited Apr 20, 2023Liked by Michelle Elisabeth Varghese
Love this edition! I love that you brought us into the scene at the start and I relate to the bittersweetness of leaving one city for another having bounced from Montreal to London and back, and then to Sydney and Paris before eventually finding my way back to Montreal. I also blasted ‘unwritten’ many times over the years. :)
I also love the personal touch of the photos. I have yet to visit SF and much of California so it’s cool to get little glimpses—it’s absolutely stunning.
And I love the takeaway about how eventually we need to stop studying and consuming info, and just get started to learn how to do something. That’s where fulfillment comes from.
So much beautiful imagery Michelle - particularly the balloon escaping to the sky. Maybe it's because spring is blooming here, but this piece felt particularly poignant to read! Bravo!
Apr 21, 2023·edited Apr 21, 2023Liked by Michelle Elisabeth Varghese
Dear Michelle,
There is so much achievable hope in your essays.
Your writing is also sprinkled with beautiful phrases that are comforting, wise quotes to wrap around my soul. Here are few of my favorites in case you want to put them in Canva and tweet them or share them in an Instagram image (I know you love IG :) ):
“Part of manifesting a good life is letting go of the details, letting go of the need to control the outcome.” – Michelle Varghoose
“The art of writing itself has changed so much over time, how can I know what the future holds?” - Michelle Varghoose
“All I know is that today I like writing. If I write an essay every week, I’m hoping something good will happen. Something that makes me happy and lets me keep doing what I enjoy doing. As far as I’m concerned, everything else is still unwritten.” - Michelle Varghoose
Love this essay!!! Your story about leaning into new experiences and writing is really inspiring.
“I think back on this phrase often, usually right when my life plans escape my tight grip, slipping through my fingers like a rogue balloon escaping into the sky….Part of manifesting a good life is letting go of the details, letting go of the need to control the outcome.” I love these lines.
Also, I hope that one day I can experience your writing by asking my lil robot to project a lil movie on my ceiling while you narrate it. That sounds magical.
"Or maybe I will be feeding my essays into a human shaped robot that translates my stories into little movies that it projects onto the ceiling." - I really hope someone is inventing that.
Eloquently put and so much verve and optimism! And so perfectly attuned to your themes and styles, and the reflections you share. On to further and the yet unknown and unwritten future!
Loved this essay Michelle! It truly resonated and was a valuable dose of encouragement on this uncertain path, breaking free from past expectations. Excited to continue following your journey.
"I’m leaning into new experiences, joining different online communities and turning strangers into friends. I’m cultivating an openness for a future that I may enjoy, but don’t know exactly what that looks like yet."
To doubling down on enjoyment, and assuming success along the unwritten way.
P.S. I will NEVER be able to listen to Unwritten without thinking of you now!
Have you explored Taoism / the Tao Te Ching? think some of the core teachings would resonate. it's all about going with the flow, accepting, not forcing anything
I have "adaptability > planning" as a potential blog topic, but it's just a seed right now. Something about adaptation, charles darwin, being relaxed and loose enough to be able to jump on opportunities, stuff along those lines
Such a moving, honest, and insightful piece, Michelle. Your article made me think about the act of writing in the present to create a future versus writing a future for the future. Also, this is an incredible example of playful language :) "I think back on this phrase often, usually right when my life plans escape my tight grip, slipping through my fingers like a rogue balloon escaping into the sky."
Your statement "I will never leave San Francisco" made me giggle out loud & everything that came after proved it right. You are such a beautiful writer Michelle, Im so grateful you listened to the advise of the masterclasses teachers & started writing! Reading how positively uncertain you are makes me feel normal.
I felt like you were speaking to me and my question about expectations that I asked earlier this week. Thank you for writing this!
I felt this bit 100%: “People, though, have been curious to know what my plans for the future are. What are my goals? The subtext is often, “how do you plan on making money?”
I understand that, “I don’t know” can seem like a flippant, unfocused answer. It’s not specific, measurable, achievable, relevant or time bound. There is nothing S.M.A.R.T. about how I envision my future.”
I think the universe especially laughs when we say we will "NEVER" do something.
Five years ago this week, my boss and I were riding back to the office in his truck after a meeting. We were lamenting the problems dating at work was causing for someone else in our department. I said it was ridiculous that someone couldn't find another person to date outside of work in a metro area of millions. I said I would NEVER do this.
That night, at a work event, I met my now husband. 🙃
I love this story, and that you are writing. Please keep writing!
Love this edition! I love that you brought us into the scene at the start and I relate to the bittersweetness of leaving one city for another having bounced from Montreal to London and back, and then to Sydney and Paris before eventually finding my way back to Montreal. I also blasted ‘unwritten’ many times over the years. :)
I also love the personal touch of the photos. I have yet to visit SF and much of California so it’s cool to get little glimpses—it’s absolutely stunning.
And I love the takeaway about how eventually we need to stop studying and consuming info, and just get started to learn how to do something. That’s where fulfillment comes from.
Great writing as always!
So much beautiful imagery Michelle - particularly the balloon escaping to the sky. Maybe it's because spring is blooming here, but this piece felt particularly poignant to read! Bravo!
Thank you for sharing this essay, Michelle! Your writing makes me feel so much more at peace with what is now and what is coming.
I also don’t know what the future will look like in 10 years. But I know one thing for sure- I will still be your big fan ♥️
Dear Michelle,
There is so much achievable hope in your essays.
Your writing is also sprinkled with beautiful phrases that are comforting, wise quotes to wrap around my soul. Here are few of my favorites in case you want to put them in Canva and tweet them or share them in an Instagram image (I know you love IG :) ):
“Part of manifesting a good life is letting go of the details, letting go of the need to control the outcome.” – Michelle Varghoose
“The art of writing itself has changed so much over time, how can I know what the future holds?” - Michelle Varghoose
“All I know is that today I like writing. If I write an essay every week, I’m hoping something good will happen. Something that makes me happy and lets me keep doing what I enjoy doing. As far as I’m concerned, everything else is still unwritten.” - Michelle Varghoose
Love, Jenny :) :) :)
Love this essay!!! Your story about leaning into new experiences and writing is really inspiring.
“I think back on this phrase often, usually right when my life plans escape my tight grip, slipping through my fingers like a rogue balloon escaping into the sky….Part of manifesting a good life is letting go of the details, letting go of the need to control the outcome.” I love these lines.
Also, I hope that one day I can experience your writing by asking my lil robot to project a lil movie on my ceiling while you narrate it. That sounds magical.
Thanks for sharing this lovely essay <3
"Or maybe I will be feeding my essays into a human shaped robot that translates my stories into little movies that it projects onto the ceiling." - I really hope someone is inventing that.
Was scrolling through my shared notes here on Substack and I reread this again - a year later! Still very resonating!
So encouraging and true! Really resonated. And very happy to have "Unwritten" in my head for the rest of the day :)
Eloquently put and so much verve and optimism! And so perfectly attuned to your themes and styles, and the reflections you share. On to further and the yet unknown and unwritten future!
Loved this essay Michelle! It truly resonated and was a valuable dose of encouragement on this uncertain path, breaking free from past expectations. Excited to continue following your journey.
Ahhhhhhh, I resonate with this so much.
"I’m leaning into new experiences, joining different online communities and turning strangers into friends. I’m cultivating an openness for a future that I may enjoy, but don’t know exactly what that looks like yet."
To doubling down on enjoyment, and assuming success along the unwritten way.
P.S. I will NEVER be able to listen to Unwritten without thinking of you now!
Have you explored Taoism / the Tao Te Ching? think some of the core teachings would resonate. it's all about going with the flow, accepting, not forcing anything
I have "adaptability > planning" as a potential blog topic, but it's just a seed right now. Something about adaptation, charles darwin, being relaxed and loose enough to be able to jump on opportunities, stuff along those lines
Life is dynamic and fluid, so should we
Such a moving, honest, and insightful piece, Michelle. Your article made me think about the act of writing in the present to create a future versus writing a future for the future. Also, this is an incredible example of playful language :) "I think back on this phrase often, usually right when my life plans escape my tight grip, slipping through my fingers like a rogue balloon escaping into the sky."
Your statement "I will never leave San Francisco" made me giggle out loud & everything that came after proved it right. You are such a beautiful writer Michelle, Im so grateful you listened to the advise of the masterclasses teachers & started writing! Reading how positively uncertain you are makes me feel normal.
I felt like you were speaking to me and my question about expectations that I asked earlier this week. Thank you for writing this!
I felt this bit 100%: “People, though, have been curious to know what my plans for the future are. What are my goals? The subtext is often, “how do you plan on making money?”
I understand that, “I don’t know” can seem like a flippant, unfocused answer. It’s not specific, measurable, achievable, relevant or time bound. There is nothing S.M.A.R.T. about how I envision my future.”
I think the universe especially laughs when we say we will "NEVER" do something.
Five years ago this week, my boss and I were riding back to the office in his truck after a meeting. We were lamenting the problems dating at work was causing for someone else in our department. I said it was ridiculous that someone couldn't find another person to date outside of work in a metro area of millions. I said I would NEVER do this.
That night, at a work event, I met my now husband. 🙃
I love this story, and that you are writing. Please keep writing!