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1839 || be realistic, expect miracles
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be realistic, expect miracles.
The universe is chaotic and the more we fight that the harder it is to deal with it. Resistance of that truth is the problem, not the truth itself. When we finally learn to accept the reality that the universe is unpredictable, we stop limiting ourselves to our expectations.
I am constantly at war with the reality of the universe. I cling to shit I can’t have and resist shit I can’t avoid. But clinging to the illusion of control is a false sense of safety. It makes me feel like I’m doing something of value, when it’s simply redirecting the little bit of control I do have into something I have no control over.
Accepting that the future is not within our control frees us from the stress of trying to control it. Fighting reality takes so much mental energy and wastes our capacity for changing what actually we can change. Rigid expectations blind us to the limitless possibility of the future.
I have an ampersand tattoo on my arm to remind me of the improv principle of “yes and” which is very helpful when I get stuck in my often limiting worldview of “this is it, forever.” I have found that it is a powerful practice to remember that the story doesn’t end with the discomfort. Yes, I am in pain AND I can move forward. Yes, that sucked, AND I can make it suck less.
As somebody who wants to “fix” everything right away and avoid all discomfort, it’s nice to be able to focus on what I can actually affect instead of the reality that there’s much I can’t control.
We can only see so much of the path ahead, our limiting ability of sight doesn’t mean the path doesn’t exist or we won’t be able to navigate it once we get there, it just means we can’t see what we haven’t approached yet.
BE REALISTIC EXPECT A MIRACLE.
SOURCES:
- https://strengtheningyourconsciousself.com/free-will-willpower-and-choices/
- https://www.universetoday.com/articles/does-free-will-exist-part-2-the-chaotic-universe
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Info on War Tax Resistance.
Donate to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund and the Sudan Relief Fund
The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
Read Julie's Medium Blog.
Support JULIE (and the show!)
Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.
Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com
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1885 || money reduces everything to a need for more money
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10:39|Doing nothing doesn't mean turning your back on the world. Instead, we must "stand apart" and view things from a new perspective without withdrawing completely. You can't isolate yourself into an improved world. You can only improve things when you're actively witnessing them. Learn new ways to participate and start there. "The decision to refuse (not once, not twice, but perpetually until things have changed) means the development of and adherence to individual and collective commitments from which our actions proceed." - Jenny OdellBUY JENNY ODELL'S BOOK HERE: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600671/how-to-do-nothing-by-jenny-odell/Read it here: https://www.valpo.edu/christ-college/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/05/How-to-Do-Nothing.pdfSupport the BDS movement.organize clothing swaps with your friends.Get free resources from Annas Archive.Join your local DSABecome a READING PARTNERRead Julie's Medium Blog.Support JULIE (and the show!)Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTune in on INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE or TIKTOK.Info on War Tax Resistance.Donate to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund and the Sudan Relief FundThe opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.1879 || the art of refusal not withdrawal
09:44|Rather than fleeing society completely, the idea of "doing nothing" means disengaging from the toxic demands of continuous capitalist productivity, social media optimization, and personal branding. It's about "standing apart" not "standing without". Finding resistance in refusal. Odell notes that our enemy isn't the physical world itself, but rather the commercial digital channels and algorithms through which we are forced to experience it every day. By reclaiming our attention from screens, we can redirect it toward our immediate physical environments, local ecosystems, and community history.BUY JENNY ODELL'S BOOK HERE: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600671/how-to-do-nothing-by-jenny-odell/Read it here: https://www.valpo.edu/christ-college/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/05/How-to-Do-Nothing.pdfSupport the BDS movement.organize clothing swaps with your friends.Get free resources from Annas Archive.Join your local DSABecome a READING PARTNERRead Julie's Medium Blog.Support JULIE (and the show!)Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTune in on INSTAGRAM AND YOUTUBE or TIKTOK.Info on War Tax Resistance.Donate to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund and the Sudan Relief FundThe opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.1878 || doing nothing is doing something
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