A Time to be Grateful – A Little Q&A
I got nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award! A piece of recognition on Substack I didn't expect.
Chain letters are back and I didn’t expect it. (Haven’t seen one in what feels like ages since my Facebook times). Though I’ll go with this, because it is a beautiful piece of recognition and invites for some unique reflections. Wholesome shit lets gooo!!
THANK YOUU 🌻🎉
I was nominated by
on Notes and have been asked lovely questions to continue the Sunshine Blogger Awards ^^You can find her works on
. I can only recommend to check out her note here:I decided on making this a post, because those 11 questions seem like perfect Q&A post material. So I'll answer the questions, come up with more questions and I am going to name 11 new nominees at the end of the article.
First things first — The Sunshine Blogger Award Rules:
Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog (as your badge 🌻)
Thank the person who nominated you
Provide a link to your nominator’s blog
Answer your nominator’s questions
Nominate up to 11 bloggers
Provide up to 11 new questions for your nominees
✏️ My Answers to Rhalyn’s Questions:
What’s something quiet that brings you joy?
Sitting in the library and writing in my diary. It is often quite quiet. ^^
What’s a story from your childhood you keep returning to?
How this kid in Kindergarden stole my “Blue-Eyes White Dragon” Yu-Gi-Oh card!
Hahaha. Let’s rather go with this: Animal Crossing: Wild World and ripe berries of the “snowberry”.
I played Animal Crossing with my siblings and neighbour friends. It is not a story but a well cherished memory of mine.
And popping ripe snowberries on the ground is one of the most fun experiences from my childhood I still love doing til date. In Germany we call them “Knallerbsen” (popping peas), for the popping sound they are making when thrown or squished on the ground.
What are you currently learning to forgive in yourself?
The time I have lost feeling stuck or dissociating. The words I said I cannot take back. The things I didn’t do. The chances I let pass. The friendships I didn’t nurture or broke off. Retreating into myself, rather than coming out. This is a process though. It has been for a while now. But I am working my way towards feeling content and accept, rather than shame and guilt.
What’s a phrase or quote you return to when things feel hard?
“Write hard and clear about what hurts. Don’t avoid it. It has all the energy. Don’t worry, no one ever died of it. You might cry or laugh, but not die.”
Ernest Hemingway
And when I feel like what I am writing about is gonna make me unpopular, I’ll get back to this quote:
“Especially today you know when majoritarianism is on the rise it's our job to be unpopular. It's our job to stand alone and say what we really think. Not as activists, but as writers.”
Arundhati Roy
What does softness mean to you?
Kindness. Warmth. Welcoming. Softness is needed even in difficult topics in my opinion. I pleasantly remember how despite difficult conversations, that I am able to to advocate for softness. After all real strength lies in the way we treat others with kindness, no matter the tensions and the escalation levels.
What does success feel like in your body—not just in your mind?
I think it feels elevating. I feel lighter and jumpy in a good way. My chest feels like vibrating my throat like it’s tingling. Surprisingly I don’t remember ever feeling my feet really when success hits. Its like I don’t really need them.
Yet they do their thing and carry me.
What’s one sensory experience that makes you feel safe?
Having some weight on my shoulders. Like a coat, jacket or a button shirt I wear open.
When was the last time you surprised yourself?
Just yesterday. I arrived home thinking I needed to wash the dishes, only to find out, that I already did that. It was a pleasant surprise to me hahaha
Who do you write for when no one’s watching?
Generally for myself tbh. I love writing and expressing my thoughts. They are mine, no matter if they are read or not. They need to leave the realm of my mind and come out into the world. It just has to happen. Otherwise it all curls up and twists until my head bursts from all the ideas and thoughts. I am writing to everyone and no one but myself.
What would your younger self be proud of right now?
That Now-JayJay is able to keep up writing a blog for so long. Old-JayJay had a lot of attempts in blogging, but he deleted them again and again. Insecure, self doubting, cringing. If he would have known, that today he would be writing two blogs in his own time and pace without worrying about being a “failure” or “cringe”, he would probably be very proud of Now-JayJay.
Or maybe a bit confused too, as he was of the assumption that he would publish a bunch of books in sci-fi before the cool tech would be developed. Turns out they remain unwritten and unpublished. Yet his success was not of that nature.
What’s a kind of magic you still believe in?
I believe that everything is connected somehow. That there is so much I don’t understand and things no one will really understand. I find science often quite magical in itself already. Not specific science works or papers, but the fact that we as humans are capable of doing that and that the fascination of some leads us to new innovations and discoveries. That’s magic to me.
For the Sunshine Blogger Award I hereby nominate:
, , , , , , , , , and .There is no pressure to join this. Take it as a well meant invite out of appreciation of the works you've done. It means I would really love to read your answers to the questions below. ^^
If you decide to join, see it as an opportunity to reflect, share or to be witnessed. Of course it doesn't have to be a blog post. It can be a note too.
Take your time and feel free to answer in your own way. 🌱
My Questions for you:
What has shaped you most, and what are you still unlearning?
What advice do you keep giving, but struggle turning it into action yourself?
Where do you feel most like yourself? What happens there?
Who or what made you feel seen for the first time?
Who inspired you most to do what you do today?
What keeps your hope alive when the world feels unbearable?
What wounds have turned into your compass, your voice, your cause?
What kind of softness do you wish the world had more space for?
What kind of power do you reclaim that others tried to take from you?
What do you love that doesn’t need to be productive or understood?
What does it mean to be free—in your body, in your voice, in your story?
That was it. I hope this brings some joy and insight. I loved answering the questions!
Stay wild, neurodivergent, and as always: Lídiant Wíalë!
JayJay Out! 🎤
What an honor! Thank you so much, it truly means a lot to me to be included in your list. I will publish a post to respond to your question and keep this beautiful chain of appreciation going. Peer appreciation is such powerful fuel for creators!. Thank you again!
Thank you so much for the nomination Justin! I loved reading your answers, and the questions you have set are very thought provoking. Excited to answer them :)