We Asked You to Share Your #BrightThings. Here They Are.

Hey, multipotentialites. How has your April been? I imagine any number of wild answers might fit right now… one word that comes to mind for me personally is “topsy-turvy”!

On Puttylike, we’ve been sharing #BrightThings to help get you (and us) through this very weird time. It’s been really lovely to have this communal conversation about the things that are energizing us and softening our days.

Our bright month on Puttylike: a re-cap

Here’s a few of the delights our Puttyteam covered this month:

• We featured the gorgeous, psychedelic art of multipotentialite Theo Morrow.
• Neil wrote about the unexpected benefits of his distractibility (and included a few fun distractions for you to check out).
• We went birdwatching with Kristin and her cat (also named Theo).
• I had the pleasure of interviewing the remarkable teen multipod Bo Grove, whose TED talk will most definitely put a smile on your face.

And we’re not done, of course. As we head into May, we’ll be bringing you more authentic stories and inspiration, from our homes to yours.

Your #BrightThings, stories, and good news

At the beginning of the month, we also asked YOU, Puttylike readers, to share your bright things, and you did not disappoint! We asked for interesting curiosities, heartwarming anecdotes, and your excitement for passions and projects… we got all of that, and more.

Reading through the things you shared, I noticed some common themes. I thought I’d re-share just a few of your responses for the whole community to enjoy.

More time

A number of y’all were finding joy and fulfillment in having some extra time on your hands, or the ability to be more intentional with your time.

Chiara has found renewal in a number of interests: “I rediscovered so many passions and I enjoyed two online courses: one about vegan kitchen and another about fashion sustainability. I am reading many books that I bought and never read during these years and I rediscovered my passion for French language. During my free time I also do origami and I am learning the basics of Italian sign language.”

Ashlie found new energy for a project—a blog—and really got it moving: “I re-did my About Page and Bio summary for the main page today and it finally feels complete! Oh, and for a cherry on top, I got my first whole week of social media posts scheduled out for the week for my first 7 blog posts today! Feeling super productive and accomplished.”

Other folks have also been delighting in the time they’re getting to spend with loved ones.

Sónia says: “I’m taking the time to dedicate myself more to my family—spending more fun time with the kids playing boardgames and watching movies… and to myself and my projects, starting with cleaning, sorting out, organizing and releasing!”

Anna has united projects and family time: “My bright spot is that I am hunkered down with my daughter, which means we have so much more time to work on collaborative art pieces together…the creativity is really flowing.”

Nature

One of the brightest things for me right now is the lovely view outside my apartment window: several tall trees, usually with their leaves swaying in the breeze. Other folks have found solace and joy in nature, too.

As Maryske says, “After a long and rainy winter that felt like an endlessly prolonged autumn, the sun is shining and many spring flowers are in bloom!”

Juliet shared some small beauties and big wisdom: “This morning my 79-year old father sent me a video he took on a walk yesterday of chirping frogs off a rural road in central Oregon. Yesterday I walked in my Seattle neighborhood and saw crocuses poking out of people’s yards and birds chirping. I don’t think we need to go far to stand/sit still and notice nature around us, even in the city. It’s part of being in the present and noticing what’s around us.”

Community

We need each other now more than ever, that much is clear. Much has been said about the collective impact our actions can have in this moment, but y’all were also sharing about the smaller-scale community care that’s been life-giving for you.

Kacie reached out and found encouragement for her passion online: “I’ve been very into interior design lately. I recently posted some pictures of my house to a Facebook group, and I got tons of comments! It’s nice to have some validation, and I’m starting to think about ways to use this in my career search.”

Gina Lee found a brightness in realizing “that myself and friends / friends in church / ex-team members are so close to each other, and care about each other (to order / share masks, share information and to enlighten everyone with positive stories).”

And several of you were finding great joy in newly discovering your multipotentialite identity and the Puttylike community!

For example, Kirsten has got projects galore, and is “really hoping that my BRIGHTEST thing will be being able to join The Puttytribe (keeping my fingers crossed).”

Whether you’re new here or have been reading Puttylike for years, I encourage you to say hello to your Putty neighbors and lean on each other right here.

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I hope these bright things have made your month a little lighter or a little sweeter. I hope you’ll continue to share yours in the comments below and on social media with our hashtag #BrightThings, and carry our Putty community’s brightness into the days ahead.

Your Turn

Let’s keep the conversation going! What are your #BrightThings this week? Share with us below in the comments.