Back

Slow down | Day 95 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Apr 5, 2023· 2 minutes

Our third day in Rome was dedicated to work.

Work could (and should) be understood as anything we do in order to make a change. Any effort to move pieces, organize, change, grow, improve, understand, and care for.

Work is when we engage and take part. But the concept has become hollow, focused only on the monetary outcome.

This is part of the suppression of women, of artists, and of freedom.

When work became measurable by money and with the invention of the concept of BNP, the understanding of value changed and we lost the awe of the very important work done by especially women.

There is no common good without breastfeeding, without cooking, without someone to nurse the sick, someone to make the homes, someone to compose the music and write the books. Without this, we will all be insane.

The epidemic of childhood mental diagnoses and adult stress reactions is no coincidence. It is the result of a backward value system and of ripping apart everything that is important to hold together.

Why do we confuse the value of work with the amount of money someone is willing to pay for it?

The value of a meal cooked with love and served to someone old and sick is unmeasurable.

Let me be clear. A day for work, to me, is a day to engage with the element of my life that is not directly connected to my children and my personal life. To lift above and write the stories, cookbooks, and blog posts. Some of it, but only a tiny bit, makes me money. Most of it is just me responding to a call from my existence, a call to action, an urge to do something about the wrongs in the world.

We try to carve out a day or two a week for this kind of engagement. But there is so much life to live, it can sometimes be hard to stand our ground. On this particular workday, I went for firstly a walk with one child, then a walk with another child. Good conversations arise from these walks and are more important than most. I cooked lunch and made sure everyone was happy before I sat down in the afternoon to work on the blog, the podcast, and the coaching.

Love and light

Cecilie-Underskrift-300x133

Cecilie Conrad

# 95 of my 2023 writing challenge - Read them all here

Discover the serene alpaca world through my visits; their silent hums and gentle gazes offer tranquility. Thanks to Giovani for caring for these beau…Read more
Dive into my culinary adventures in Sicily, where the sun-kissed produce redefines freshness and quality. From sweet, crunchy kale in Portugal to the…Read more
We explore the rich history of cave houses turned museums, indulge in the region's exquisite produce, and soak in the stunning views from an abandone…Read more
Living a nomad life is often extremely social ad sometimes kind of lonely. But we don't really care. We love to have people around, and we love to ch…Read more
I am not a big fan of waiting. I get restless in a split second. There are so many things I want to do. Waiting can drive me crazy.  But the thing is…Read more
I have the habit of taking pictures of flowers. It seems banal, but it is not. Not in my personal life. The beauty of the flowers carries my loss. I …Read more
We walk a lot. We walk very often, short and long, with or without agenda. In our family, it has healing powers; it creates a space for open-ended co…Read more
It is interesting how we always learn and always evolve. We think we know why we do a certain challenge and where it will take us. But ever so often,…Read more
We celebrate the fact that we are all unique and needed. Each and every one of us holds a world, has a unique path, and when we pass the starting lin…Read more