Whimsy.
It's everywhere. But what DOES IT MEAN?
Right now, if you're on social media, you may be experiencing Whimsy Fatigue. Everyone and their aunt Cheryl are talking about how you can bring whimsy back into your life. Half the people don't even know whimsy left, or what it actually looks like.
And the thing is, whimsy kind of saved my life. Whimsy helped me get more in touch with nature, and to pay attention to the small things. When I was really struggling to find it in me to move forward in life, I dug my heels in with whimsy, though I didn't realize that is what it was until later.
We're living in weird times. Times where we are inundated daily with The Horrors. Every day we wake up and we blast atrocities into our eye holes and then just go on with our lives, never once addressing what we just saw. Whimsy helps to counterbalance the horrors.
But, as I wrote in a Threads post yesterday, there is a downside to the whimsy, and that is people just using it as yet another way to indulge in capitalism.
I reference the porch goose because it's currently VERY popular. And I love them, don't get me wrong. But porch geese were whimsical because they were unique, and not sold at mainstream stores. You needed to be gifted it by a grandmother, find one second hand, or learn to make your own. But now, you can get them on amazon, and it'll be here tomorrow. Then you can buy her a ton of outfits. Is it fun? Yes. It is still supporting Big Capitalism and feeding your dopamine addiction? Also yes.
But part of becoming more whimsical for me, was deciding to decenter capitalism, and my addiction to impulse buying online.
There is a quote from Kurt Vonnegut that a peer who inspires me to build community has referenced before, and it is worth noting for this.
The whimsy comes from the journey and the side quests. The side quests help you refamiliarize yourself with delayed gratification. The overall journey helped my mental health because it became this little adventure that I get to partake in.
When I wasn't able to work the way I used to, I found myself with more spare time than was good for me. And I'd spent so much of my life centered around being efficient that I never learned to enjoy the journey. Whimsy gave me that.
Is the doctor ordering more whimsy for you? It could just be the thing you're looking for. But with all things, whimsy with critical thinking.
Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T.
What I'm Reading, Eating, Playing, Obsessing, Recommending and Treating.
Reading: Okay I'm still finishing Ann Rule's Dead by Sunset, so not new. However, I've really enjoyed reading it in my garden in the afternoon, and decided to grab two more of her books today so I'll have something to start later.
Eating: Lots of things in the garden for happy hour. On Sunday for the summer solstice, I made strawberry ice cream.
Playing:
Obsessing: I recently thrifted a bag of random figurines. In it was this manatee and fake geode slice. I've been very into making planters with succulents lately and made this one. I have it by my bench and it delights me.
Recommending: Talking to more people in your community. I had the below happen last week and it was delightful. I've since popped a card I painted for her in the mail.
Treating: I took myself strawberry picking last week and it was ADORABLE. I loved it. Then also made the strawberry icecream with it.
The end.
As always, best of luck surviving 2026. I hope you have a great week, and if you're ever looking for support to help you through something, by someone who is well versed in burnout, you know where to find me.
xoxo
Jessica
