by Sasha Cagen | Jan 7, 2014 | Personal Growth
This week I’m sharing case studies from participants in GetQuirky. In my interviews, I’m asking, What becomes possible when a person decides to embrace his or her quirkiness?
Today Andreas Mueller, 44, who does customer tech support in Germany, shares how my online GetQuirky class changed his everyday life.
The next GetQuirky class starts Monday, January 13. To find out what happens when you embrace your inner quirk, join us in the next class!
Here’s Andreas’ story, in his own words:
“I have been quirky (and quirkyalone) for the most of my life without noticing. Most of my quirks just seemed to be natural to me. Once in a while, especially when talking about things I do in my spare time, it became clear that my hobbies are anything but common. Spending all night looking at stars and planets? Radio amateurs (aka ham radio)–what is that, and after all, why don’t you use a phone?
I became aware of being quirky after I had been literally kicked out of a long-term relationship. I realized that I had given up so much up of my quirkyself in order to maintain the relationship and please my partner. Apart from the necessary period of grief, I was struggling to revert to the fulfilling lifestyle I have had before, doing things I liked to do. Read More
by Sasha Cagen | Aug 22, 2013 | Advice
The Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh has written, “When we walk like we are rushing, we print anxiety and sorrow on the earth. We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the earth‚Äö√Ѭ∂ Be aware of the contact between your feet and the earth. Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”
Yes! How we walk and inhabit our bodies deeply affects our psychological state. Even our ability to be quirky–to be free and fully express ourselves like little kids do, with no reservations.
In our busy world, it is so easy for the tensions of the psyche to get stored in the body. When you are more free in your body, you are also more free in your spirit. This is why we start off my GetQuirky class by discovering and practicing our “quirkywiggles” (our own personal dance for infusing ourselves with a light self-accepting joyful quirky spirit).
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by Sasha Cagen | Aug 7, 2013 | Uncategorized
Today I’m sharing three of my favorite photos from my Quirky Photo Safaris and the stories behind them. When I need a dose of inspiration, I go for a walk. I train my eye to softly look for quirky things. I take corners at random by intuition. The photos that I find on a quirky photo safari always teach me something.
We go on a group quirky photo safari as part of my online class GetQuirky. We share the photos and what they mean to us, just like I am sharing with you here.
(Be sure to click “display images below” if you are reading this via email.)
Now I’m showing you some of my favorites!
I took this picture on a quirky photo safari in my neighborhood in Buenos Aires. This street Honduras in Palermo is unusually beautiful because it is lined with these tall trees. Something about the darkness called to me. Quirky treasures can be buried in our darkness, in the parts of ourselves that we have kept cloaked or hidden or neglected. That darkness can be fertile too.
It finally happened. I stepped in a piece of shit on the sidewalks of Buenos Aires. This ceremonious baptismal act happened while I was on a quirky photo safari taking photos of things that I found inspiring in their unusual or differentness for the April beta GetQuirky session. I spotted this bag in a window that says “f@#$ what people think” and then I stepped in a piece of shit as I took the photo. Kind of a hilarious moment, the photo was still worth it.
I met the most awesomely quirky lady in her 60s, Bev, with purple flowers in her hair and purple strands of hair, just now at the laundromat in Oakland. I asked if I could take her photo for the GetQuirky Photo Safari and she said yes. She says she believes her greatest contribution to society is through no-action: no driving, no breeding, no real jobs. She gets by. She finds magic in dumpster diving and found some great champagne grapes today and a painting. When we parted, Bev told me, “Stay quirky!”
Do it yourself!
Go on a Quirky Photo Safari this weekend. Take an hour or two to unplug so you can plug into yourself. Go for a walk. Often walks alone are where we feel our spark and our creativity. A quirky photo safari gives shape to a walk.
Take as many photos as you want and enter your favorites in our #getquirky photo safari contest on Instagram. The prize: you can win a spot in the upcoming September session of GetQuirky.
Want the details on how to do a Quirky Photo Safari and enter the contest?
Sign up for the early notification list for GetQuirky and you’ll get an email with instructions.
As Bev says, stay quirky!
Lady Q Sasha
