92. “It Doesn’t Have To Make Sense To Anyone Else”
Often we hold ourselves back from the things that give us energy and make us come alive, because other people don’t get it.
In this episode I talk about a short film I saw last week that totally inspired me - and I think it will inspire you too!
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MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE
FILM: Soundscape (with Erik Weihenmayer + Timmy O’Neill)
NEWSLETTER (on tap dancing
PODCAST EPISODES (where I was a guest, chatting about getting your spark back, energy + fulfillment)
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GET IN TOUCH
Did this episode spark an interesting reflection or a question stirring in your heart? I love hearing from you!
Instagram: @meghanljohnston
Email: hello@meghanjohnston.com
Website: meghanjohnston.com
Episode Transcript
[00:00:00]
Welcome my friend to episode 92 of With Heart and Wonder. I saw the most inspiring short film last week. And I really can't wait to tell you about it. I think it's going to resonate. If you are in a place where you're trying to figure out who exactly you are. Like really are. And what are the things that bring you joy or fulfillment or make you feel the most like yourself? But first, before we dive into that, a check-in. How are you? How are you feeling?
How is this year going? January, felt like such a wild ride to me. And I feel like I'm still trying to find my footing. But this past week was one filled to the brim with simple pleasures. And finding joy in the little moments. From a tap dancing class to date night with my partner, Erik at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. To celebrating my mom's birthday, we actually, we went to a workshop on how to make a flower bouquet, which was so much fun. I attended an outdoor Indigenous film festival with [00:02:00] friends followed by dessert, where it kind of blew my mind in a restaurant, I was like roasting marshmallows over an open flame. All this to say, my heart is feeling so full. And there is undoubtedly probably stories that I could share from all of these experiences, but I want to just like hyper focus in on just one film that I saw. Because this film feels like it's nestled right into my lungs. And it feels like there's a story here that just needs to be shared with you today. Especially if you've are sitting with questions of like, what makes you feel like you?
What brings you joy? What brings you fulfillment? What fills your cup? What gives you energy? What makes you come alive? So we saw this short film. It was less than 15 minutes. in this past week as part of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, world tour. And I know that this film is one that I will remember for years to come in truth. A lot of, I mean, I've probably seen over 50 films as part of this. Banff Film Festival world tour.
I started going, um, I was introduced to it by friends. Uh, in my first year of university. And I think I've been maybe five different years now, five or six. So the film festival, if you're unfamiliar with it, um, it's, it's held every year in Banff which is an, a national park and a village in Canada.
And it is a celebration of mountain life. And that includes like anything around like outdoor adventure, but also culture from around the world, environment, there's films about social justice as well. And I find the films to be. [00:04:00] Just like so inspiring and a lot of them
to be really eye opening and perspective shifting and inviting you into consider things. Um, that maybe you wouldn't have before.
All this to say the films always give me a lot of food for thought. And, and there's there's many from over the years that, um, I really remember and have touched me. And this film is no exception. this one truly, I think, is, is one of my favorites from all that I have seen. And I want to tell you about it.
So this short film is looking at a journey that Eric Weinheimer made. And, Eric is an adventurer, a rock climber, and he also happens to be fully blind. And this film is showing Eric Weinheimer and his friend, Timmy O'Neill as they climb. A certain rock. I truly do not remember the name of this rock. and I believe the California region. the film is called Soundscape. The reason for this is because as part of his climbing, Eric uses sound and echo location to be able to sense the rock that is in front of him. And the film is so creatively done where it kind of shows what we can imagine this echolocation to be. He's listening to how sound interacts with the rock in front of him in order to know where to make his next step. How close or far the rock is what the texture is.
He's listening to sound, to paint his own picture of how to climb his way up to the top. Now, there's this moment in the film. That just like, Ooh. Just like, you know, those moments that just like hit you. And [00:06:00] so his friend Timmy is saying. that people always ask him. Why would you climb when you can't see anything when you get to the top? And Timmy is looking at the camera.
And he says as if that's the only reason to climb.
As if that's the only reason to climb, just to see what you see at the top.
This hit me so hard.
In the film, Timmy also shares that the reason he wanted to bring Eric to this particular mountain scape. Was because he finds it to be one of the most beautiful and compelling pieces of rock on the planet.
And when Eric. Gets to the top. When they finally make that ascent. And are at the top, allowing themselves as tense to just soak it all. And.
And Timmy grabs Eric's hand. And traces the skyline with his fingers so that Eric can feel what he would see in terms of the skyline. And Eric shares that when he gets to the top. There is this vast open expanse. Where all of a sudden the sound has changed.
And it's like the open blue sky. Swallows you up.
He describes it as really this kind of spiritual experience.
He experiences that top of the summit.
With just as much depth and richness, even though he can't see. What it looks like.
This story. For me. I feel like is such a really powerful reminder. That no one else has to understand the [00:08:00] things that let you up.
And that in fact, oftentimes people won't. Get it.
At first. Sometimes ever.
But that many people won't understand the things that bring you joy and fulfillment, the things that make you come alive. And this is not because these things aren't essential and deeply valuable. It's just because they can't see it yet. Or understand within their perspective. It wouldn't be really normal to have those same thoughts. Why go rock climbing if you can't enjoy the view at the top? And yet. In this film. It was so touching to hear all of the ways in which this is an experience that truly makes Eric come alive.
I talked about in the newsletter that I sent out last week about how essential it is to focus on the things that give us energy. I think a lot of times it's easy to focus on the things, taking our energy. And so in the newsletter, I shared that I had a new routine that I'm pretty much obsessed with and that routine is tap dancing. And it might sound kind of frivolous or inconsequential, but it is anything but there are some profound gifts that I'm getting out of tap dancing, and I'll link the newsletter. In the show notes.
If that's something you want to check out and read, or maybe you already have. But I think it's really important for us to sit with this question. Like what are the things that give us energy? And I see this all the time. People feel like those things are, are frivolous. Or they feel a sense of shame or guilt or that. And oftentimes it is. Of what [00:10:00] others will think.
And yet. I just today, want to invite you to consider that these things that are potentially like essential to giving you energy, to making you feel like you.
That there's no need to limit yourself just because others can't understand or see it yet. That it doesn't have to make sense to anyone else, but you, that you can have a little curiosity and let yourself follow that and see where it leads you even if you don't know yet where it will lead.
I hope that we can take, just inspiration and courage and strength from this example of Eric.
And the creativity and curiosity. And that he is bringing to continuing to find ways to feel most like himself to feel alive, to feel energized.
This idea of really leaning into the things that give us energy is something I've actually talked a lot about on some recent podcasts where I've actually been a guest. Over the last few months, I've had the chance to be a guest on several podcasts, including the ignite, your spark podcast. Things I talk about, perpetual motion thrive beyond size, and actually you can with Mif Galloway. On these shows I've talked about. How much this piece around fulfillment and the things that bring us energy is part of the equation. I'm going to link all of these shows. in the show notes as well, which you'll find if you go into your podcast, listener and click onthe episode description. So you'll be able to check them out.
If that's something that resonates. But really today. I just want to leave you with this question of like, [00:12:00] What is sparkling with possibility. As something that would give you energy or make you come alive, even just like 5% more. Because I think, and if you listen to these other podcast episodes where I was a guest, it's something I think I say on everyone.
I feel like a lot of us are walking around on autopilot. A lot of the times. And so what does it mean to start to carve out a little bit more space. For us to play. For us to come alive for us to do those things that maybe we don't understand yet. Maybe others don't understand, but there's something there for us. There's something there that's wanting to be explored. So in this spirit of that, what can you explore this week? Can be super small or it can be vague. I'd love to hear either way. If you feel like sharing with me, hit me up on Instagram @meghanljohnston or you can send me an email hello@meganjohnston.com. Until next time. Keep living With Heart and Wonder.