bad at small talk? me, too.

Hi, friend. 

I am legendarily bad at small talk, it’s true. Maybe it’s the journalist in me, but “weather and traffic” isn’t really my wavelength. One of the things I love about gathering around the AllSwell writing table is that it lifts us up and out of the usual chatter -- both internal and external. Inevitably, the conversations we have with ourselves and each other are far richer and more interesting (and less predictable) than what can be found on a LinkedIn profile or typical cocktail party banter. 

Last weekend we explored the idea of personal narrative at an afternoon workshop hosted by Biography at Baker House in East Hampton. To help us draw out and appreciate our own stories, I created The Biography Questionnaire, with a nod to Proust. Fueled by deliciousness from Night Owl Baker, we wrote, reflected, shared, listened and laughed. 

I wish I could have transported all of you to the carriage house full of fresh fall flowers (from local farm Amber Waves), with the fire going, candles lit, for some mindful writing in good company. But the real beauty of journaling is that you don’t need any of those trappings in order to participate in the ritual. 

Here’s a taste of the Biography Questionnaire to get your pen moving, wherever and whenever…

• What community or group helped you become more you? 

• If you could have any singing voice in the world, whose would it be - and where would you want to sing? 

• What are the elements of how you define success? Have those elements changed since five years ago? Ten years ago? 

Take these for a spin in your notebook, or offer them up as conversational prompts the next time you’re with friends or family. You might learn something that surprises you. 

And if you’d like to explore the products that inspired this gathering, try out Biography's Sea Chrome Body Oil — the quick-drying, “body oil for people who don’t like body oil.” I’m a fan, especially as the seasons change and the East End air gets dry. It helps my skin stay slinky and smooth. You can experience any of their skincare at 20% off with code ALLSWELL20 at biographynyc.com. 

Keep writing, my friends. It works. 

In Swellness,
Laura

PS: One more delicious takeaway. I eat a slice of Night Owl’s probiotic-packed “flat belly bread” every day. I get peevish when I run out. To share this yumminess, local baker (with a cult following) Tracy Stoloff is sharing the goods. Enjoy 20% off mail orders with code ALLSWELL20. Stock that freezer, my friends.