Episode 43 – Quarantine Diaries (ft. Marta Gèpe)

Quarantine has changed so much for every single person. In this episode of VulnerABILITY, host Marisa Donnelly welcomes guest and fellow creative, Marta Gepe to share about her book, Quarantine Diaries, and finding inspiration in lockdown.

Highlights From the Episode:

[2:30] “I journal and I wanted to push myself to see something different in each day.”

[3:30] “It just evolved into this urge to help others, to maybe just give them a hand and say, ‘I’m just going through this. And maybe it can help you. And maybe you feel less alone.'”

[4:00] “Everybody in every corner of the world is feeling different emotions of loneliness, and fear, and uncertainty, and so feeling out these common connection points is so powerful.”

[5:10] “[It was] just taking the step towards helping the way I could and putting myself out there, and just saying ‘This is me and I’m just drawing notes. And maybe it helps you a little bit.'”

[5:45] “One of the beautiful things is that kindness has really taken the forefront. Whether people are creating things intentionally for others, or just speaking kindly to one another, or just opening up communication that maybe didn’t exist before—that’s one of the beautiful things.”

[6:50] “If I want to make a change and help people out, I’m just going to put myself out there and just bring a little bit of positivity within the darkness that we’re all going through.”

[7:35] “We need this energy of ‘it’s alright,’ ‘it’s absolutely fine,’ [and] ‘you can go a little bit mad, that’s absolutely fine.’ But focusing on the light instead of the darkness.”

[8:00] “As a writer myself, it’s like, when I’m creating something, I’m creating something with the intention of sharing an experience that I’m facing or have faced in order to help somebody who may be wrestling with the same thing or in order seek an outward connection.”

[8:35] “It’s so universal—our desire to want to connect to others and remind ourselves that we’re not alone.”

[9:20] “Everybody longs to be connected, and especially in a time when we are forced to be more distanced, it’s just really cool to see how different forms of art or communication are bubbling up underneath the surface to help us create these connections.”

[12:15] “That’s one of the really powerful things about when we allow ourselves to be vulnerable and share those inner-most thoughts because it kind of gives a window into our souls and experiences. And that’s what people can connect with the most – is being reminded of light in the darkness. We’re always going to be going through difficult and dark times, but how are we finding that light? How are we seeking that light? How are we creating that light for others? Or, how are we absorbing that light that others have created and then turning it around so that we’re continuing in it? And vulnerability is the core of that.”

[13:05] “The whole book is me every day… there’s no bullsh*t. I’m just going to say it. And I’m going to put my day the way it is because it just creates the real deal.”

[13:40] “We have… that tendency to protect [ourselves] with these vulnerability shields.”

[14:30] “I think right now what we need is to open our hearts and say, ‘I’m feeling this way and maybe you feeling the same way.’ And maybe we feel a little more together in the darkness.”

[14:55] “Because we’re all going through so many different emotions right now… it’s so important for us to be honest about our emotions.”

[15:20] “I think people need to be reminded of that so often: It’s okay to feel whatever you’re feeling. But then, also, what do you do with that?”

[15:45] “It’s okay if it’s not [perfect] but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find the light in the darkness. They’re two opposite things. Don’t be ‘toxically’ positive. Don’t talk about how everything’s perfect… We don’t have to be like that, but we can still seek light, and inspiration, and hope.”

[16:40] “The lesson I’ve learned is that life is dealing with the unpredictable. It’s upon us to take the chances or to leave them. I choose to take them.”

[19:10] “