Who else believes in invisible forces? (Push Week is back, babies!)
A ceramic bowl, full of lemons, in a warm kitchen.
Hi everyone, Coach Kim here!
A couple times a year we run a beloved program called Push Week. We invented this early in the pandemic, when everything felt pushed – it was the right energy to meet that moment.
Then after a couple years, it started to feel a bit off, like… “Is this us?” It sounded… pushy. There are lots of adjectives I might use to describe Firefly, but pushy wouldn’t make the top 10 or even the top 100.
But here’s the thing about pushes… It all depends where they’re coming from. Bear with me.
Imagine for a second, a big, juicy bowl of lemons sitting in the middle of a table.
Then, wait!
The bowl moves six inches to the left.
How do you feel?
If some invisible force is moving the bowl of lemons, I might feel intrigued and want to create a magic system around it. (And probably write a YA novel about teleporting lemons…)
If someone else is pushing the bowl, I might feel annoyed or like I want the lemons closer. Who are these elves / partners / children moving stuff around? Suddenly I love those lemons.
But if I’m the one pushing? Well then, that’s exactly what I want.
Maybe later I’ll move the bowl somewhere else, or sit and juice the lemons and make lemonade, or start juggling them for fun… It’s my choice.
Now, switch the bowl of lemons to writing.
… Not just any writing, but the writing you really, deeply, wholeheartedly want to do. A project you want to start. A draft you want to revive. A letter you want to finish.
Do you want to move that around? Left, right, closer? Do you want to start a new beginning, scribble lists, pull out old drafts and read them? Do you want a hand with that?
One thing I’ve learned from Push Week is that I like being pushed when the conditions are right. I think this has to do with community.
When I push myself to write alone, my inner toddler has a full grocery-store tantrum. “No! I don’t wanna!!” But when I look up and see a zoom screen full of friendly faces, and I hear a just-right prompt, my inner writer can get to it.
That’s how I see Push Week. Us helping you to push yourself, to the places you want to go. And I can tell you from lots of experience now – it can feel ah-mazing.
Push Week is coming up May 12th to 16th and we’d love to see you there. This spring, we’re introducing some delicious new things:
Two new sunrise writing sessions on Tuesday and Thursday led by Britt for you early birds (not me!)
A mid-week “Ask Me Anything” hosted by Chris, Mari, and me
Eight follow-up mid-day writing sessions after Push Week is over to keep the magic moving
A chance to book shortie 1-on-1 coaching sessions with Firefly coaches throughout
It’s sliding scale, and all are welcome.
And, if you’re looking for something a little cozier, we still have space in some of our small group workshops this spring. Read on!
In-person writing workshops this spring
We love a table! We have two in-person gatherings this spring with space.
We have a Life Stories Workshop with Asifa starting next week on April 10th.
And, a full weekend, like a retreat but without the sleepover part. It’s called City Sanctuary, and runs May 31st to June 1st.
Online writing workshops
We have 4 small group online workshops with space, all in morning time slots!
The Life Stories Workshop is on Thursday mornings with Britt
Begin Here is on Monday mornings with Mari
Brief Bursts (flash fiction) is on Tuesday mornings with Britt
Lift Off is on Tuesday mornings with Mari
Push Week
Here she is, in all her abundance — five days of scribbling, laughing, experimenting and sharing in May.
If this is too much but you still want in on the action, we’re following it up with a month of twice-weekly mid-day writings sessions, you can just sign up for those. (They’re included if you register for Push Week.)
Open Mic Night in Toronto
Firefly turned 20 and we want to celebrate with you next week!
The theme will be “Community Care.” Bring work about ways community has changed you, or come to clap and be part of ours.
If you’ve joined us for a Push, you know its special brand of joy.
If not, we’d love to welcome you in.
Or, you can ask Shauna, one of our participants who has taken part in every Push Week so far, and is practically a resident cheer squad. She doesn’t know this, but she’s getting a free spot this season. (Email us when you read this, Shauna!)
Who’s ready to get pushy!?
