> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.themariejohn.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Sundays on the BayoušŸŒŠā˜ - URL: https://www.themariejohn.com/sundays-on-the-bayou-d6a/ - Published: 2026-06-21T12:03:42.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-04T20:08:18.000Z - Description: Your Weekly Dispatch from Soul - Author: Soul x SWMarie āœØ - Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1791144068973, #Import 2026-10-04 20:05 Good morning, friends! First I just have to say ā€” how the hell is it already almost July? I think thatā€™s quite insane honestly. I know I always talk about how fast time is flyingā€¦ but thatā€™s because Iā€™ll never get over it! Anyway.. how are you? Whatā€™s new? Are you drinking your water, tea, and minding your business? Are you wrapped up in everyone elseā€™s life and not living your own? Mmmm! ![This may contain: a drawing of a person wearing a black hat and holding a red string in their hand](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/27bbb9f9-ea48-4db3-869c-9abda99dd761_736x859-jpeg.jpg) We need to fix that. Soooo grab your coffee, tea, mimosa (preferably a Bellini because that just feels like summer and I also like that wordā€¦ Belliniā€¦ rolls off the tongue so well) anyway! Grab whatever makes you feel good and come sit with me on the Bayou for a quick chat. --- ### *Stop Waiting for Permission or ā€œthe right timeā€ to Live Your Dreams + Start New Hobbies + New Routines* Lately, Iā€™ve just been doing whatever makes *ME* happy. Iā€™ve picked up drawing and doodling again (love this ā€” and it helps pass time at my work desk). Iā€™ve been reading a ton, meditating, journaling again, tracking the moon and how it affects my mood, doing astrological deep dives for fun, upgraded my morning skincare routine, chasing storms from my storm tracking apps, reporting on the weather for my community, taking a journalism class, learning more about the local environment ā€” and more! LOL. Iā€™ve just been doing shit. And I love it here. And as you can seeā€¦ none of these things have anything to do with my kids or husband. I am my own person outside of my beautiful family. In order to pour into them, I have to pour more into myself. There was a time where I would literally make excuses for why I couldnā€™t do something so simple like have a morning routine that worked for me or make time for learning new things and reading. I canā€™t even remember the excuses that I made ā€” I'm so far removed from who I used to be ā€” I just know I made excuses. 2025 was the tipping point for me. Ever since I started making myself a priority ā€” not just being a mom, not just being a wife, not just being everyoneā€™s go to person ā€” but actually making time for myself and making sure Iā€™m good; my mental health has been in tact. Do I still get stressed out? Absolutely. Everyone does. I think Iā€™ve gone through one depressive episode since last year (it was a few months ago). There were some things going on that I just couldnā€™t handle, but Iā€™ve recently started back up in therapy and thatā€™s been helping. But that one episode compared to the constant depression I was dealing with prior to last year and the years before ā€” Iā€™ll take that, lol. I havenā€™t had as many episodes because Iā€™ve been pouring more and more into my happiness as an individual. And that in turn makes me a happier person which allows me to give more to my little family. Weā€™ve even been meditating together as a family lately which has helped a lot with my nervous system and emotional regulation. No matter how happy I am, having three children can really test your patience, LOL. And especially at nighttime. So my husband suggested that we all hold hands and meditate together every night before bed for 10-15 minutes. And what do ya know? The kids now look forward to it every single night. Yesā€¦ they love sitting together, meditating, breathing in and out, and being quiet. Who wouldā€™ve guessed? That little new routine has transformed our home nighttime life in just a few short days. I knowā€¦ I just know thereā€™s so many things you probably say ā€œoh! Iā€™m gonna start doing that, Iā€™m gonna do this, I need to start doing thisā€¦ and never end up doing it. And Iā€™m not saying that in a negative way. Iā€™m saying that because I know and Iā€™ve been there. Now? I just do it lol. I said I wanted to start reporting on the weather because Iā€™m a huge weather nerd and I started doing it. Now Iā€™ve just been reporting on the weather on my other Substack and Facebook page. LOL. I do this for fun and it makes me happy! I wanted to learn more about the moon and IMMEDIATELY got on the computer and started researching. I wanted to pick up Journalism on the side and found a course immediately and enrolled. My husband was like you know what, lets just start meditating as a familyā€¦ and boom now its a part of our routine every day. Wait for what? Do it! Do whatever it is youā€™ve been putting off. Start that shit right now today. A few weeks ago I got an email from the Writerā€™s Workshop. Theyā€™re hosting a Workshop in New Orleans in 2027 and though the admission process is competitive, I applied anyway. Guess what? I got ACCEPTED! I wasnā€™t even supposed to hear anything until mid-July. I wasnā€™t even wait listed, yaā€™ll. Like man, Iā€™m not waiting on nobody to follow my dreams and do things I want to do. Whether its a big thing like applying to a program or something small like setting aside quiet time in the morning to be to myself and do my new skincare routine, it all matters. Just doing the things... doing all the things you want to do in this life if you can. It helps. It helps boost your mood, confidence, and all around quality of life. Soā€¦ your takeaway today? JUST DO IT! Stop talking about it and be about it. K? K. ![Story pin image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/bb807a31-ffbc-4284-aebf-89bc2f47981a_735x893-jpeg.jpg) [Subscribe now](#/portal/signup) --- ### *Curious Minds šŸ§ * *Itā€™s summer time and Iā€™ve been looking up fun facts for the summer. Just things to keep it light lol.* *I came across a fact that said that on the 4th of July, Americans buy enough hot dogs to stretch from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles five times over.* *And I just have to knowā€¦ whoā€™s eating all those damn hot dogs!? And how many of those are going to waste? LOL. Girl, donā€™t get me started. Thatā€™s justā€¦ a lot of damn hot dogs.* --- ### *Meme of the Week šŸ˜Ž* ![This may contain: kermie the frog sitting in a car saying get in closer, we're heading and falling back - in love with life](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/38637790-0957-4bee-9c76-4cdca86205f3_736x917-jpeg.jpg) Need I say more? šŸ„° See yā€™all next week! --- # *Newest Blog Posts* [Live From the Underground: Giving K.R.I.T. His Flowers šŸ‘‘šŸ’ć€½You knowā€¦ thereā€™s artists that you might listen to in passing. You never really connect with their music on a different level. Itā€™s just a nice beat and a catchy chorus. Shit youā€™d play on a ratchet night with the homies (nothing wrong with that). Then, thereā€™s artists that end up becoming a part of the soundtrack to your life. For me? Big K.R.IT has beā€¦![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/94807069-71c5-4b72-8c0e-68d7c61fe48f_500x500-6.png)Letters from the Bayou Soul x SWMarie āœØ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/70b8ae56-c9c7-4059-a7d5-168ea3111c2b_3024x2348-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.themariejohn.com/live-from-the-underground-giving/) Yes.. please read about how amazing my favorite rapper is. Also, I still canā€™t believe I hugged him, talked to him, and took a picture with him. AHHHHH!!!!! ![Story pin image](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/65aa2b95-d28c-4762-b282-5ea99fc01213_736x675-jpeg.jpg) [Gil Scott-Heron Knew The Cost Of Progressā€œWhen it comes to peopleā€™s safety, money wins out every time.ā€ - Gil Scott-Heron.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/94807069-71c5-4b72-8c0e-68d7c61fe48f_500x500-7.png)Letters from the Bayou Soul x SWMarie āœØ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/a3e422e5-b208-44f2-b66d-5b4dece24371_1000x600.png)](https://www.themariejohn.com/gil-scott-heron-knew-the-cost-of/) This is one of my newest favorites. Take a look at how much data centers are ruining our environment ā€” and how Gil Scottā€™s timeless lyrics tells the story of what weā€™re still facing today. [Embracing My 30s + MoreGood morning, friends! I know, there was no Sundays on the Bayou this weekā€¦ but oh my goodness, your girl is FRIED. So letā€™s just get into it. By the way I took this picture above from the top floor of the parking garage at the New Orleans airport. It was such a beautiful view!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/94807069-71c5-4b72-8c0e-68d7c61fe48f_500x500-8.png)Letters from the Bayou Soul x SWMarie āœØ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/f100be23-9663-4704-8cdd-f9ab98fe3d42_736x736-jpeg.jpg)](https://www.themariejohn.com/embracing-my-30s-more/) This oneā€¦ yeah. I get real vulnerable! If you havenā€™t read it yet, check it out! [Welcome to The Gulf PostHello and welcome to The Gulf Post!!!![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/69/a5/69a50cf8-a236-4da4-b798-8dad6075188d/content/images/2026/10/b3f45fce-8805-4e06-908f-fa2e35f14935_1254x1254.png)The Gulf Post](https://thegulfpostpub.substack.com/p/welcome-to-the-gulf-post) I have officially launched my new Substack where I talk about the weather and environment in Southeast Louisiana! I wanted to separate my professional writing and presence online from my personal one. Iā€™m super excited about being able to practice my journalism skills and express my passion for weather through this new Substack! If youā€™re in the Southeast Louisiana area ā€” subscribe! If not, you donā€™t have to. Besides, you may not want all those emails if you donā€™t even live here, lol. But thanks for supporting me anyway! Whether on this page, the other one, or both!