This week, I’m reflecting on sensing and thinking—when to trust our instincts and when to pause for thought. Maybe pancake flipping is the perfect place to start.
🥞 It’s Shrove Tuesday—also known as Pancake Day—a day rooted in tradition, reflection, and, of course, flipping pancakes! And I was thinking, how pancake flipping is one of those things that actually gets worse the more you think about it!
If you hesitate, overthink it, worry too much about it landing (on the floor!), you end up with a half-folded, stuck-to-the-pan disaster. The irony? The more you think about it, the worse it gets. 🤯
Why pancakes today?
Shrove Tuesday marks the day before Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and reflection in the Christian calendar leading up to Easter. Traditionally, it was a time to use up rich foods like eggs, milk, and butter before the fasting season began—hence, pancakes! 🥞 Over time, the day became more about celebration, with pancake races and feasts before the more reflective weeks ahead.
This idea of feasting before fasting, of a moment of indulgence before a time of discipline, isn’t unique to Christianity. Right now, Ramadan has just begun, a sacred month in Islam that also centres around fasting, self-reflection, and spiritual renewal. The rhythm of preparation, restraint, and intention is something found across different cultures and traditions.
Flipping pancakes, flipping mindsets
Some things—just like pancake flipping—work better when we stop overthinking and just do. If we grip too tightly, we disrupt the flow. If we get stuck in our heads, we lose the rhythm. But when we relax, take a breath, and trust the motion, things tend to land where they should (or at least, close enough).
Maybe that's a reminder we need beyond the frying pan, too. Not every decision needs dissecting, not every outcome can be controlled. Sometimes, we just have to take the leap… and enjoy the pancakes. 🥞✨
Enjoy your pancakes!
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