One more thing that actually helps

The last simple (and surprisingly profound) action keeping me going

Dear Troublemakers,

We’ve reached the last specific, actionable, daily habit that is helping me get up and keep working with other people for a better future.

For a refresher, here’s my full list. 👇

Actual things working for me

1. For once in my life, drink lots of water. And get as much sleep as possible.

2. Use an analog calendar, installed where I’ll see it multiple times a day to help me remember…to book very few activities per day.

3. Track my emotions and strive to recognize what’s causing them (while declining to have or manage anyone else’s emotions).

4. Embrace work towards a better collective future and reject nasty bids for attention.

5. Seek out delight and connection!

A few weeks ago, I discussed the concrete steps I'm taking to build strategies 1-2 into a routine and to make a habit of strategies 3-4.

You won't be surprised to hear today, though, that I'm finding strategy 5 to be the most challenging...and fulfilling!

Seek out delight and connection!

SO MANY wise and experienced community builders and change makers have reminded us, for decades and centuries, that we cannot sustain social change work if we are purely motivated by reaction and resistance.

To make a difference, we must identify what delights us, seek out what brings us joy, and remember to celebrate together. In other words, we have to reject doom and despair and instead connect—deeply and often—with the things in this world that we are fighting to protect, sustain, and hold space for.

For my part, I am trying to make a habit of saying yes to (a) social activities that are 100% unrelated to work and/or (b) contribute to strengthening community resilience. This habit is, of course, in tension with my efforts to reduce my calendar loading. Between the two practices, though, I’m finding some balance while reinforcing connection. In particular, I'm hosting a monthly potluck and going out of my way to initiate "friend dates" more frequently.

I have also been building a practice of asking myself every day what happened that delighted me, expanding the object meditation I wrote you about a while ago. To hone my senses for delight, I've been carefully looking for detail, pattern, color, and whimsy--in the natural and built world.

And, I am going out of my way to look at art, listen to artists talk about what they make, how and why. I’m inviting friends to meet me at our local art museum.

I continue making wacky collages. I’m also drawing back from monetizing my art. Instead, I’m printing my funky art out on postcards and sending personalized mail to people I care about and colleagues and community members I appreciate. NOTE: I keep stamps stocked at home so that sending mail is a low-friction activity.

I’m doing the same thing with the natural world: what species do I notice? How does the wind feel today? [1] Is the sun warming my dog’s fur? What patterns do I see in the bark of trees, tiny tracks in the snow, the crimson flash of a finch at the feeder?

And, above all, I am working hard to ask myself daily: how do these delights connect me to the planet, to myself, to humankind? What can I learn from my fellow beings on this Earth?

I don’t buy into the toxic positivity/gratitude journal stuff. But my lifeline is noticing, making, and seeking out art and connections to nature and people. This orientation is motivating me to keep doing the work I know how to do.

How about you?

I'll ask once more: what basic, everyday habits or actions are you leaning on for momentum, motivation, and connection in the face of everything happening in the world right now?

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NOTES

[1] There is basically always wind in my corner of Wyoming!