This is an opportunity

Work has become busier lately. It tends to happen at this time, the collective push to wrap things up by end of calendar year (arbitrary timelines, but we’re all bought in, so it is what it is!) when it feels like all we want to do and are meant to do is slow, taking cues from nature, like fall to winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

Last year at this time I completely burned out. I was overextended at work, doing things I wanted to do and felt were important, but were beyond my capacity. I took a month off at the holidays and returned more centered, lighter and resolved—to not reach that point again.

So, this time, rather than see this, and feel this, as a time of stress, concern, burdening, overwhelm, I’m pausing more, reflecting and reframing. This is an opportunity. This is an opportunity to strengthen my boundaries. To prioritize. To decide what I want to do right now, and how I want to do it.

I choose to believe that everything that is presenting itself, for own good, our best good. It’s in service of our growth, and the bigger challenges—or opportunities—show up to show us where we are in that growth, and how we have grown. This is an opportunity; there is an opportunity in this, and in everything.

May we always know our worth

A good friend of mine at work, who is an amazing human and amazing at her job (and does even more, like providing important and heartfelt support for diversity, equity and inclusion programs) was recently promoted. After she shared the news, I asked her how she was feeling, and she said, “Like it was well deserved!” And I loved that. Because it was. And because I realized how uncommon it is to hear women feel empowered to respond like that, without the learned, conditioned behavior of feeling like they, we, have to divert attention from ourselves, unnecessarily humble ourselves in what is a shining moment. “Yesss!” I responded. “May we always know our worth!” She, we deserved to honor and celebrate that. Her promotion, her worth.

May we always know our worth. (Especially in the workplace, as women!) And may we always remember that our worth is intrinsic and whole, always, without need to be proven or earned.

(But, also, like, an aside: We live and work in capitalism and I always tell people, especially women and people of the non-dominant corporate profile, ie: not a cisgender, hetero-presenting white male, to negotiate the first offer because when I managed a large team it was always the men, especially and predominantly of the dominant class, who always asked for more.)

For Kaitlin—keep shining, Leo star!

Everything is play

Everything is a canvas; everything is play. Life is an act of constant creation, and, therefore, an act of infinite creativity.

We use “working on” so much, so much in our capitalistic, output-oriented society. So much so that it’s even used to describe how we’re feeling pulled to explore, evolve, change. (Eg: I’m “working on” this with myself.)

Since I started substituting the term “play” when I would use “work,” things have gotten so much more fun. Really, really so much more fun. There is right/wrong in play; no outcome to strive for except the joy of doing it. Plus, if we’re “working on” it, then we’re already doing it. (When we’re trying, we are doing.) So, why not make it fun. Playing on a blog > working on a blog. Playing around with writing > Working on writing

(Also, thinking about even my full-time job/”work” in the traditional sense as “play” has reframed even what at first feels like the most menial of moments and tasks.)

Play in this moment; play with this idea; play through this process, through learning and exploring. Everything is play. We are creative, creating and creators.

(Recommended reading for further play in this space: Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert.)

Dedicating this post to childhood neighbor and amiga, Carissa, with whom I still live and play on an infinite timeline of weekends, evenings and afternoons on Meadow Lane in our yards, in the pool, on swing sets, around the block and in our imaginations, To continuing to play through, and in, life. <3