It threw into relief this truth: that what we are experiencing now, in this moment, will not last. A week or a month or four years down the road, the thing that is currently gnawing at us, or inspiring us, or frustrating us, likely won’t elicit the same response. It’s like spiritual taste buds that change over time.
Read moreMy 2020 Booklist
Should you decide to purchase any of these books, I highly recommend ordering from somewhere on Refinery29’s list of Black-owned bookstores (I’ve linked all the books below to Semicolon, a Black woman-owned bookstore & gallery space in Chicago that I can recommend from personal shopping experience). I have found that the $5-$8 premium I pay to order from one of these local shops (instead of from Amazon) is well worth the experience of supporting a local, Black entrepreneur.
Read moreThe Illusion of Certainty
Experts will study the longterm physical and mental effects of the pandemic for years to come. And each one of us will walk away from this year with our own unique combination of perceptions, experiences, callouses, hurts, and lessons. I’ve been collecting mine along the way, and today, I’m focusing on one truth that has emerged from the pandemic: the deep uncertainty that has been made abundantly apparent over the last nine months is the very thing that inspires necessary change, fuels creativity, and fosters compassion.
Read moreThe 50th Pandemigram
Today, I recorded and sent the 49th Pandemigram. To date, people who have requested Pandemigrams have donated a total of $5,741 to 32 different organizations. (It is completely optional for requesters to report their donation amount and/or recipient to me, so these numbers only take into account those who have opted to inform me of their donation. And this isn’t counting those who have chosen to contribute through an act of kindness instead of a monetary donation—these are, of course, immeasurable.)
My plan is to keep this project going as long as the COVID-19 shutdowns and stay-at-home orders are in place. So my question is…
Who will receive the 50th Pandemigram?
Read moreSocial Distancing Daily Routine
We’re about one week into the COVID-19 social distancing regimen, and as the days have moseyed by, I’ve compiled a mental list of daily “best practices” that have helped me stay sane so far.
Read moreRewriting the Four Agreements →
Particularly as an artist, having the daily reminder to not take anything personally and to not make assumptions was crucial. However, in episode nine of The Long and The Short Of It, Jen reveals that there’s something that doesn’t sit well with her about the Four Agreements:
The problem here is that when you tell someone not to do something, you have neglected to tell them what to actually do. So I could say to you, “Don’t take anything personally,” but that leaves you action-less. It leaves you in a state of unknown.
So, in typical Jen and Peter fashion, they proceed to magnificently rewrite the Four Agreements, using “affirmative and inclusive language” in order to encourage active implementation of the agreements. (i.e. Saying “do this” instead of “don’t do that.”)
Read morePermission to Screw Up
Ms. Hadeed’s primary thesis seems to be that by leaning into the possibility of failure and embracing the challenge of fixing one’s own screw-ups when they inevitably occur, growth and innovation are cultivated. A secondary, more understated thesis that I’m picking up on is that, as a leader, empathy and understanding for those in your managerial care is fostered by getting your own hands dirty and owning your own mistakes.
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