It’s the end of the year as we know it, and I feel fine.
Do I? Feel fine? In some ways very much so, and I’ve been doing lots to contribute to that fine-ness: eating well, exercising, spending time outside. meditating, completing tasks with focus and purpose, limiting alcohol, social media, and other drains. In a more existential sense, I’m not sure that our country isn’t on the brink of collapse with the clown car set to occupy the White House early next year, and that creates both a simmering sense of dread and a need to be “ready” (whatever that is) for what January 20th and after will bring.
I notice that I am more inclined to shut down and tune out completely. I also see myself drawn to narratives around “it won’t be as bad as we think”, whereas before the election it was, “democracy is at stake”. I understand why I feel this way. To throw in a psychological term, the cognitive dissonance of believing a Trump presidency was the worst outcome followed by (what I see) as a mandate for his administration to govern makes me a tad uncomfortable and anxious. Instead of living in that liminal, bad feeling I find myself coping by sticking my fingers in my ears and singing while I can.
Still, future me is not okay with now-me checking out for the next four years. So I have to figure out a way to try and stay engaged and contributing, while also preserving my own emotional well being. I am a firm believer that, to the extent possible, not fraying myself to stress-mess bits better serves me and others. The counterintuitive solution is what I lean into more: taking excellent care of myself.
This year as I do my annual planning, I am creating accountability for myself to stay present and engaged by baking in actions and practices that promote Alli Harvey Art’s values: awe, dignity, and doing. My personal focus words for the coming year are Purpose and Meaning.
I’ll say more in an upcoming Alli Harvey Art subscriber email, including providing a template of the prompts I’ve used to reflect on the last year and plan for the next. I will describe how I integrated a mix of discrete actions/practices aligned with my values to carry me and Alli Harvey Art into the new year and administration. All of the above will be in a copy/paste format, so if you’re interested in embarking on your own planning adventure it’ll be that much easier. And, I’ll share what I’m actually planning on doing – it’s a mix of some exciting changes in my business overall, as well as opportunities to be involved.
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