LOVE: Ikigai. Someone introduced me this year to this Japanese philosophy for fulfillment and reason for being and I find it such a soothing and rational way to think about purpose and direction.
HATERADE: This year. It sucks. Schools closed in New York City this week and the only hot take I have on it is that we shouldn’t be in this position at all.
I’ve been sitting with some definitions from Designing Your Life that spoke deeply to me as I begin my annual Year in Review/Year in Anticipation end-of-year cycle of contemplation, reflection, and resolution.
Health: Being well in mind, body, and spirit
Work: Participation in the great ongoing human adventure on the planet.
Play: Any activity that brings you joy when you do it.
Love: Covers a wide range of experiences that all share that people thing, that sense of connection.
I read recently a quote from The Art of Noticing, “by nurturing or caring for something, you pay more attention to it.” And I have felt this deeply over the last 252 days as I have contemplated my life and contributions, these definitions, and the enormity of problems the world is trying to solve. Somehow, in removing the mindless scuttle of a daily commute that had me everywhere but not anywhere, there’s been more time in my own life for both me and the world.
Next up: figuring out what to do with everything that’s surfaced.
This week in Internet:
Amber Elliot, a county health director in Missouri, on the terror of doing a job in public health in these Fractured States of America: I’ve had strange cars driving back and forth past my house. I get threatening messages from people saying they’re watching me. They followed my family to the park and took pictures of my kids. How insane is that? I know it’s my job to be out front talking about the importance of public health — educating people, keeping them safe. Now it kind of scares me.
Thanks to Rudy Giuliani’s My Cousin Vinny reference, this 29 Fun Facts About My Cousin Vinny found its way into my life.
The Oatmeal’s Ten things I’ve learned about creativity hit the mark for me this week when I needed it.
Until next Thursday,
Nitya