The world is going crazy. I hope you’re ending the month with grace.
Books
Oliver Sacks was a brilliant neurologist who wrote several books about the curious conditions of his patients. In An Anthropologist on Mars: Seven Paradoxical Tales he dives into blindness, perception, and other life changing cases. One man was, “in a sense, preternaturally sensitive—but it was a sensitivity that was passive, without selectivity or focus. There is no differentiation in such a sensitivity…[and] the reacting mind loses its coherence, its inwardness, its autonomy, its ‘self,’ and becomes the slave of every passing sensation,” (57). I imagine what that would be like, how difficult it must be to not have control over my responses to input—like a puppet whose strings are being pulled every which way, with no semblance of purpose or direction. It reminded me of the fantastic article, To Pay Attention, the Brain Uses Filters, Not a Spotlight about focus and source of attention.
And so I am ushering in a new phase of maturity: being more selective. I’m creating better filters for myself. What are my priorities? What are my important relationships? What is useful? What is noise? How can I turn down the volume for things that don’t really matter?
One thing that’s been helpful is writing with my non-dominant hand. For the past few weeks I have been journaling with my left hand. It’s wild! Legible, but shaky. My grip on the pen is looser, the pace is slower. It takes me longer but that extra time allows me to be more selective with my words. The process is forcing me to relinquish the frantic urgency—often manufactured by our busy 21st century lives—so that my interactions and choices are more meaningful. If you want a challenge, lead with your non-dominant hand/foot.
Beats
Little Simz. Introvert is powerfully written and visually stunning.
Barbells
I completed the 10,000 swings in 10 days challenge. It was great to set a baseline for future progress. I kept it light with 10 pounds, but I was proud of myself for hitting 1,000 swings in under 30 minutes on multiple days! Looking for the next challenge. Any ideas?
Peace and love,
Kit
Find the balance. 