Articles

For many, staying at home during this time can be disorienting. It can be more difficult to find a sense of purpose without feedback from coworkers and customers. Knowing how and where to direct your energy can be hard too. Without a consistent schedule, every moment means making a choice. Given that we are greatly supported and regulated by routine and community, finding your own rhythm can be challenging. You still have responsibilities, but how you go about them is completely by your design.

The word collusion in the context of personal work is often used to refer to agreement and joining in with negative judgments of others. It is often used as a strategy to offer support. But collusion is a costly strategy for showing support. When you are colluding, you are feeding reactivity in yourself and the other person. Reactivity effectively blocks creative problem solving and helpful communication.

May you fall madly in love this year .. in love with someone who unhinges your tired trajectory, in love with a spouse of several years who might be aching for lightning, in love with demanding children and crazy relatives .. in love with the particular pedigree of genius insanity that has perhaps claimed you in spite of your reluctance .. and certainly in love with an animal, a cloud, a redwood, the wild .. these at least once a day.

Once the swirl of an argument starts, it’s difficult to find your way back to connection. You might feel angry and scared and want to protect needs for understanding, respect, and consideration. Habit energy can be like a runaway semi truck going downhill. The brakes burn out, and you find yourself sliding into defending, shutting down, attacking, or blaming.