One of the things I notice in my clients when the news cycle gets extra hard (hello, over and over again for the last 2 years plus) is that they start fretting over the plan, iterating their business design, and organizing their To Do List.
It makes sense. We’re sensitive folk and when the world feels like it’s on fire, your To Do List is one thing you can control. So let’s lean into that, shall we?
important & relevant: sometimes you need to put the pen down and curl up on the couch. It has been too much for too long, especially for queer & trans folk, especially for the global majority. If this is you, honour this as much as your circumstances allow. You are worth caring for and when you’re done resting, you will rise.
You can control your list. You get to decide what makes it and what doesn’t. You get to decide how you create it and what you do with it. There’s a lot of power in that little thing.
If you’re anything like me, your list looks like a lot of different things. You’ll have an ongoing digital calendar, an analog list of things for the day, another list of things to remember for the week, a grocery list that includes random other items, and a set of reminders scheduled into your phone. As frenetic as it sounds, this system works really well for my brain. (*I adore our chalkboard wall in our kitchen – it never lets me forget and it’s always there for adding or crossing off)
For you, this might look different but regardless, use the system that works well for your brain and don’t feel bad about ditching shit that doesn’t work for you.
when the world feels like it’s on fire, organize
(aka create the plan, organize the tasks, do the tasks, celebrate the wins, iterate the plan, repeat)
· If you have a list that’s filled with scratches and edits, clean that shit up.
· If you have a list that’s essentially a memoir of your life, organize it into categories so that it’s easy for you.
· If you have tasks on there that are in reference to a shiny idea that never got off the ground, let go.
· If you’re feeling unproductive, write down all the things you’ve already done then mark them off as wins. Found work takes up a lot of time and energy.
· Book in margin. You are not a robot. You need to rest.
· Be honest about your capacity, your goals, and your plan.
· Everything is iterative. When you design a regenerative business, you build in agility so that you can shift easily if the shit hits the fan.
· When you build your own capacity – when you’re earning more money and giving yourself more time – then you have more to give to your communities.
self-compassion is everything
When we reach for our To Do Lists because we’re feeling overwhelmed and/or powerless, remember that this is you making sure your foundation is solid. You’re checking in, gathering yourself, making sure that you’re doing everything you can – even when it doesn’t feel like it.
You’ve designed your business to be strong, tenacious, nurturing, and impactful – just like you. Trust that.
And if you need to go deeper, if you need to figure out how you get your people from here to there or who your people really are or how your services suite could better support you and those people or how to talk about it all in a way that feels good…well, I have just the thing.
Join me. We start June 21.