A New Blog Project for 2018: Pragmatic Inspiration

This year, I plan to share weekly blog posts that go into real struggles and real progress I’m making while trying to improve my life, become a more joyous person, and connect better with others.

From June 2016 to the present, I’ve only intermittently returned to Facebook, feeling its limitations in such a devastating way that I threw it away entirely for long stretches. However, despite the obvious importance of real world connections (and re-connections) that I need to cultivate more, I’m reminded by looking at past Facebook posts that I have more connections here than I cared to admit. Facebook often brings up conflicted feelings in me—from inferiority about the PR versions of people’s lives to the monotonous noise of people reacting to the daily news cycle. But Facebook has also often served as a positive way to connect with people—especially people who it would be normally difficult to connect with one on one on a consistent basis.

I’m setting a goal of 52 blog posts this year but keeping the parameters loose on purpose. Blog posts may range wildly—from maybe 100 words to long ginormous essays—but I’ll let the week dictate the length. I may allow myself to get behind or ahead of my quota. It’s all good.

Basically, after a lot of self-work and a major change in my perspective about life last year after turning 40, I feel we have several problems in this world that I want to address positively and inspirationally in these posts:

1. Mental illness as a stigma. This has to stop. We must talk about it more. We can do better.
2. A lack of real, personal connection in our world. There are too many lonely people who think they’re alone and without help. It may be impossible and not our responsibility to check in on everyone we know on a constant basis, but...from my experience last year let’s just say we can do better. I am guilty too.
3. A global awakening toward something purer and more joyful as we evolve as a species, however strong Jung’s shadow may be. It may seem dark now, but the only way to combat this darkness is with light. We can do better.

In 2017, I experienced some incredibly dark moments totally alone. I have engaged in a process of healing from old wounds while also learning ways to change my perspective about damaging beliefs. This work is inherently “selfish” in the literal sense of the term—as it needs to be. However, as I did some deep reflection during the final week of 2017 on a rare vacation, I do feel “selfish” in the more common sense of the word because a lot of the work I’ve done stays with me and isn’t shared. Many times, I know and feel that what I’ve learned could help others.

So, I’ll share a reflection of some sort each week to accelerate my healing, become more vulnerable as a human being, and connect with more of you over issues that matter. Some of the things I’m learning may help you and let you know you’re not alone. I’ve learned that I cannot rely only on Facebook or social media for the totality of this process, but Facebook can certainly become a “channel” for my thoughts and reach a wider audience.

This side of my writing could go in some interesting directions, but I’m toning down any ambition for now. The important thing in this present moment is the sharing, connecting, and healing. Other ambitions can wait.

Thanks for listening, and I look forward to connecting more in 2018.