Exploring The Way of Human-Heartedness: My New Path

What this means to you, to me, and what to expect going forward.

If you want to be a great leader,
you must learn to follow the Tao.
Stop trying to control.
Let go of fixed plans and concepts,
and the world will govern itself.

Mitchel, Stephen, trans. Tao Te Ching. New York: HarperCollins, 2000.

This Is Not Where I Thought I’d Be in My Life…

It's been so long since I published an article or a podcast (November!) that I wasn’t sure how to get started on what I should tell you. But I do know how much I have missed creating and sharing my ideas. It’s almost like I gave up on a part of myself, and it feels really good to re-engage with not just the act of writing, but preparing to publish.

I am reminded of one of my favourite song lyrics by Talking Heads,

“I've changed my hairstyle so many times, I don't know what I look like.”

Every time I sing that line in my head, I laugh. It reminds me of the 80s when I was a teenager and new wave was my favourite music, and hairstyles of all colours and proportions were the rage. But since then, I've changed careers, direction, and goals so many times, I've wondered if I was simply a jack of all trades and a master of none. Perhaps because I grew up with severe ADHD is the reason I'm constantly bouncing around from idea to idea.

Neuro-divergence — ADHD in my case – it’s just another way to say, being on the human spectrum.

Having learned how to manage my mind and my ADHD is a gift that has broadened my horizons and my perspective. When I can stay focussed on one area that inspires me, I can tap into the intersectionality of what I've learned over the years, and as a result, ask broad, open-ended enough questions that will make a reader like you want to pay attention and engage with my ideas (at least that’s my hope).

In November, I published, “A Personal Update: I've Made a Significant Career Change.”

Since then, I've allowed myself to exist in what can be called “white space” with respect to publishing any new articles or episodes on my podcast, Think Queerly. I eventually let go of goals and expectations and did not lift a finger to write or turn on the mic to record, so that I could get clarity about where I was going next. Insight only happens with peaceful distance, non-attachment, and space away from what one ‘used to do.’

Over time, I have slowly gained insight into the direction of what I want to create.

I've decided to officially let go of publishing any more episodes of my Think Queerly Podcast, and I will record a final episode shortly to make that announcement.

Also, I have made the decision to re-brand my Substack to be in alignment with my musings on human-heartedness that I've been contemplating, researching, and writing about since 2019.

My intention now is to publish at whatever pace I am able to manage, comfortably, and without causing unnecessary stress.

We each have the same amount of time every day, and I have a number of obligations that take up most of my available waking hours. I cannot commit to a regular frequency, nor am I going to worry about exactly how long or what a new article should look like. Those are limitations that squash creative expression.

Limitations and a normative word limit for publishing can be useful for increasing followers and likes, but this time around, I want to write from the heart and for myself, as if no one else is reading. I hope this allows me to take more risks, be more vulnerable, and have a lot more fun writing.

Lastly, my intention for my writing is to focus on the quality of the message about how we can live a good life as happy human beings by respecting others, embracing personal responsibility, and coming closer together in oneness with the realization that we are all connected.

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