we are not machines

As we wrap up this year, I’m trying to wrap up a novel. It’s a messy first draft, but I can’t figure out how to end it. I reread the beginning because sometimes we need to remember what came first before we can find our way to the finish line.

I love resolutions and goal-setting, so I’ve been thinking about my intentions for 2023. Part of that process for me is looking back, reflecting on the past year. 2022 was pretty heartbreaking, yet also wonderful and very humbling. I decided at the beginning of the year to plow heart-first after everything I wanted, boldly chasing these things with confidence and optimism. That didn’t really go in my favor, but I trusted my intuition. (And I learned it could occasionally lead me astray — a growth edge, I suppose.) 

In 2023 I plan to slow down and be more reflective. I’ll still pursue my goals, of course, but I’ll be more strategic. Maybe the combo of conviction and caution will yield better results. 

This resolution includes reading. I’m not so much a fast reader as an impatient one. Covering books is great for me because when I’m reading to review or to interview the author, I slow down and savor the work. 

Capitalism encourages us to consume! to move quickly! to produce! but sometimes we need to ignore those impulses and hit the brakes. We aren’t machines. We need rest. We need breaks. 

The part of me obsessed with productivity wants to rush the ending so I can check wrote a terrible novel draft off my list. But I’m exhausted.

2022 taught me the importance of patience. And if patience is a process, learning to decelerate is the first step. 

In the spirit of easing up, no reading recommendations this time. I’ll be revamping how I approach them going forward. Stay tuned. 

I hope this is a restorative time for you. If it’s not, maybe look at your to-do list and see if anything can wait. What’s essential and what’s there because you push, push, push yourself? What if we took a break from all that pushing? 

As always, thanks for reading. Wishing you a very happy New Year! <3