“Wherever you go, there you are” - that adage is ringing true for me as I step into the new year, changed not by an arbitrary marking of the passage of time but by my own efforts and those of a community invested in my growth. I wonder if you're feeling the same? I've got some ideas about the things that block and unblock our growth, but first, some news:

OK, tell me if this resonates for you:

Our need for certainty is killing our growth.

In thinking about the moments that have unlocked my growth, the common denominator has been the scary moment when I let go of what I know and step into unknown concepts, habits, and outcomes. It's so hard to do, and as I think about our liberation work I wonder if this need for certainty isn't getting in the way of the personal and community strides we need to take in order to transcend oppressive structures and step into new ways of being and relating with ourselves and each other.

I can't tell you what to do, only what has worked for me. Instead of looking to the outcome of a risk I took as the measure of my success, I instead measure my success by how much I learned, and how closely I followed my core values in the process. Was I kind to myself and others? Did I speak the truth even when it was difficult? Did I listen to others and find value in what they said?

 

In 2023 I wish you this: that you take joy in your process of growth, that you seek justice in all that you do, that you live according to your values even and especially when those values are challenged.