Familiar obstacles

The Matterhorn may be tempting to some, but I’d be high enough among the alpine flowers. (Image by Claudia Beyli)

This feels really hard to come back to after six months.

It’s all part of the process! That’s what I keep telling myself. That’s what I would tell you.

Today, I’m going to lean into that discomfort and see what it teaches me. For some obstacles, we don’t go around. We climb right over them.

In my hometown of York, Maine, there is a hill we call Mount Agamenticus, a little under 700 feet in elevation.

You can drive up via the paved road, which is what I’d recommend if you were attending a wedding or other event at the lodge.

But if you’re looking for a little workout, the hiking trails are lovely, especially in the summer when they are filled with ripe wild blueberries. In less than an hour, you’ll be at the summit (unless you stop a lot to pick blueberries).

The path you choose just depends on the kind of experience you want to have.

I could stop writing completely. I did, for a little bit. But I missed the challenge of having to come up with something to share, and the creative outpouring that resulted.

I don’t have to write, any more than a modern American must hike up a mountain. We do these things because of who we become as a result of doing them. An obstacle becomes an opportunity.

Of course, that doesn’t mean we have to take every such opportunity. We don’t have to push ourselves to the limit constantly. We can save our energy for what matters most to us, and that can change over time. I’ve given myself permission, whenever I need to, to drive the mile to get downtown instead of walking it.

And I’ve given myself permission to stop writing every day.

Now, I plan to publish here once a week. We’ll see what that does for my writing.

I still have lots that I want to share with you. About productivity, self-compassion, and the creative process. About teaching, learning, and human development. About business and art. About leadership and collaboration. About designing a life to facilitate joy and freedom. I never get tired of talking about these things.

I appreciate that you’ve been along for the journey. I invite you to come along for the next leg. I welcome your feedback, suggestions, and questions.

Hope to see you next Thursday.