resolution haters begone + unicorns we care about
resolution haters, begone. last year, we talked about our finite number of chips and how we can only give so much. we also talked about self care as a constant, not as a crutch to only be used in times of distress.
but if 2019 was a year of revelations and reflection, my 2020 needs to be a year of implementation. so let’s start with getting my priorities locked in.
when i think about the experiences that shape my priorities, i often think of the saddest of the bunch: a death, a heartbreak, a much too early goodbye, a rejection. it’s not surprising that a loss of some sorts makes you pause to a period. grief is a pushy teacher in that way. and we, well, we are Very Human for needing pain to fuel our change.
and this brings me to my resolution for the year: to prioritize not out of spite or sadness, but out of satisfaction.
more later, but first my words + reads:
my words: i wrote about how more female-founded unicorns were born in 2019 than ever before, per crunchbase data.
etc: shani dowell just raised $1 million in funding for her tennessee-based edtech platform, possip. i typically wouldn’t cover a funding round so small, except hers is historical: the company claims that dowell is the first black woman in tennessee to raise more than $1 million in venture funding. dowell’s fundraise is both a sign of progress and lack thereof.
learning lesson: while the 2019 stories of Glossier and Rent The Runway and The RealReal were all important amplifiers of the prowess and strength of female founders, underneath it all stands another perspective: diversity-focused funds are not innately impact-focused funds.
unorganized tab time:
on starting a startup with your family
brianne kimmel’s “welcome to the twenties”
anyways,
the resolution was inspired because (upon aforementioned revelations and reflections) i realized how much i lean on loss in the first place. it fuels a pretty powerful fire, but if we consistently bet on being let down to lift ourselves up, we’re building a dangerous cycle. i don’t need to explain why only valuing friends after losing toxic friends is weak. or why only gymming in hopes of a revenge body isn’t exactly healthy.
growth shouldn’t be reserved as a byproduct of our loss, as helpful of a silver lining that it is.
i mean, put simply, what happens when you’re back on your two feet again? what happens when nothing is dramatically wrong? for me, the gym membership gets cancelled, your diary gets dusty, and things get quiet.
personally, stability not so surprisingly makes me feel a bit lost. and i hope this year changes that. i plan to make a great book is a trigger to be kinder, and i’m aiming my workouts at hopes of better health, not conventional forms of beauty. i’m going to work really hard at my job because i want to work really hard my job. not because an aunty put me down, once.
so i’ll leave you with this. while loss may fuel a fire, it also forces you to play with one that is recklessly tiring. here’s to a year of making changes while happy, full, and satisfied.
thank you to all 500 of you,
n
header by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash