What can you do today to make “future you” glad?
... and Rethinking the Middle Seat (a Reader's Share)
Hi friends,
I spent the past weekend in Memphis spending quality time with family (and their animals). Some highlights: good food and cocktails, leisurely catchup time on the back porch with the birds and trees dancing in the background, and live music over a picnic at the Overton Park Shell, a historical outdoor concert venue.
I especially enjoyed the conversations with my loved ones about their own unique personal and professional journeys, what they’ve learned along the way, and what makes them excited to get up every day. Why did they decide to move here or there, what led them to take this job versus that, or get off the path they were on to hop on another one? What do they want to do more of now and why?
I’m at an inflection point myself so am especially curious to hear about other people’s. Long story short, my landlord raised my rent by more than 40% for the second year in a row, so I took that as my cue to move out once this lease ends. I’m viewing it as a good time to try something I’ve been wanting to do for a while: put things in storage and work from different places for a few months. So, starting in August, I’ll be doing just that. (A perk of the ability to work fully remotely!) I have a few initial stops on my itinerary so far, and they are all places where I have close friends who I don’t get to spend quality time with often. They are also in locations where I’ve wondered what life would be like.
I was catching up with an aunt and uncle this weekend and telling them about this upcoming period of my life, which my uncle is now referring to as my “Odyssey”. My aunt asked if there was anything in particular I was hoping to take away from it. Aside from some savings goals, I told her I was still figuring that out.
She suggested I think about it through the lens of this prompt: “If by the end of my time working from different places I will have [X], [Y] or [Z], I will feel glad.” How do I want to fill in those blanks? This framing helped me think of my break from New York as not tied to one all-important goal but instead as a time to explore different ideas, wants and experiences that I’ll be glad about later on. It helped me identify what some of those might be. These are just a few that came to mind:
If I will have *experienced living more simply again, just with the materials I can fit in one or two bags*…
If I will have *spent quality time with friends and gained a better understanding of their day-to-day realities*…
If I will have *gotten a better idea of what everyday life is like in other places*…
If I will have *spent more time in nature*…
If I will have *gained more clarity about how I want (or don’t want) to live*…
What actions (big or small) will “future you” be glad you took three, six or 12 months from now? Share what this question brings to mind for you in the comments or…
Connect soon,
Katie
A READER SHARE:
Rethinking the Middle Seat
A few New Yorkers went viral after they transported a couch on the subway. Now, they’re now using that couch to get to know strangers. In a series called “The Middle Seat,” they’re inviting people to sit down on the couch and share their stories. (More on their series here.)
-shared by Rosie Izzi, Brooklyn, NY
Recent read: No Plot? No Problem! A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty
I’ve always wanted to write a book, if for nothing else than to be able to say I went through the process and proved to myself I could do it. That’s why I picked this one up. Written by the guy who created the National Novel Writing Month challenge (which takes place every November), I enjoyed this book because it encourages aspiring writers to focus on consistency and progress — not perfection. He encourages people to focus on writing words (any words, even if they make zero sense in the moment) every day and offers tips and tricks for holding yourself accountable. He also breaks down the four-week process into super realistic chunks and does it all with a great sense of (relatable) humor. If you’re an aspiring novel writer — or even if you’re not (and just want an approach to creating something else that you’ve wanted to!) I’d recommend this as a helpful starting point. (Spoiler alert: I’m in the midst of this challenge and will be writing about it in an upcoming newsletter.)
What I’m reading now: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead
I like this one because it intersects the stories of two women with wildly different backgrounds but both of whom are underdogs. One is an actress in modern-day LA going through a personal and career crisis. The other is a woman growing up in 1920s Montana who becomes a pilot against all odds. If you know me, you know I love a book told from multiple perspectives and that switches between past and present but connects it all in some way. I also love an underdog. This has all those elements.