Earth Day

Today is Earth Day! The first Earth Day was April 22, 1970, and it still remains a big event in the environmental movement. Interest and participation in Earth Day has increased and spread around the world, with millions of people taking part. 

My plans for this week have taken a giant turn, so today I am regrouping and working to not let this turn derail me. I'll use my Mid-week Bump Plan to defeat the hump that often makes me feel stuck: A plan to help me build momentum and preserve the goodness of the week throughout each of the five days, so that I arrive at Saturday feeling fulfilled and content.

Agenda today:

1. My bump plan

2. Ongo journal

3. New narrative for worry

4. Writing themes and passion flow plan

1. My bump plan:

Ideas:

• Eat a high-protein breakfast for a sharper focus: Eggs in a hole.
• Mid-week priority catch up: This week - Read Ongo.
• Clear some clutter to free mental space: Yard table
• Easy evening meal or dinner out.

2. Ongo journal:

I'm going back through this book by Catherine Madden and Jesse Weiss Chu (2022), focussing on the solo practices. 

I'm on week 11, and Day 1 is Harvesting

, "a practice consciously reflecting on learning experiences through the lens of celebration and grief." It can be a useful monthly, weekly, or even daily practice

Harvesting practice:

1. Reflect on an experience and look at journal entries.

2. Write about a thing that was enriching, what I said or did and the Needs it touched. Take time to savor and celebrate, and write any insights.

3. Write about a thing that created loss, what I said or did and the Needs that went unmet. Take time to be in mourning, and write any insights.

4. Write about any actions or requests for myself that come up out of these celebrations and mournings.

3. New narrative for worry:

The primary emotion of the past couple of weeks has been worry. I'm worried about my partner's health, how it will impact our lives, how my children and grandchildren will cope, what the future will bring, the house and money.

Last time we were here we dove in to making lists and contingencies, and lots of official paperwork. We went gungho on getting help to finish projects. I can't muster interest in either of these right now. I'm trying hard to keep on keeping on, but I feel myself slipping slowly into panic.

I want to feel the very real fear and love - celebrate and mourn in equal measure - and release the need for dwelling on "what might happen," which is what leads me towards panic.

I intend to take a weekly time to "Harvest" and write about the love and fear in our lives now, and then plan a tangible way to celebrate and mourn, and list any realistic steps that might help calm worry.  

4. Writing themes and passion flow plan:

The next few days are the best block of time I have for healthy obsession for my writing project. Today I will set themes and topics for writing, research, and also some garden, advocacy, and community tasks to support that Nature-Culture flow through the next week.

My Nature-Culture theme this month is early spring renewal and awareness.

• W: Reciprocity: Earth week 
• Th: Sanctuary: Caterpillar sanctuary (Finish and seal my sign)
• Fri: Begin a blog!
• Sat: Sanctuary: Keystone plants (Plan my next plantings)
• Sun: Awareness: Phenological planting correlations
• Mon: N-C blog
• Tues: Hopeful shifts: Kid projects - make a nest