Thank you for your reply, Anna. Just a couple of quick thoughts:

1. Gentleness — Simply noticing that you’re stuck in neutral is the more than half the game. At least for me, I have found that finding ways to be more gentle with what I notice about myself is important. With no self judgments. Even if just for a moment. Small steps towards being gentle with ourselves is a step forward.
2. Irrational — I believe irrationality is a super power. As my canoeing coach used to say about the making of champions, what rational person would go train in a canoe on a 10 degree January day on the Potomac River with ice forming on all of your gear? Answer? Zero rational people. Only us irrational ones.

One of the key lessons that navigating whitewater rapids in rivers has taught me over the past 40 years is that familiar and stable are a bit of an illusion. I see the real nature of life to be just like a long boulder-strewn sett of rapids where the water is changing all around us all the time. Small steps forward is simply working with the smallest piece of water in front of us without thinking or judging yet about what’s ahead.

As for people vs. alone, other people in the equation are important, but I also put a lot of stake on self-care and investing some time every day to look inward, and strengthen (slowly) a more positive bond with ourselves.

Then, in time, we carry forward a little momentum into the external side — through small interactions, asking questions, and being better listeners.

Finally, while I don’t have all the answers, please email if you need a sounding board — any time, Anna. Joe@JoeJacobi.com

With gratitude, -Joe