Jan. 13, 2023, 7:02 a.m.
Volume 4, Resources 1: Short Update, Self-Compassion, and Social Justice Engagement Strategies
Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice
This is a public issue of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice. Feel free to share it!
Hi friends. I’ll keep the Mom updates short by saying: the caregiving continues, things continue to be difficult, Mom still isn’t great, and on top of it all, we are having to find a new place to live. Please send a lot of warm fuzzies my way because I think I’m going to have to do something that I absolutely do not want to do: reactivate my Facebook account. It’s the easiest way for me to reach the largest number of family members in one-go. I’m working on setting up what my boundaries and rules for engagement will be, so wish me luck and I appreciate tips if you have any!
When I wrote about my 2023 goals a couple weeks ago (a number of which already need to be reimagined now that we have to move asap), I mentioned going outside for 4 minutes a day. I have been doing my best to stick to that and wow, it has been an anchor for sure. There are definitely some days I don’t make it (last Friday we had an unexpected 9 hours in the ER, this past Tuesday was an 8-hour day in the medical center). I’ve been documenting each day in this Twitter thread, which I’ve also been putting on Hive and in my Instagram stories (and saved in a highlight on IG).
Last bit of updating: wow there has been a massive amount of rain here in California that the state was not prepared for. We are safe (though driving has been a white-knuckle event) and our patio has not flooded (thanks to my wife). I hope those of you who are also in California are safe as well.
It’s resource week!
Resource #1: Self-Compassion Graphic Guide
Self-compassion (and my lack thereof) is a frequent topic in my life. I found this graphic guide to be informative and helpful, though I do not think it is accessible to screen readers. My apologies. I have added to my list to find a helpful guide or article that is in the future.
Resource #2: Social Justice Engagement Strategies from the University of Kansas
I have mentioned before how it is impossible to do everything perfectly and a person can easily burn out on trying to tick off every single social justice “I’m-a-good-person” box. Besides, not all things are accessible to every person. Not everyone can attend a protest. Not everyone can give money. Not everyone can vote. And none of these things is inherently more morally correct than another. Fighting for social justice isn’t a competition, though some people treat it like it is. This list of engagement strategies has been helpful in being able to pinpoint ways that an individual can be effective that is also accessible to them.
But speaking of accessibility, again, I do not know if the images on the page are accessible to screen readers. SIGH.
That’s it for this week! You can shop any books I’ve mentioned in this newsletter at my affiliate shop, The Infophile’s Bookshop, and support independent bookstores. If you want to send me some snail mail, you can find me at P.O. Box 21481, Oakland, CA 94620-1481. If you are a subscriber and would like for me to send you some happy mail, feel free to give me your address.
If you enjoy this newsletter, here are ways to show your support for my writing and resource curation (other than spreading the word, of course!):