I am thrilled to share today’s post with a beloved colleague, Kelli King-Jackson. Kelli and I met serving on the board of Funders Together to End Homelessness. At that time, Kelli was Vice President of Programs & Community Engagement at the Simmons Foundation in Houston, and I was the Executive Director of the Butler Family Fund.
After 26 amazing years running Butler, a social justice philanthropy, I left to write full time in 2020. Kelli transitioned shortly later to launch a coaching and consulting service whose mission is to “coach Black women leading in white spaces.” We’ve stayed in touch about our new lives. Kelli has been a wonderful support to me, and I’ve been so excited to see her business take off. I love her description of herself— “Part social justice warrior and part woo-woo.”
Last week we were chatting online about how to cope with the relentless onslaught of horrifying and hope-crushing news. We discussed our strategies and wanted to share our list, in case it’s helpful. Please share yours with us!
1. KKJ: Start a text thread with BFFs and incorporate tiktoks, memes, and animal videos and not just the bad news of the world.
2. MAT: Go on a serious news diet.
3. KKJ: Have outdoor wine meetups with my people (fellow introverts will understand the italics).
MAT: Eat lunch with your girlfriends as often as possible but not so often that you feel over scheduled.
4. KKJ and MAT: Start with exercise time as a repeating calendar item vs. fitting it in each day. Take 30 minute random brain breaks and choose from a menu of things you like (nap, read, neurofeedback, a casual walk, etc.)
Exercise with what you love. [Kelli is a “Gen X Peloton nerd” and a walker; Martha swims and walks, and when she can stand it, does the elliptical.]
Save administrative work for outside your peak hours.
Try delegating.
Most emails and texts can wait.
6. KKJ and MAT: Eat dessert.
7. KKJ and MAT: Get rid of any toxic people in your life.
8.KKJ: Be intentional about 'dates' to FT with grandchildren, call your mom, and have a virtual paint party with your adult daughter.
MAT: Hug your loved ones.
9. MAT: Give a charitable donation, or, at the very least a compliment and some love, every time you get a rejection.
10. KKJ: Move at the speed of grief.
With love and hugs,
Martha
P.S. I am delighted to share my review of Scott Bane’s A UNION LIKE OURS: THE LOVE STORY OF F.O. MATTHIESSEN AND RUSSELL CHENEY. The book is about two prominent early twentieth century men, and how they developed and tended their relationship. It provides fascinating history and context.
P.P.S. Here’s my first online interview in which I discuss THREE MUSES and my writing journey. Shout out to Reanne Rodrigues, Editor in Chief of Dance Teacher and Dance Business Weekly, for her patience and smarts.