The Last Human Hour of 2023
A summary of our November hour, an invitation for December topics, and a link to register.
I’m happy to report our new Human Hour format was a hit in November. You suggested topics in the Substack Chat, I distilled them down and chose three common threads, and at the beginning of our call everyone voted for their preferred topic of the day. Here were the three choices:
How to traverse the chasm from a bread-winning job to doing what really interests you. Kelly, how have you done that over time? What wisdom does the group have to share about their own transitions?
How to let go of possessions, a relationship, or anything else. How do we relinquish attachments, get better at being instead of doing, and see growth as subtraction rather than addition, and not get attached to the process of being unattached?
How to know when to say no. When am I no longer doing something from love but from obligation and guilt, and how do I know when obligation is reason enough to do something for someone?
The second topic won by a hair, and the conversation was incredible. It began with some observations from you all that letting go can feel like grief, and we may maintain attachments simply to prevent the pain involved in relinquishing them. That inspired me to, for the first time ever, share that the true self/false self metaphors of a castle in Loveable—and of “the inner gathering” here on Substack—were inspired by the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, sadness, and acceptance. We explored how the first three stages are an attempt to maintain attachment and avoid pain, how the sadness stage represents a surrender to pain, and how peace and acceptance always follow naturally on the heals of that surrender.
Whoa. Our conversations always leave me in awe of this community.
At the end of the hour, we voted on whether to continue with the same topic in December, pick from the two remaining topics, or generate three new options. The voting was so close we decided on a hybrid. This month, we'll choose from the two remaining topics above, plus one new topic you generate in the Substack Chat. Click on over there to see what folks are suggesting and offer your own ideas.
Wait, before you do that, make sure you’re registered for this month’s call! Remember, registering doesn’t obligate you to be there, but it does get you two reminders that we’re meeting, and the link to join. Can’t wait to see you next Friday, December 8, at 2pm CT. Note: that’s an hour later than usual.