Manage Life by Design
Did Baldwin get it right? In James Baldwin’s book, The Fire Next Time, he writes, “Perhaps the whole root of our trouble, the human trouble is that we will sacrifice all the beauty of our lives, will imprison ourselves in totems, taboos, crosses, blood sacrifices, steeples, mosques, races, armies, flags, nations, in order to deny the fact of death, which is the only fact we have.” Baldwin suggests our fears of death shape our drives, decisions, and divisions.
Life is often unstable, and we yearn for a sense of security. Let’s consider flash floods, inhumane immigrant treatment, DEI program cuts, homicide, and less severe challenges with professional deadlines and relationships with coworkers. Regardless of where we sit this afternoon, hardships rest beneath our feet.
Whether you occupy benches in high courts or control the paint on basketball courts, the human trouble Baldwin recognizes is inevitable. In an MSNBC article, a reporter noted that Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson acknowledged troubles with her role in democratic affairs and the current administration.
The United States is an economic powerhouse, but it also faces its share of challenges. As BIG said and others echoed in various tones, “Mo Money, Mo Problems.”
It's impossible to avoid negativity, and that shouldn't be our goal. We must process rage, anger, and frustrations to strategize responses.
Summer vacation is here, but I’m in the headspace of teaching. After more than twenty years of teaching in multiple schools, the itch to work with students remains present.
Hope is not lost.
Next week at Umoja’s Summer Learning Institute, I will lead two sessions for student leaders. The first workshop will cover leadership, music, and movement, while the second will offer students an opportunity to learn capoeira. Throughout both interactive classes, I will share practical tools to help build leadership skills and manage stress.
Are you curious about how you can find semblances of sanity during tumultuous times?
I will share the following weekly design option with students next week. You may also find it helpful. It’s a strategy from Robin Sharma’s book, The Everyday Hero Manifesto.
Set aside time this weekend, answer these questions, and take these steps to organize your week ahead.
1- What do you want family, friends, colleagues, and comrades/associates to say about you when you die?
2- Reflect on your week. How did you show up in your personal and professional life?
3- Where did you go above and beyond expectations?
4- How would you rate your week?
5 – What will you do differently next week?
6- How will you improve in the best of human practices [ Self-mastery, Fitness, Relationships, Craft, Money, Mentors, Adventure, Impact] next week?
7- What schedule will you need? Answer this question and create it!
8- How will you execute? Remember your response to question 7.
Sharma suggests that you allow approximately one hour to provide an accurate response to the previous questions.
You can complete the weekly design plan every week, and problems will continue to arise.
Mike Tyson reminds us, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." A life by design is not immune to risk.
As I pounded the pavement this week during training runs, my responses to Sharma's questions/weekly design steps helped me acknowledge successes and handle problems.
Running or exercising with awareness of stressors and processing them through breathing and moving can act as a form of therapy.
Remember Baldwin's words: troubles persist. Develop awareness and move forward.
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