Hey, hello, and tbh… what’s happening? It’s been a minute. Actually, it’s been about five months. How have you been? Seriously, I’d love to know. Me? I’ve been floating in the abyss. I suppose I’ve been in some level of “abyss-ness” for two years, since I stepped down from the company I cofounded, moved across the country, and set out to… not sure what. Find myself? Figure out what I wanted to do next? Discover why my life had an everpresent sensation of numbness and anxiety most likely rooted in shadows from my childhood? Yes… all that.
2. My catchphrase during this Q1/winter has been "content but not satisfied" -- which mostly has to do with my doing -- but I think it also relates to my enoughness in that I know I am enough, and also I know that I will always seek to feel more enough to help others feel enough.
3. If the fish does ever discovers what water is, it is too late.
4. Because all us woke parents said they can't have candy, so those little rebels picked a more expensive sugar that we can't deny them. You _could_ buy a 5gal bucket of candy corn and save the berry budget for a year.
Hey David, thank you so much for your vulnerability! I went through a pretty intense burnout a few years ago and I’m still in the abyss. I catch glimpses of that opposite shore with more regularity nowadays, but I’m often swept back out to the open ocean. The trapeze analogy and Havel essay both spoke to me. I’m gravitating to Havel’s third option of reinvention. It somehow feels right while feeling deeply unsettling.
Also, your What I’ve Been Doing section is super helpful. I always like to see what’s working for people. I’m feeling a nudge back to morning pages.
I'm really interested in your experience with your spiritual and conscious journey. I think it plays such an important part in our lives, we need to learn how to tap into it. Thank you for being so honest in your post :)
Dude this was epic and fun to read. Appreciate how real about your experience you kept it and I’m grateful we’ve become friends and fellow journeyers!!! I also appreciate your support on the project front. Excited for what lies ahead my friend!
That Rilke quote (all this is unsolved in your heart) is 🔥, and getting to the point where you’re living that is a big, big deal. 👏
Also, going from internet strangers to doing some of this powerful, intimate work with you has been so damn life-giving. What a world we live in where this is possible…
Biggest thank you for this update, David! I went through exactly this, but for an even longer period of time. It’s refreshing to read someone else’s story. I’m excited to see what’s next for you, and myself as well :) feeling more aligned than ever.
This is so rich, and full of things that feel synchronous! Thank you for sharing your journey. It's interesting to read about the "abyss" first thing this morning as I was struggling with quite a horrendous bout of insomnia last night which felt like entering a kind of abyss... Surrender is the only way!
Thanks for sharing, I laughed and grimaced. Some wonderful quotes in here too. The abyss is a cruel mistress but she does reward fidelity. The whole phase reminded me of something I went through not so long ago, and a host of communal and solo practices that got me from one trapeze bar to another including Zen & IFS also! https://www.nobt.co.uk/p/burnout-recovery-from-the-bottom-up
Thanks for the post David. I've been in a searching for the "next phase" period myself so a lot of what your are talking about sounds very familiar to me. It is a struggle though.
This post found me at the exact right time (…in the abyss). Thank you for writing such a thoughtful reflection on your experience, and something to help steer the rest of us who haven’t made such good sense of it yet 🤍
1. All the parts landed, David.
2. My catchphrase during this Q1/winter has been "content but not satisfied" -- which mostly has to do with my doing -- but I think it also relates to my enoughness in that I know I am enough, and also I know that I will always seek to feel more enough to help others feel enough.
3. If the fish does ever discovers what water is, it is too late.
4. Because all us woke parents said they can't have candy, so those little rebels picked a more expensive sugar that we can't deny them. You _could_ buy a 5gal bucket of candy corn and save the berry budget for a year.
5.
6. Where do I find this chat group you spake of
7.
Hey David, thank you so much for your vulnerability! I went through a pretty intense burnout a few years ago and I’m still in the abyss. I catch glimpses of that opposite shore with more regularity nowadays, but I’m often swept back out to the open ocean. The trapeze analogy and Havel essay both spoke to me. I’m gravitating to Havel’s third option of reinvention. It somehow feels right while feeling deeply unsettling.
Also, your What I’ve Been Doing section is super helpful. I always like to see what’s working for people. I’m feeling a nudge back to morning pages.
Sending love!
Thanks for the informative and vulnerable post David.
I'm really interested in your experience with your spiritual and conscious journey. I think it plays such an important part in our lives, we need to learn how to tap into it. Thank you for being so honest in your post :)
I identify with a lot of what you’re writing about and feeling
Dude this was epic and fun to read. Appreciate how real about your experience you kept it and I’m grateful we’ve become friends and fellow journeyers!!! I also appreciate your support on the project front. Excited for what lies ahead my friend!
That Rilke quote (all this is unsolved in your heart) is 🔥, and getting to the point where you’re living that is a big, big deal. 👏
Also, going from internet strangers to doing some of this powerful, intimate work with you has been so damn life-giving. What a world we live in where this is possible…
Biggest thank you for this update, David! I went through exactly this, but for an even longer period of time. It’s refreshing to read someone else’s story. I’m excited to see what’s next for you, and myself as well :) feeling more aligned than ever.
This is so rich, and full of things that feel synchronous! Thank you for sharing your journey. It's interesting to read about the "abyss" first thing this morning as I was struggling with quite a horrendous bout of insomnia last night which felt like entering a kind of abyss... Surrender is the only way!
Enjoyed this and thanks for the shout-out! You know life is getting interesting (slash you're in the abyss) when you're reading Pema Chodron.
Thanks for sharing, I laughed and grimaced. Some wonderful quotes in here too. The abyss is a cruel mistress but she does reward fidelity. The whole phase reminded me of something I went through not so long ago, and a host of communal and solo practices that got me from one trapeze bar to another including Zen & IFS also! https://www.nobt.co.uk/p/burnout-recovery-from-the-bottom-up
Keep writing!
Thanks for the post David. I've been in a searching for the "next phase" period myself so a lot of what your are talking about sounds very familiar to me. It is a struggle though.
I love this update! Thank you for sharing it, David!
Great read!
This post found me at the exact right time (…in the abyss). Thank you for writing such a thoughtful reflection on your experience, and something to help steer the rest of us who haven’t made such good sense of it yet 🤍
“Bonus sister” instead of sister-in-law 🙌🏽