How do you tell a big part of your life hey, I’m leaving and I don’t know when I’ll be back?
I gave myself January to figure it out, and this is what I’ve decided:
I’m taking an indefinite hiatus from social media. Because I’m giving as much of my time and abilities that I have to at least one direct action a month. And in between, I’m gonna write like hell.
We are in inescapably scary and challenging times. But that doesn’t mean we are without recourse or hope. There’s so many things that can be done, and each makes a difference–even if that difference feels too small, too little, too only-in-the-moment (it’s not).
My 2020 goal is to move from #resist to #act.
Where will I be? Planting trees. Cleaning shorelines — rivers, oceans, lakes. Canvassing for political candidates I believe in. Doing census advocacy in marginalized spaces. Driving segments of the journey to connect immigrants with their family. Citizen science in at-risk ecosystems. Standing witness to the destruction of wilderness at the border. Working and protesting with groups whose ethos I hold and trust. Spearheading coordination of a community pollinator garden — hello bees, butterflies, birds. Picking up litter one day a week (and then two, and then three, and then every, as I can).
And that’s just to start.
It’s necessary and good and I’m ready, but it’s also means more than one thing has gotta give in order for me to give that much more of myself to action. Daily investment in author social media is one thing I listed among the “possible give,” and after a January of never getting to it, I decided I would let it fall away.
Is that the savviest career move? I honestly don’t know. But I know for certain it’s the best for my heart and what I must do.
I’m still out here. Look for me. I apologize and send hugs and high-fives in advance for celebrations and milestones I know I’ll miss. When I have new books out, I’ll be doing promo, because that’s part of my job and I take my jobs seriously. And please, always feel free to reach out if you need anything.
Since I’ll be largely offline, I’ve started a newsletter. Subscribe to get book updates, activism news, and ways to #act. I plan to make it mostly-monthly and will share how and what I’m working on–in the world and on the page.
Take care of yourselves and each other out there. Do what you can. Keep going.