Milestone #1: Easier Said Than Done ✍🏼

Introducing Milestones and my one-word theme of the year

Dear Ones —

We’re eighteen days into the New Year and I’ve been reflecting since the New Year on my “One-Word Theme of the Year.” This is an idea I introduced a few years ago on Field Notes (though I didn’t originate it) in which you pick a word that most encompasses your biggest goals for the year. Two years ago it was ripples. Last year it was self-love.

This year’s theme took some time to develop. I considered the changes I wanted to make, the things I wanted to focus on more. I feel like I never have enough time to get through the things I both want to do and that I’m responsible for. And then I heard Mel Robbins say on her podcast that there’s no such thing as balance because it assumes all things in our life have equal value. That was a big aha moment for me.

If I’m going to change my relationship with time, I need to adjust how I’m using it. The root of these pinch points in my life is systemic, or structural. It’s not enough to say “I want to take better care of myself” if my w…