Feeling restless? Try a tracking survey.

Life lessons from a cartographer. 🗺️

For the past six months, I’ve been feeling… restless. The pandemic aside, I’m at a place in my writing career where I could go in many directions, but I’m not sure what the right path is. I’ve put energy into exploring various avenues, everything from online courses with sales funnels to starting a podcast and other content streams.

Nothing feels right yet. It’s also complicated that I wear so many hats (and not just because it’s been -35ºC here all week 🥶)… I feel like I’m working in too many directions.

That leads me to this: I was reflecting on something I had been researching for my upcoming memoir that didn’t make the final cut.

David Thompson’s story.

Let me share a bit about him, then I’ll come full circle.

DAVID THOMPSON IS recognized by some as the greatest land geographer who ever lived, with 1.5 million square miles of mapped wilderness in North America attributed to his name. He was both a wayfinder and a cartographer. Over the course of his career, he travelled a mind-boggling 80,000 kilometres by canoe, dogsled, on foot and horseback. 🛶

Side Note: David Thompson and his wife, a Métis/Scottish woman named Charlotte Small, had thirteen children, and though Charlotte was just 13 when they married (Thompson was 29), they remained dedicated to each other for 58 years until his death in 1857.

Thompson’s mapping of waterways was a painstaking process. First, he would establish several fixed points by observing for latitude and longitude. To map the waterways, however, he’d need to chart every turn in the water’s course between those points. He did this through a technique known as a tracking survey whereby he’d kneel in the middle of the canoe and make a notation with every change of direction.

Thompson would collect thousands of coordinates, often years before he had an opportunity to sit down to chart them. His 1814 Map of the North-West Territory of the Province of Canada—for which he was never properly compensated—was so accurate it was still in use 100 years later.

Read more below…

Photo: Snapwire.

---

Continued…

It would have certainly taken perseverance to complete such a project; Thompson’s 1814 map was the culmination of over two decades of explorations. He faced many dangers and hostilities, yet woke up each day with a determination to continue.

I’ve always been a history nerd, so I love stories like Thompson’s. But there’s also something in there that’s serving me at the exact point I’m at in my life right now.

This idea of a tracking survey. Have you ever felt like you aren’t sure which direction you want to go in life? Ok, all of you? 😊

Thompson charted unmapped waterways turn by turn. He centred himself in that canoe and made a note of where the water was leading him. 🧭

It was only later, even decades later, that Thompson saw the big picture. I might feel directionless now, but if I take life one turn at a time, I believe I’ll eventually get somewhere. I need to centre myself and trust that every action is part of the bigger picture.

Let’s bring the pandemic back into the picture for a moment. Today I realized that it’s all about mindset. I can feel frustrated and restless that I don’t know what I want to be for this world. Or, I can be grateful that when we emerge from this pandemic I have an open slate ahead of me, filled with possibilities.

So, for now, I’ll sit. I’m doing a tracking survey of my life.📍I’ll take notes. I’ll keep moving forward one paddle stroke at a time. And, eventually, the big picture will come together.

If you’re a subscriber, you’ll notice there’s a recording of the above story in your inbox, too. Let me know how you like the recorded version. It’s all a big experiment for me!

---

What’s caught my attention lately… ✨

• “How can you strip down that thing you’ve been meaning to do into something so easy you could do it every day with barely a thought?” Here’s How I Finally Got Myself Exercising has some great tips. My fav: “Try doing one better than nothing behavior.” (Thanks to Tsh for the recommendation.)

---

Check these out too… 🙌

*Memoir* Mailing List - This book is forthcoming Sept 2022.

The Wonders That I Find - My children’s book is available for pre-order! 🌿

My Email Newsletter - Yes, different from Substack. This newsletter is for specific updates about my books and various projects.

Find me: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

---

Footnote re. David Thompson:

Unfortunately, Thompson was a poor and relatively obscure person when he died, despite his numerous contributions to the building of the nation of Canada. His public acknowledgment came after his death.

📖 I highly recommend the book, Epic Wanderer: David Thompson and the Mapping of the Canadian West, by D’Arcy Jenish, if you’d like to learn more.

---

Feel free to pass this on to friends who might enjoy getting little doses of inspiration in their inbox. As a writer, I can say that every ounce of support means a great deal.