“And now let us believe in a long year that is given to us, new, untouched, full of things that have never been.” – Rainer Maria Rilke
Rilke, an Austrian poet who wrote at the end of the 1800s, composed that for his wife, the sculptor Clara. Sitting on the roof of his Italian house on New Year’s Eve at the tail end of 1906, the story goes, Rilke watched the seconds tick by and put together those words – his promise for 1907 to himself and Clara.
I was struck by that quote, this idea of spring coming, and fields ready for planting, snow melting to reveal the dreams we’ve been cultivating all winter. I’m sure we all have our own short-term and long-term plans. That dreaded word – resolutions.
But it’s just as important to look back on the path we took to get here. There’s this urge to turn over the soil and start something new, but there’s value in marking the moment—365 days of learning, mastery, failure, and grit.
If we don’t take the time to mark the moment, to see 2023 for all the valleys and rivers and mountains we had to cross, we can’t appreciate the “new, untouched” year we’re given. In that vein, you may want to check out our episode with Chip Conley, who reminds us that midlife is a mezzanine.
The word probably most commonly associated with “midlife” is “crisis,” but Chip points out that all that distance we’ve traveled adds up to something real – and the path still stretches far ahead.
Dr. Tara Swart’s interview helps us learn how we can harness this mysterious power we have in our brains. The machinery of our minds might be unknowable, but the way it adapts is not. Your neurons are more nimble than you think.
This week’s podcast guest is Ashley Smith, the co-owner of the Utah Jazz basketball team. She’s a pro at translating the flows of energy hidden in life, uncovering them, and directing them toward her dreams.
Happy New Year, and here’s to “things that have never been” – before now.
All best,
Whitney
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