Originally included in my March 2024 newsletter. To get the most recent edition of the newsletter, sign up here!
As many of you know, I left my day job and took Radiant Unknown full-time last month. A large part of the reason why I was able to take this leap was by shifting my orientation towards money and resources, largely thanks to my coach, Samara; my amazing theyfriend, Asha; and a lot of other fantastic queer, disabled, and/or BIPOC folks in my communities crafting more fulfilling and resourced lives. For a long time, I equated being well-resourced with having a robust savings account. But time, space, and capacity are some of the greatest resources, and ones that I had limited ability to access previously.
My sabbatical year so far (despite two illnesses and a few other setbacks) has offered me so much space and grace. My body is still learning that I don’t have to tense on weekdays or push off enjoyable things until the weekend. I am discovering the joy of spending my days reading, learning, and experiencing life at my own pace. And now that my income comes through my business, I feel much more connected with and grateful for both my revenues and my expenses.
I have time to read the incredible newsletters that other readers, such as Lane Smith and Queer Conjure, put together (highly recommend both). I have much greater capacity to be involved in community activism, such as calling for an immediate end to the genocide of Palestinians. I was even able to take a week to travel with and care for my dear friend while they had top surgery and get to experience the inexplicable magic of gender-euphoric care.
Resources like time, space, capacity, and community are irreplaceable. We still live under capitalism, and of course I have immense privilege to be only paying for my own care right now (as well as many other privileges in general). But I encourage you to find and carve out time to resource yourself and your communities as much as you can. The Nap Ministry, which is run by fellow Atlantan Tricia Hersey, offers a lot of great ideas on how to do this through their website, book, and oracle deck. You deserve resourcing and care.
the radiant unknown 