Star of Wonder. Star With Royal Beauty Bright.
Guide us to a perfect light.
Who have been your guiding stars this year?
I wonder. A lot. I can overthink anything. Most of all, I obsess about you, the reader of this weekly post, and the online community members for Gifted Professionals and Communicators which Sia and I started three years ago.
The whole point of community is belonging, providing a safe space for yourself and others, yearning to learn something new or take on an adventure that always requires another human to teach you something or serve as a guiding light for a place you’ve never been, but they have. Communities are about transformation—not transaction. I’ve written extensively about that critical point and I can repeat it as often as you need to understand what makes you attractive and what offends.
Transformation is a complete change in appearance or character and that happens when someone lifts you up, you gain insight and wisdom or you experience awe. Transaction is someone trying to sell you their stuff, their product, or take something from you for the greater gain of the other person.
Who is on Your List this December?
It’s time to turn the microphone over to you and ask for your comments. We really want to hear from you about the people and experiences in 2024 that guided you to the perfect light and place of greatest aspiration for you.
Have you noticed that December seems to be national list month? Is there such a thing as list fatigue? Here’s what I’m seeing—how about you? Even when the list seems to be a labor of love by the writer, going back through 12 months of journal pages or clearing out their digital files for the year, I get weary of their list by the second or third item.
Do You Have a Book List?
First of all, do you read books? Has it been a while since reading a whole book? Do you listen to audiobooks instead or mostly? Why do people write an entire article on their favorite books of the year? Why do some write about books every month and then dump a monster summary list on us in December?
Question for Your Comment, Please: When you see lists of books, what do you do with that information? Do you run the other way because you already have more than 100 books you’ve entered into your 2024 list of “Books Recommended… Maybe I’ll Read”? Do you further investigate some of the titles and check out the preview page on Amazon, just in case you suffer from Fear of Missing Out? Do you believe something can deliver on the “life-changing” promise of the book? Have you ever experienced a life change or did you stay the same person you were yesterday, only more informed, improved, enlightened, or more humble today?
Do You Have a Top Ten List of Substack Writers?
The growth and success of this Substack and community are directly linked to the generosity, recommendations, and brilliant articles by other Substack creators. While it’s possible to subscribe for free to hundreds, you can tell a lot about someone by their profile and where they committed to paid subscribers. I’ll start with my top ten Substack writers because these are tightly aligned to the values, mission, and communication styles of professionals, communicators, and gifted adults: Deborah Ruf, Ph.D. Gifted Through the Lifespan; Paula Prober Understanding Your Rainforest Mind; Dan Rather Steady; Robert Roy Britt The Writer’s Guide; Maryan Pelland Pen2Profit; Walter Rhein I’d Rather Be Writing; Alison Acheson Unschool for Writers; Susan O’Brien Must Tilt Windmills; Rosie Spinks What Do We Do Now That We’re Here; and Robert B. Hubble Today’s Edition Newsletter.
Every day I read Heather Cox Richardson Letters from An American, the number one Substack writer, for two reasons. It’s better than any mainstream media or online source for the truth of today and the context within history about how we got here or where this may all go next. Substack admits she has “more than 1.7 million subscribers” so it’s safe to say Heather probably does NOT have a paid subscription to all of the many writers who look forward to her words.
Question for Your Comment, Please: Do you subscribe to more than 10 Substack blogs (newsletters, posts)? How many weeks do you read a Substack blog before deciding to stay or unsubscribe? Do you publish or post online every week—anywhere from your website blog to a platform post such as LinkedIn or Bluesky? Do you consider yourself an information consumer and not a writer or creator?
What Other Lists Do You Keep, Clean, or Recycle?
We make lists because our brain is on overload constantly and we want to feel organized, productive, and somehow tethered to reality. List-making has advanced to personal knowledge management (1999) and hundreds of digital tools and apps, all of which delay the most important action, which is to stop procrastinating and jump boldly into the work. Lists have value to the person making the list. Nobody else wants your list.
Question for Your Comment, Please: Why do you make lists? Does it help you make decisions about what to notice? Does it bring order to chaos? Do you make lists for work? Do you make lists for your whole life, which includes the seven segments of life: 1) Family-Emotional Wellness, 2) Health-Physical Wellness, 3) Social Wellness, 4) Wealth-Financial Wellness, 5) Career-Intellectual Wellness, 6) Personal Development-Spiritual Wellness, and 7)Relationships-Enviromental Wellness? Does list-making bring you peace or seem to add to the overstimulation in terms of information?
Final question—please comment: In December or in January when starting a new year, do you review and recycle some items from lists made this year? Instead, do you let go completely and go on a personal retreat for a day or two to start a new journal, new lists, and a whole new you?
Do you feel like you're on the edge of something amazing and you just can't figure out what it is? That's where I come in. My name is Georgia Patrick. I work with curious, intense, understanding professionals—still in practice and retired, to tap into their full potential and get extremely clear on their gift (their value) to individuals actively seeking such wisdom. It starts with an email. Maybe, later, a short call to make sure we understand you. Whenever you’re ready, there are 4 ways I can help you. Every engagement starts with a four-week Communication Incubator to build intensely practical frameworks and systems that shift everything to the “natural state of you” with specific gifts to bring to the people who need you to show up with your gifts.
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As Admiral Zumwalt said, first thing, make your bed. Then you’ve already accomplished something at the start of your day. Lists establish what you need to strive to accomplish and there is a sense of achievement in crossing off lines. Two important points:1) make each line a small task instead of a big all encompassing one-this prevents discouragement and disappointment ; 2) it’s a feeling of reaffirmation when you’ve crossed off lots of lines. Two more tips:1) for big tasks make a list of the small steps needed and 2) it’s a given that unexpected priorities or unforeseen externalities will derail your planned list items. That is to be expected and does not negatively reflect on you.
As Churchill said, success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.
I shall continue making lists.