Hello Reader,

I currently read more than usual and I spend a lot of time in my head and on the page writing - what a privilege. I feel fortunate to live in a two-income household (until recently) and I'm glad I took Tori Dunlap's advice to set up an emergency fund (I genuinely didn't think I'd ever need it, ha!).

But I'll let you in on something: I feel guilty for resting.

It feels indulgent to read books and sort through the mess in my head and heart knowing full well that I could sling burgers or work my way up to manage at Domino's (where you earn more than I did in my non-profit job trying to make the world a better place. Not that pizza doesn't make the world a better place but you know what I mean.).

It feels luxurious to spend the summer with my family at the pool or on adventures on a random Wednesday.

I grapple with working out in the middle of the day instead of at the 5.30 a.m. class because I now can. It feels extravagant to get enough sleep and spend slow mornings with my family instead of rushing out the door, through my workday and back home - only to collapse on the sofa to wonder when I stopped being able to keep up.

Taking this summer to figure some things out is a huge privilege and if you read this with a twinge of jealousy, I get it. Up until recently, I would have felt the same way.

Now that I'm in the middle of it (I try to think of it as a sabbatical), I can tell you that it is very enjoyable most days. But there are also days when I can't enjoy it because the responsibilities of a parent and home-owner don't stop (hello basement leek, camp schedule and flat tire!) and because figuring your stuff out isn't always easy, and certainly not enjoyable.

If you want to see how I make the most of sabbatical read on:

Between my ears

Life, most recently: Things I'm excited about, pondering and trying out:

• We spent the Father's Day weekend in DC. Consider it a prolonged Artist's Date: Smithsonian, Botanic Gardens (the have a children's garden for digging, planting and watering), Aperol Spritz on a downtown rooftop and splashing in the pool with my kid. It felt like a mini-vacation and I highly recommend taking a city trip every now and then.
• Shelly Rose is launching her next Sugar Cleanse in mid-July. If you want to reset your tastebuds and learn how to cut back on sugar and processed foods, sign up here! It's a great program that I've done 6+ times and after three weeks, I feel like a new person. Plus, your food bill just might drop and you'll learn how to cook healthy stuff that actually tastes good!
• After an ambitious pilot phase, Zebras Unite took a vote last Friday on whether or not to dissolve the co-op. I'm conflicted about when to pull the plug vs. keep throwing energy at it until we eventually find the magic key to making this co-op sustainable. To all the Zebras in my universe - thoughts?
• Last week, I took a day to explore the Shenandoah Valley with my daughter and some friends. We spent the morning in Lexington eating croissants, sipping coffee and seeing some art, and the afternoon walking around Natural Bridge State Park. Despite the thousand degrees, spending time in nature with friends is the best! AND: Our library gives out free passes to Virginia State Parks!
• I am currently addicted to Stanley Tucci's Searching for Italy. It is no secret that Italian cuisine would be my love language if it was one of the five official ones. Since I'm not traveling to Europe this summer and haven't been to Italy in years (go Shelly!), this is a great way to travel from my sofa.
• One of the changes I'm making this summer is finding more local produce and cutting back on meats - no easy feat if you want to keep up your protein intake for all those box jumps and snatches! I'm looking into the Blue Zones Kitchen and am curious to hear what you're cooking this summer! Do you have any vegetarian or vegan recipes you swear by?
• Here's what I'm reading right now:
  • ​Der Trost der Schoenheit, Gabriele von Arnim: unstructured, philosophical ruminations on beauty by a 74-year old German journalist who's had quite the life. Enjoyable but definitely not my go-to beach read.
  • ​Wintering, Katherine May: first-person narrative about the dark seasons in life that we rarely talk about. "This is where we are now, endlessly cheerleading ourselves into positivity while erasing the the underside of real life." (p. 235) Turns out watching someone else go through a dark time is tough. I was close to quitting in the middle but am glad I finished it.
  • ​The secret lives of booksellers and librarians​, James Patterson: booksellers and librarians share true stories about the magic of reading - very wholesome and a great counterbalance to all the nonfiction.

Thank you everyone who sent their book recommendations following my last newsletter! I added them to my reading list!

What are your favorite summer reads and/or books about transitions? Hit "reply" to this email and share it!

On my desk In progress

In week three of the Artist's Way, Julia Cameron stopped me in my tracks:

"Anyone honest will tell you that possibility is far more frightening than impossibility, that freedom is far more terrifying than prison. If we do, in fact, have to deal with a force beyond ourselves that involves itself in our lives, then we might have to move into action on those previously impossible dreams."

Since being laid off a month ago, I had a hunch that - after recklessly pursuing a job that I greatly enjoyed - it was time to slow down and really tune in to what I truly wanted from life in this next chapter. For two and a half years, I was chasing the next milestone, zipping through the Valley to help develop the ecosystem and planning the next quarter more audaciously than the previous one. Never once did I stop to ask myself what general direction I was headed, or what MY dreams were for myself, my family, my career.

Over the last few weeks, I realized that I want to place a thoughtful order with the universe. I am convinced that once you get very clear on what you want, and you place that order (with God, the universe or whatever higher power you believe in), it WILL find its way to you. And when it does, you better be ready.

Featured Episode

When the universe hits you with bricks In season 3 of Ecosystems for Change, I talked to Candace Dalmagne-Rouge about ignoring what the universe is telling you until you're forced to listen. Listen & subscribe

On my radar

I come across a lot of resources that I want to share with fellow ecosystem builders and changemakers. If we're connected on LinkedIn or Instagram, they might already show up in your feed! In case you missed any, here's my curated list from the last two weeks:

Jobs

• Acumen is looking for their next Chief of Staff.
• The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is looking to fill A LOT of positions, including a Senior Director of Entrepreneurship.
• The Geneva Responsible Entrepreneurship Center is looking for a PhD candidate to work on their project "Unleashing Civic Wealth Creation Through Community Entrepreneurship" (no applications through LinkedIn).
• I had a great conversation with the Institute for Justice and they have some wonderful job openings if you're willing to relocate to Arlington, VA.
• For my Virginia network: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence in Charlottesville is looking for a Director of Advancement & Communications.

For more jobs with purpose, make sure to connect with Servane Mouazan and Julia Firestone on LinkedIn - both of them share more jobs with impact than anyone I know (drop them a little note and say hi, don't make it weird).

Mark your calendars for 2024:

• July 15-18: Global Entrepreneurship Congress GEC+, Puerto Rico
• July 15-18: IEDC's Economic Future Forum, Denver, Colorado
• October 7-9: University Economic Development Association’s (UEDA) Annual Summit, South Bend, Indiana
• October 22-24: E.Builders Forum, Kansas City, MO
• October 28-30: SOCAP Global, San Francisco

I will be back in your inbox in two weeks!

In camaraderie,

Anika