An introduction to Gumption

A few weeks ago, I quit my job.

For the first time in my life, I left a paid position without having a new one lined up or a clear picture of what would come next. I agonized over the decision for months—knowing I was in burnout, knowing my most recent job was making it worse, knowing that leaving a job in this tumultuous economy would seem foolish to most—and then I took the leap anyway. 

I’ve been working pretty much nonstop since I was 14 years old. What I am most comfortable with is go go go and do do do because living in a capitalist society has trained me to be most comfortable that way. It directs all of us to center “productivity” at the expense of everything else in our lives, especially our health and wellness. This ingrained drive leaves very little room for the organic unfolding of life or the pursuit of intentional creative space.

Being able to take a sabbatical is a profound privilege. I am fortunate to have a supportive partner with a steady job and health insurance coverage I can join. It's a stark reminder that the uncertainties I’m grappling with are often rooted in a place of plenitude in contrast to the realities faced by many others. Consequently, I am embracing this time not only as an opportunity to examine and dismantle my own internalized pressures but also as a chance to leverage my skills and resources to explore how I can contribute to a more equitable and sustainable way of working and living.

And that, dear reader, is what has led me to you. Or, more specifically, I finally have the time to do the one thing I’ve longed to do since I could sound out words—write. 

But Brit, you may be thinking, what will you be writing about? How can I know if I’m interested or not? Allow me to lay a foundation of transparency and vulnerability by saying I am not totally sure. 

The summary on the Gumption site says I want to “explore the intersection of creativity and social impact.” I intentionally cast a wide net because there are a lot of topics that pique my curiosity. In truth, you might receive a reflection on one of my favorite poems one week and a diatribe against xenophobia the next. There will probably be a lot of links to things I enjoyed reading or maybe some funny videos that somehow helped me endure the incessant media coverage of our descent into fascism. I will obviously also try to include pics of cute animals (see: this post's featured image). 

In other words, if anarchic variety is something you’re into, then you’re in the right place. 

There’s an Adrienne Rich essay I think about all the time called “Women and Honor: Some Notes on Lying.” I highly recommend it in its entirety, but it’s the ending that I can’t help but return to over and over again:

“It isn't that to have an honorable relationship with you, I have to understand everything, or tell you everything at once, or that I can know, beforehand, everything I need to tell you.

It means that most of the time I am eager, longing for the possibility of telling you. That these possibilities may seem frightening, but not destructive, to me. That I feel strong enough to hear your tentative and groping words. That we both know we are trying, all the time, to extend the possibilities of truth between us.

The possibility of life between us.”

So, if you’re looking for the basic philosophy behind this newsletter, know that I will be doing my best to extend the possibilities of truth and life between us.

Simple enough, right?