Sometimes you have to Disconnect to Reconnect.

Last night, I consciously stepped away from the digital clamor of Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, participating in the “Lights out on Meta” boycott. As I awoke this morning, a wave of panic swept through me. How disconnected have I become from the world, from my own community? I felt a deep unease as I considered how tightly our digital communications are held in the hands of a few powerful men.
Yet, this act of disconnecting is unexpectedly liberating. It's sharpening my focus on the tangible world around me and reminding me to utilize the tools at my disposal. With that in mind, I started my morning by meditating side by side with my partner. After just 11 minutes of meditation, panic was replaced with calm and the morning unfolded like many others: Shon and I prepared ourselves and our child for the day, I spent a few minutes researching the possibilities of decentralized social platforms like Bluesky and Signal, then worked on my book, and am now reaching out through these words.

I might wish for the power to reshape our entire communication landscape single-handedly, but that's a mountain too vast for anyone to scale alone. Instead, I turn to navigating the terrain of daily actions—simple yet significant—like joining the “Lights out on Meta” boycott.

In a world of massive problems, and the relentless stream of daunting news, it is easy to be overwhelmed by our significance. Fortunately, you don’t need to upheave the entire system all by yourself—that is too much for anyone. Just as a single drop contributes to a river, our small, purposeful actions build the collective power for broader change.

We’re Getting our Estuary Back!

Speaking of drops resulting in rivers, we recently had a big win in Olympia, Washington, my home of many years. We are getting our estuary back! After many years of small actions by many people, the 1951 Capitol Lake bridge, which disrupted the flow of the Deschutes River, is slated for removal, allowing for the return and restoration of the Deschutes Estuary! I am thrilled to take part in the visioning of the restored estuary through visual recording of our Community Envisioned Deschutes Estuary forums. All are welcome to participate in these forums to explore the cultural design of the returning estuary. The first forum was a hit. The second will take place next Tuesday, January 28 at 6:30 PM Pacific time.

View from my art-making table of the first Community Envisioned Deschutes Estuary forum.

Moving Forward, With Ease

If life feels like too much right now, go easy on yourself—choose daily actions for which you already have the skills. That might include reaching out to an elected official, inspiring a friend to make their voice heard, or lending support to those tirelessly working towards change.

These are manageable tasks, well within our collective grasp, that contribute to creating the power of a raging river of action. And what’s more, they also alleviate stress, bridge connections, and fortify our values. They give us hope. Hope is not a state to be passively awaited but actively constructed, one small deed at a time.

Just as growing a garden begins with preparing the soil, planting individual seeds, and nurturing them daily, readiness for society’s bigger challenges is built through small, consistent actions. Start with what lies directly before you today.

The choice to disconnect today reminds me of an earlier time in my life when stepping back from social media led to significant shifts in perspective. Several years ago, I decided to stop scrolling through Facebook and instead, use that time for painting. This shift sparked unprecedented productivity in my studio and led to greater happiness, connection, and hope. These moments of pause, whether from digital noise or life’s cacophony, have always been the precursors to my most transformative periods.

As we step away from social media and into the world around us, let's take this opportunity to reconnect, not just with the earth under our feet, but with each other. This break from digital noise is a chance to rediscover the power of our voices and the strength of our actions, no matter how small.

I invite you to join me in turning daily tasks into steps toward change. Let's reach out, step up, and cultivate a vibrant garden brimming with connection and hope, starting right now.

What seeds of action will you plant today to contribute to this movement?