Intentions and My PACT for the Month of June
Tap here to jump down to the TL;DR
I have spent the week since publishing my first essay in reflection. There's so much I want to share, but first I think it's important to clarify why I'm here, and my vision for The Attentive Archive.
Anyone who has ever gotten to know me even a little bit will tell you I am a helper (my therapist says "caretaker", I say tomato-tomahto).
I have spent my life seeking work that would utilize my propensity toward helpfulness to do something meaningful, useful, positive —while honoring my capacity. But that's such a broad wish that it's nearly meaningless. What is helpfulness? And what even is "dOiNg SoMeThInG mEaNiNgFuL"?
The short answer is that, to me, this is something meaningful.
Using my natural curiosity, thirst for knowledge, and ability to organize and translate information into action, are all assets in the production of content that I hope will be both relatable and actionable to those who share the triumphs and tribulations that come with neurodivergence.
The sense that I've found my tribe in the ADHD community has been unlike anything else I've experienced. I feel settled in this identity, in a good way, for the first time in my life. I finally know why I am the way I am, have spent some time reconciling with all of my past selves, and want this sense of security for every one of us.
That isn't to say existence is easy. Life is hard and the system is kinda undeniably rigged, which is where the importance of community comes in. Humans aren't meant to function as islands, we are wired for connection. That's why we can build a community around literally anything. If you don't believe me just open reddit for like one second, r/occlupanids has thirteen-thousand members (ask me how I know).
With that in mind, my ultimate goal for The Attentive Archive is to foster a thriving, supportive, sustainable community for neurodivergent adults. To give us a place where it is safe to unmask and just be. To celebrate the wins, no matter how small, and to be there for each other during the losses, no matter how big.
The very possibility of this dream, and whatever else it could become, seems far away right now and that's okay. I know I have a lot to learn, and many mistakes to make along the way, but I just wanted to send this out into the universe— on the off-chance it's listening.
My first tangible intention on this journey was designed using the PACT (Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous, Trackable) framework, outlined by neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff in her book "Tiny Experiments" (Tap here for her PACT article at NessLabs), is as follows:
I will post one article each week for the month of June.
June is typically a tough month for me. On top of the usual summer festivities it is also my family's big birthday month, and having some kind of social engagement every weekend can just be a lot. As both an introvert and a lifetime member of the Summertime Sadness Club, it's the time of year when I feel most like hibernating.
To combat the slump I usually experience this time of year, I'm throwing myself into creative work I enjoy. This is a theory I am excited to test.
Let me welcome you to follow along— or even join me with your own PACT for June(!), I would love to cheer you on!
✂️ TL;DR
My ultimate wish is for The Attentive Archive to become a supportive community for neurodivergent adults. To work toward making this vision into reality and combat my own seasonal struggles, I'm committing to a PACT for June: posting one article per week. I'd love for you to follow my journey or join in with a goal of your own.