About The Circular Journey

"We are here to find meaning. We are here to help other people do the same. Everything else is secondary."

~~ Hugh MacLeod's "The Hughtrain Manifesto."

That quote is taken from Mr. MacLeod's book, "Evil Plans," which I've discussed in a couple of previous postings. Full disclosure: the plans he talks about are not 'evil.' In that book, MacLeod discusses ethical marketing and the ideal relationship between marketers and consumers. 

Personally, I found his manifesto to be a guide for living harmoniously with others. My aim in paraphrasing his work is not to alter the original meaning, but to remove the marketing context and focus solely on the human-to-human connection. 

Overlooking the marketing-customer language, the takeaway for me is as follows:

We humans want to believe in our own species. Belief in humanity and human potential ... excites us, and we want people in our lives who make it easier for us to believe in one another.

If you aren’t on board with this idea, MacLeod says, "better hire a consultant in Extinction Management" because from now on, your life pivots squarely on your vision of human potential.

At the time of writing this post, I've been blogging at The Circular Journey for nearly two decades. Over the years, the blog has served different purposes. Initially, it served as a journal to help me cope with yet another relocation and change of employment. Later, it became a tool to help cope with my mood disorder. The blog continues to help me fine-tune my mental health, but now that I'm no longer consumed by emotional storms, I enjoy documenting my new life on the coast, a life that has turned out better than I expected.

Everyone lives in their own unique world. Whether it’s the high-tech environment of NASA, the academic rigor of Duke University, the artistic coffee shops of bohemian Wilmington, or the rural life in Shady Grove, we each shape and adapt these worlds to fit our needs—sometimes even adjusting our lives to match the worlds we imagine.

The first few years of this decade were especially challenging for me. My mother passed away at the end of 2018, and then COVID-19 arrived with the start of 2020. 

After months of caring for my mom and then her sudden demise, I drifted aimlessly, without purpose, useless, and unnecessary. During the pandemic, we often heard the term ‘essential personnel’ used for people with necessary skills and responsibilities. I felt anything but essential.

When we moved from Durham to the coast in December 2020, the combined impact of feeling non-essential and having to adjust to unfamiliar surroundings led me into depression. The added stress of the political turmoil intensified my anxiety. It was not a pleasant combination.

In my recovery program of choice, we learn that emotional pain can be a powerful motivator. Eventually, I reached my limit and made a commitment to pull myself out of the depths of bipolar disorder once again.

During my darkest days, I experienced a sudden, life-changing realization. One afternoon in my therapist’s office, Dr. Coast asked what it was about blogging that obsessed me so. Out of the blue came the words, ‘We all tell ourselves stories about our lives and cast ourselves in the role of hero. Whether we see ourselves as winners or losers, we always give ourselves the starring role.’

Unlike most people, I don’t narrate my life as it happens. Instead, I make mental notes and later transform those moments into blog posts. This approach lets me craft a more thoughtful and detailed story than I could with a spontaneous, real-time account. I write my own life—and I always give it a happy ending.

It works for me in ways I never thought possible. I recommend it highly, and it doesn't require writing. We all tell ourselves stories intended to explain and make sense of our lives. I believe the key to creating a meaningful, purposeful life is to consciously and intentionally craft stories that allow you to do what you love, and to do work that actually matters. All it takes is the willingness to experiment and persistent mindful practice. 

I believe it's one of the best things we can do with the limited time we have on earth. Along the way, you’ll meet incredible, like-minded people, doing what they love, becoming who they were meant to be, and helping others do the same.