27 Comments
Feb 23, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

I’ll take on the second question in Feb 8th’s post, I don’t see another link to commenting on that post specifically, did I miss it? One way I’m attempting to connect with coworkers, after I mentioned an action item for change, is talking 1 on 1 with those who might be willing to chat about it. It’s not easy because I don’t like to repeat myself, I often consider my idea un-engaging if no one responded right away. However I think this is one way I can practice being a better agent of change.

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Feb 3, 2022·edited Feb 3, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

Hi! I'll participate! I had no idea you had this blog Mike, it just happened to pop up on my feed! I will read some others' comments below, too.

My relationship with change at this moment is kind of like a "F* you!" (and for context, I use that word sparingly) -- some things are happening in my life that feel like "backtracking", or like major losses, or simply even if they are small things, like one too many losses. And there is also a whole lot of "up down up down" going on for me, which is driving me crazy! (For example: I have a fairly minor injury lately, which prevents me from running for a short indeterminate while. And RIGHT before this happened, I had just been starting to get really fast because an iron supplement was kicking in, and had been starting to plan on "racing" some races!) And in addition to that, there is, as you mentioned, the fatigue of constantly adjusting to so much change. However, my relationship to change is also kind of like a "Come the f* on already!" -- a hurry up to the things I want to change. And, my relationship with change is also kind of like a waiting game right now... like there are some things I am envisioning changing, but it hasn't felt like quite the right time yet, and wondering when that quite right time will be -- or whether perhaps it could be any time I make it be.

OK! Next question. My biggest struggle right now is my body's response (cortisol etc) to all of the change, and those effects (insomnia etc). It is sooooooooooooooooooo stressed and overloaded, and it's been really hard to navigate. I'm spending most of my time it feels like navigating my body's responses, rather than the actual changes and challenges themselves! Which has felt frustrating.

Last question: What I am most proud of is a change I made within the past two months: deciding to create a GoFundMe to raise funds for a certification course I want to take (and am now officially enrolled in and starting to prepare for!) in relational neuroscience. This is a huge course redirect for my life, and the first step I've made towards committing to a new career choice since my first career dream fell apart about seven years ago.

I love typing this out how we can see all of our complexity co-existing in ourselves at once!

Last thought: I went back and edited this, the morning after writing it, partially because I was very sleep deprived and therefore punchy while writing it, and also because I realized there may perhaps be some readers who would appreciate edited language. But. I am reminded of the Zen story about the man who had the son who got called off to war, and then broke his leg, and then found the horses, and then the horses ran away, and so forth... and every time someone called one of the changes good or bad, the man said, "maybe....." and I'm wondering if some of the fatigue of adjusting to so much change can be alleviated by practicing or learning what one other reader suggested above: letting go...

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Feb 2, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

Yes, of course, Mike, this would be great!

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Jan 15, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

Sorry, I forgot to add the link to the podcast: https://www.villafreischuetz.org/2021/09/07/folge-1-der-aethiopischer-mantel/

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Hello! The biggest change right now is having moved back to the east coast, became a gardener at a large museum after being a freelancer and business owner for the last 8 years, major adjustment of answering to others. I’m proud of taking this change on despite it being hard and wanting to quit multiple times, continuing to push conversations of equity, and learning what a museum is while imagining what it can be from my previous experiences. Appreciate you sharing your + others’ work and thoughts.

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Hi Mike, Thank you for this very hopeful, encouraging and timely post. As I sit at home in Mumbai, India and reflect on all that I've taken in- especially the opening words you shared at the end of your post have me thinking so much about where I am and where I'd like to be. Praying really hard for the pandemic to just be over already so I can continue to dream of a time where I can be back in the United States working at museums there as opposed to here where things really aren't the best :( (Immigration visa stuff is hard). So yeah, I am hopeful, excited and almost awaiting change this year!

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Jan 11, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

Hi, Mike. First, just want to say this was a great post: succinct, authentic and, for many of us, in January of year three of pandemic, very much on topic. I wrote about this on my blog from a different vantage point, but the end result is the same. COVID is disruptive. It causes uncertainty and anxiety which permeates a lot of life. I am not a person who does well with change. So this has been hard, but I think the good news is because the situation is not one I can control (ever, at all) I am learning, albeit slowly to lean in and accept things as they come. My exhibits are delayed--well, that's more time to do something else. Still work to do, but that's my change lesson from the pandemic.

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Jan 11, 2022Liked by Mike Murawski

Hi Mike, hi everybody! What I am struggling with the most in the moment: I am thinking a lot about how I can contribute to positive change in the museum field most effectively. For this purpose, I am questioning everything: I want to support a more inclusive, democratic, progressive museum work: wait, what does 'inclusive', 'democratic' or 'progressive' mean? It is interesting and delightful to ask these question - but at the same time very much unsettling. And I am very proud of my last exhibition project because I communicated openly (in a podcast) many of my doubts and still open questions. I think it is totally important to show up as a human being not only as an expert to communicate with visitors so that they feel truly welcome and accepted. I am looking forward to other comments!

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