14. Alone and Together
I’ve written this post many times. Will you let me know how it lands with you?
Each time I write…
I try to do a couple of things:
Provide you with curated resources and inspiration, ideas, or words of encouragement to help you in life right now.
Collect, grow, and explore the kinds of ideas that Gen2200 might inspire for a better now, with the spin-off that this might (or will) influence a better future.
Share with you the road I’ve been walking on for a long time privately—in a more public and hopefully authentic way—without bleeding my guts out on the page.
There might be some other things, but if I’ve hit the above, I’d be pretty happy. My thinking is that if I do these things, the subscriptions from those who care will grow, my writing and thinking will improve, and I’ll have stopped procrastinating and put my big mouth into action.
The real proof, of course, is that I won’t be doing this alone. I’ve done a lot alone in my life, with a few challenges to boot. But this whole Gen2200 thing? It’s a group effort. If not, it won’t work.
Today, in the Legacy Project’s newsletter, Executive Director, Brian Puppa wrote something that struck me deeply:
‘A bioregion is the smallest unit of wellbeing. Individual wellbeing is a contradiction in terms, because you can’t be okay unless your community is okay, and our communities can’t be okay unless the natural world around them is healthy. Bioregions are the doorway into the whole-system work of ecopsychosocial wellbeing (people in place).’ Brian Puppa, Legacy Project, Dec 2024.
This stood out for me because, for most of my life, I’ve just pulled myself up by my britches and ‘got on with it’. I get to take credit for all I’ve achieved, right? Well, actually, no. The truth is, no-one has ever truly done anything significant alone—not in a way that would have been sustainable or meaningful. The world around us—the people, places, and natural systems we’re part of—are always involved, even if we don’t acknowledge them.
The Balancing Act
As someone neurodiverse, being productive and having a healthy life is a balancing act. I’ve come to understand that I need space to hear myself think as well as connect closely (even intensely) with people, often one-on-one.
I spend much of my days alone, which has a cost as well as a benefit. I retreat to process, recharge, and make sense of the world. But in the past few years, this solitude has sometimes tipped into loneliness—a feeling I hadn’t truly experienced before. And even worse, disconnection. Which is truly what happened gradually throughout lockdown, despite being in a close-knit community and working full time online. I’m sure for many, this was true for you, too.
Before being AudHD, for so much of my life, I’ve kept myself hidden among people. I now know this is masking, which takes great effort and often at great cost to myself. I’m able to pop in with a heap of energy to lift spirits, run a class, or even manage a whole emergency service. I can do all this, but am unable to sustain it for long periods.
Now, I’m experimenting with balancing solitude and meaningful connection. It’s an ongoing process. Here’s a little of what I mean.
Alone
Some of the things I’ve done alone have been pivotal in shaping who I am today:
Resilience through independence
At 18, I caught a Greyhound bus from Ballarat to Nowra, kickstarting my travels and learning to navigate life independently.
At 19, I hitch-hiked around Newcastle very fortunately dodging serial killer Ivan Milat (friends of friends were not so lucky)
At 20, I applied (and re-applied) for a Bachelor of Communications, learning perseverance and self-advocacy. By 21, I returned to Year 12, met my first girlfriend, and briefly stepped away from doing things on my own.
Personal identity
Conceiving my (now adult) child through assistive technology was a deeply personal decision that reflected my determination to create life on my own terms. We had the best ‘naming day’ ever! (see above)
Seeking an AudHD diagnosis was delayed but necessary step in understanding myself and how I move through the world.
Changed my name and worked on my sense of self (ah, gee, that was with a heap of help, but that’s for another day).
Creative and lifestyle endeavours
Starting and maintaining this Substack has been a way to share my insights and learn more about myself in the process. Four months of near weekly posts! Whoo hoo!
Moving out of Sydney and to the country in the year 2000 with my young daughter was a game choice that also removed me from my friends but aligned with my values and gave us the space to grow. We repeated this to relocate to Blackwood from Footscray in 2014. Both moves have been tough alone, but have introduced my family into community living.
Nature and exploration
Walking, sleeping and spending time alone in nature has helped me explore how humans, technology, and the environment depend on each other. (Well, the Earth does a good job on its own, however it got humans to here, so we must have some role!)
It’s in those quiet, solo moments among mossy green and running water that I connect dots and find clarity. But I’ve learned the most significant transformations happen when these insights spark connection—with others or through writing here.
Then again, while my time in nature had helped me get grounded, I’ve also learned that most significant transformations happen when these insights are shared and used to connect.
With Others
While independence is in my DNA, my most impactful work has happened through working with others:
Emergency response and community care
Teaming up with locals and local paramedics, I spent years responding to health emergencies as a volunteer first responder. Supporting people in my community at their most vulnerable moments taught me a lot about collective human compassion and strength. I also supported teams within the emergency services across Victoria and Australia, learning that systematic collaboration is key to real change in community and it doesn’t occur top down, but in all directions.
Collaborative innovation
There are teams of smart and inquiring leaders around the world discussing and learning about AI, tech, and nature, contributing to collective ideas about the future. It’s been my privilege over 2024 to be invited to join in on some of these. My mind is blown with every conversation as my neural networks fire up.
My upcoming study (see below) will deepen this collaboration—working alongside others as a systems level while I support regenerative conversations that guide us toward more balanced futures.
Collective learning
Creating safe spaces is my joy. Nothing makes me smile more than teams and individuals who share and grow, whether through workshops, mentoring, or informal conversations. (See my AI comment at the end of this post.)
Botanic Gardens in Canberra, December, 2024.
I have something to tell you about 2025…
In a month, I’ll begin a Masters of Applied Cybernetics at Australian National University (ANU), joining 20 diverse thinkers to tackle complex ‘wicked’ problems. This program will help me gather the tools to deepen Gen2200’s mission while honing my systems thinking and collaboration skills. I can’t wait! Alongside my studies, I’ll stay active with the Catalyst network, the AI Coaching Forum, the Humans Plus AI group, and regenerative systems thinkers worldwide. And, of course, this community at Towards Gen2200 remains a cornerstone of my journey. What a year it will be!
Will you help me and Gen2200?
Whether it’s sharing this post, subscribing, or contributing your ideas, your involvement matters. Perhaps you’d like to draft principles, share resources, or write a guest post—I’d love to hear from you.
And, here is a ‘your turn’ as always…
What are you doing alone?
What are you doing together?
And how do they shape the way you see the world?
What do you need to do this work, and how can I, and all of us at Towards Gen2200 help you?
Let’s keep this conversation going.
Best always,
Jax
PS, for anyone returning to work who hasn’t yet given generative AI a go, I’m running my last introduction to AI Course in January. Reach out and I’ll fill you in with details.
Want more?
Generative AI guidance for professionals and solopreneurs, contact me Jax@gen2200.com.
My photos— Flickr
Wow Jax. The quote is so powerful. The idea that we achieve nothing in isolation deeply resonates with me. Because even when we are alone, we are influenced by others. I look at my life and I cannot think of anything I have really done alone. Sure, there are things I consider my achievements especially in study and work. But always there have been other people in my life either supporting me directly or walking alongside me. I see myself in the reflection of how I read and respond to other people. Without others, what am I, who am I, and what do I want for myself? These are questions I am pondering at the moment.