Resolve to Change the World
Dear Neighbors,
Resolve in these times feels tricky as we adapt to our ever-evolving political, social, and economic landscape. So, in January I kept my 2026 resolutions to one overarching goal: Be more present in the present.
By design, I lead a boisterous and busy life. I am less practiced at making time and space for contemplative introspection, a habit I admire in friends, mentors, leaders, and historical figures.
Which is why last December, I eagerly attended my first Rodel Fellowship seminar - an opportunity designed to provide a space for personal reflection, learning, and growth. Through the fellowship a diverse group of elected officials discussed ethical leadership, political thought, and religion, using a wide array of texts and teachings from around the world and throughout history. It was expansive and mind-opening, but also instructive as to how human we have remained despite the many changes in our world.
One of my unexpected revelations from the session? Impactful leaders change the world not through powerful strength, but through resolute, collective care.
I thought of this again yesterday as I read author Rebecca Solnit’s recent interview about her new book - Thed. She says: Maybe changing the world is more like caregiving than it is like war. Beginning Comes After The End. She says: Maybe changing the world is more like caregiving than it is like war.
I was stunned. Not because I find this idea particularly radical, but because it seems so blatantly obvious even though it is not yet fully realized in our contemporary society.
What if we collectively waged care instead of war in our own front yards, sidewalks, public meetings, and dinner tables? What if giving care was the central focus of our policymaking across all levels of government? How can we put care into everything we say and do?
As I work to manifest this at a policy level, I will be co-chairing NewDEAL Forum’s Caring for Families Taskforce. This initiative focuses on addressing rising costs, persistent workforce shortages, and limited supply that have left families and communities across the country struggling to find reliable child care, healthcare, and eldercare. You can listen to my recent interview here.
Our shared humanity is powerful enough to unite us if we stay present with it. What does resolve in 2026 feel like for you? For me, it is the flower bud hanging on in the spring snowstorm, the dog walk in the dark morning, and saying yes to two more minutes of toddler snuggles.
As I seek to be present in the present, I am reinvigorated to cultivate love and care in a tangible way moment to moment, decision to decision. Thank you for caring so deeply about the people and places around you.