This past year has been a whirlwind for me. I mean sure, we all have that complaint, "how is it already freakin December?" But this was next-level whirlwind. I'm talking, time was moving at some kind of grad-student, cerebral day-to-day learning this, getting up to speed on that, has my head been in some kind of hole all week because suddenly it's-Friday-again whirlwind.
For this reason, I thought I might reflect on 2014 in four simple quotes.
1. "Instead of saying “I don’t have time” try saying “it’s not a priority,” and see how that feels. Often, that’s a perfectly adequate explanation. I have time to iron my sheets, I just don’t want to. But other things are harder. Try it: “I’m not going to edit your résumé, sweetie, because it’s not a priority.” “I don’t go to the doctor because my health is not a priority.” If these phrases don’t sit well, that’s the point. Changing our language reminds us that time is a choice. If we don’t like how we’re spending an hour, we can choose differently." - LAURA VANDERKAM
My number one quote for 2014 – this article from the Wall Street Journal struck such a chord with me. It was one of those pieces that sits so well – suddenly someone has given description to something you’ve felt for a long time. Time is such an interesting concept in our society, our culture, and our lives. Reading this reminded me, I have the ability and the choice to say something isn’t a priority. I’ve been making an effort since reading this to be better in my communications with friends, coworkers and even myself as to how/when/ and why my time is spent.
2. "Even if the foremost authority in the world can’t explain some remarkable biological phenomenon, this doesn’t mean that it is inexplicable. Plenty of mysteries have lasted for centuries and finally yielded to explanation." - RICHARD DAWKINS
This quote really rings true in the context of the disease I spend most of my graduate studies trying to understand: Huntington’s disease. We identified the single gene, the root cause of this devastating disease, over thirty years ago – and yet, there is still no cure or real treatment for it today. We still don’t even have a clear sense of what the normal huntingtin protein is doing in the cell – what its real purpose is. The good news is, I think we are inching closer. Dawkins gives me hope.
3. "Near as anyone can tell, evolution is not guided by a mind or a plan. It just is. Our perceptions of whether evolution is being generous or malevolent are based entirely on whether we think that we are the ones coming out on top." - BILL NYE
I love this quote from Bill Nye. He’s taking the ego out of the scientific agenda. We all need to hear this sometimes, right? Biology – evolution – it has patterns, yes, but it just is. What’s important is that we recognize science as a system for mapping out things that might in reality be happenstance.
4. “Beyoncé doesn’t just sit at the table. She builds a better one.” - SHERYL SANDBERG
I threw this one in here because, in all reality – this is the quote of 2014 for me. Beyoncé, diva / superstar that she is – amazes me with the drive / creative output and influence that she wields. The ultimate Beyoncé high for me this year was when she sampled from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s incomparable TED talk on feminism in her song Flawless. Music can be such a powerful vehicle in our culture. I wish I had grown up listening to songs like this because it has such an important message, and a really relevant one for women in science, tech etc. I’ve put my career first over and over again because that’s what I want for myself, and yet you hear those little whispers – societal standards. It's like this dark undercurrent I can't quite put my finger on. Why do I feel intimidated about wearing heels to work, or why do I sometimes contemplate downplaying my femininity? This year I really started to acknowledge some of these little nuances and behavior changes I was making to somehow fit standards that in the end, are outdated and unnecessary.
The point is – I want to be building a better table, not just sitting at one!
Looking forward to a fantastic 2015!
Cheers.