2019 In Review (Yeah, I'm serious about transparency!)

Phew, 2019, you were a devil! The Who Is Mark Denome team (me with some advice here and there), did complete, of the seven goals we set, the two main ones: release Mark’s List LIVE!, and publish Being Truth’s Servant. At this time, I no longer plan to record and release the “Showing Up” civic dialogue podcast, nor the “Looking Up” theology podcast, at least not on my own dime anyway.

Expenses for the year exceeded $4,700, mostly for publishing, printing, and promoting costs, while income on the year was $543.20 (thirty three books sold and $350 from Patrons who happened to all be loving family members). This loss on the year was kinda expected, given I was not yet in the phase of soliciting speaking gigs and consulting contracts. I enter Phase 3 starting in March, after I retune my consulting toolkit and start searching for clients that want help with quality management and social responsibility. Does your org?

In 2020, I am also setting a goal that is as much business as personal: to better balance the magic of positive thought, abundance, and gratitude while continuing to raise our consciousness of the myth of the Just World Hypothesis and the harm of toxic positivity, political parties, politicians, religions, and more. I intend to do this by making fun of myself and making light of all the bold callouts and predictions Ive shared about just about everything. There’s a reason humor and humility are root words after all, and you have to admit the multiplication of all the critiques I’ve made is one wildly ridiculous equation, even if it does compute.

Next, now that I’m committed to actually taking care of myself again, I am ready, in the beginning of this year (actually I started in November), to advance to the next steps of my personal healing, which is three-fold for me. First, I aim to practice what I preach and commit to saving my own spirit first, by first spending some time outside the DC area, unhooked from news and social media and strife, to reconnect with what living was like before TheRump. I leave in two days to stay with friends on a coastal commune in Costa Rica!!

While I’m vacationing though, I will be participating in Russel Brand’s (free to all, so sign up!) One Commune course. I’m specifically seeking advice on orienting my thinking toward empowerment, working toward letting go of resentment of others for perceived harms, and trying to make amends with the people harmed by my choices to damage my life with my advocacy work (basically those who care about me). While I have no regrets, I am still responsible for the consequences of those choices.

Also while away, an inspiring friend and I are experimenting with a peer-guided course on personal improvement that is a highly recommended alternative to all the medicalization and therapies I’ve always criticized even before my graduate study of health policy. Maybe I’ll share more about that later once I understand it better.

This is going to be a rejuvenating trip for me. Im so excited, Ive packed earlier than Ive ever packed for any trip before. Im definitely returning though, after a month (maybe two!), for a long overdue knee surgery and ankle surgery that are part of prioritizing my own wellness. I want to share a sincere “thank you” to all of you for helping me get to this point. If you were someone who was watching while I worked through some dark stuff, and still found the strength to be patient, kind, and even encouraging, you may have helped save my life. Even though I’ve written about “Relearning To Be,” I honestly didn’t think I would see the day when I could move forward from past hurt and have hope in a new rewarding existence.

In summary, the Who Is Mark Denome goals for 2020 are:

  1. Pitch my consulting toolkit to 35 organizations;

  2. Retune my messaging regarding healthy positivity;

  3. Spend a month of rejuvenation away from the beltway;

  4. Incorporate a practice of forgiveness into my monthly self check-in;

  5. Attempt amends with loved ones I’ve alienated; and

  6. Continue my hobby to upkeep and advance Mark’s List. ***Friendly reminder that you can contribute either by sending your credible input to markslistinput@gmail.com, or by donating through Patreon, so I can hire researchers to fill the database!!!

In 2020 and ever after, I encourage you all to match my effort to form a clear vision of who you want to be, then achieve it.

Mark DeNome