Bittersweet
In October 2023, I signed off an email to my list as “Brianna Tosswill, champion of the Bittersweet” which might have come across as cryptic to some. I’ve been a bit obsessed with the concept of Bittersweetness since I read that book by Susan Cain (May 2023).
I’ve long talked about being a person who “feels all the feelings” and a way that I offer comfort to myself and my friends is by reminding us to try and hold two simultaneous (maybe opposing) truths together.
In January 2023, I set my intention for the year with this card.
May your days be filled/with uncomplicated joy./May your efforts/become easy./This year, may you thrive.
And looking back on it, the phrase “uncomplicated joy” stands out as particularly ironic. I experienced a lot of joy that year and it was all incredibly complicated. Some points of illustration: I experienced my most significant professional wins while grieving the untimely death of a close friend. I learned that I was bi in a way that changed a different close friendship irrevocably. Every moment of profound sadness has been lightened by the incredible beauty of feeling seen and loved by friends and family.
My intention card the year before this was also way off in a way that doesn’t invalidate it. Simultaneous truths:
My intentions did not result in a year that matched them.
My intentions shaped my year by providing a point of focus, even though my focus had unintentional outcomes. I grew in a way I didn’t know I needed to.
