Embracing Our 10%

There’s something you should know about me.

I’m a burner.

Meaning, I’m a person who’s attended Burning Man and/or Burning Man-related events.

For all the connotations and associations that come to mind as you think about Burning Man, there’s simply one thing I’d like you to know:

Burning Man is one of the most incredible experiences of human creativity & connection.

Everything else, you can fill in the blanks.

Now, at Burning Man, there’s a rite of passage for every first-timer.

Every virgin burner.

It’s not a flashy ritual. It doesn’t require you to spin fire or build a sculpture out of scrap metal and zero-waste cardboard.

It’s much simpler than that.

You kneel down in the desert.

And you roll in the dust.

And if you’re lucky, you’ll receive one tremendously painstaking yet wise lesson:

There is more to do, see, feel, and encounter at Burning Man than you could ever possibly imagine.

Workshops. Sound baths. Solar-powered tea ceremonies. Midnight dance parties. Sunrise meditations. Blessed pancake breakfasts with strangers who become lifelong friends. A hundred new conversations. A thousand tempting invitations.

You’ll want to do it all.

Of course, you will.

This is the mecca of human creativity and connection.

The cathedral of cosmic chaos.

And still—

You won’t be able to.

Not even close.

You’ll hit your edge.

You’ll miss things.

You’ll hear stories of what happened at “that one camp on the other side of the playa” and know you weren’t there.

You’ll feel a host of emotions across the cosmically colored spectrum.

And that’s part of the experience.

That’s part of the wisdom.

You will only get to live a sliver of the whole.

10%.

The invitation, then, becomes clear:

How will you meet that 10%?

Will you chase it?

Or will you embrace it?

Will you frantically try to fit more in—more experiences, more checkboxes, more sparkle, more sunrise?

Or will you fully inhabit the piece that’s yours to hold—your 10%—with presence, gratitude, and wonder?

Because the magic isn’t in how much we gather.

It’s in how deeply we meet what we’ve been given.

This question ripples in resonance because, of course, it doesn’t just apply to Burning Man.

It applies to life.

To work.

To the week we just had.

To the day that’s before us.

To the season we’re in.

There’s always more we could be doing.

More to build, explore, launch, post, fix, give, understand, improve, share.

Always more.

But we are finite vessels.

We are strong-willed, tough-boned, tender-hearted humans with limits.

And to ignore that is to forfeit our peace.

We won’t experience every place.

We won’t make every connection.

We won’t read every book.

We won’t seize every opportunity.

But the part we do get to live?

The people we do get to meet?

The breath, the moment, the 10% that is truly ours?

That is sacred.

And our practice of this life is to be here for it.

To let the rest go.

To embrace our 10% fully, presently, gratefully, and wisely.

This is the lesson of the playa, and the joy of rolling around in the dusty blessing of what we’re given.

Embrace your 10%.

Reflections for Growth

• What is your current 10%?

  What part of life are you being asked to fully show up for right now? What’s asking for your complete attention and presence? How can you honor it?

• Where is your energy being split?

  Are you trying to do too much? Say yes to everything? What might it feel like to pull back—to commit to your 10% with presence instead of scattering your energy across the 90%?

• The Temptation of “More”

  Where do you feel the tug of trying to do, experience, or become everything? How does that affect your energy, relationships, and sense of peace?

Invitations for Practice

• Your 10% List

  At the start of your day (or week), make a list of everything you feel pulled to do, fix, or engage with this week. Then circle the 10% that truly matters (3-5 things). Let these be your North Stars. Then, practice letting the rest go.

• The Joy of Missing Out

  Intentionally say no to something thing this week—not from avoidance, but from sovereignty. Then notice what that “no” made space for.

• Releasing Regret

  Take a moment in the evenings this week to name one thing you didn’t get to. Then, say thank you for what you did experience. Let the rest go with a good, clearing breath.

As you practice, please jot down your thoughts and experiences. And as always, feel free to share your reflections directly with me.

Thank you for being part of my 10%,

If you’re enjoying Weaving Wisdoms, please consider sharing it with someone you feel might enjoy it as well.