Get Shit Done Day
a guest post from communications expert and cancer survivor Nadia Walker
You know I think A LOT about how people can show up for one another in community. I lived in cohousing for a decade. I now live in a multi-generational household (and 2 blocks from my brother and his family, who are all up in our mix). I love Mia Birdsong’s insights. I love Rhaina Cohen’s insights. I am excited to hear
’s insights when she publishes the book she’s working on.The bottom line is that we need one another, and we actually know how to show up for one another in a million interesting and creative ways. We have to make these very local, sweet, and seemingly small (but very lovingly grand) gestures visible so that we can copy each other, ask for help more bravely, and give help in more imaginative ways.
I feel even more strongly about all of this in the wake of this election. We can’t control the presidency (we certainly tried to have an influence, and will continue to), but we can control how we show up for our people in our daily lives. Do it so creatively, beautifully, and generously that it flies in the face of the bullshit dominant paradigm of buying our way out of suffering and only depending on ourselves that this presidency is going to cram down everyone’s throats. (Not that I have strong feelings about it. 😜)
My friend Nadia Walker is one such true blue, community genius who has been through her own dumpster fires and shown up for others with exquisite attention during theirs.
She posted this description of Get It Done Day (or Get Sh*t Done Day, which I personally prefer), and I knew I wanted to share it with you all.
There have been so many acts of help and kindness since that November 2021 diagnosis, but one I most wish I could pass to others in need is the blueprint of Get It Done Day, (or Get Sh*t Done Day because of the deep exhale it brings about).
Rewind back to the start of March 2022. I was 36 weeks pregnant and became acutely overwhelmed by how much there was to do before baby number three made her entrance. Induction was planned two weeks later at 38 weeks. I had my doula on tap and some additional caregivers to help me get through the postpartum phase (I needed to restart chemo two weeks post birth). One friend stopped by in person and asked about my to-dos before baby’s arrival.
The list was long and beyond the powers of one pregnant lady going through cancer treatment.
So five amazing friends rallied to orchestrate a day of ruthlessly purging excess, organizing, cleaning, building furniture and more, all with smiles, laughter and joy. One friend, while framing and mounting art, created a collage out of unwieldy piles of kids' art, now a centerpiece in our family room. Each person had a special flavor of helping that when mixed together resulted in an unstoppable force.
Kim's ability to see all the individual spaces/tasks/jobs and holistically tie them together, Alex for building, mounting and fixing, Christine for leadership, project management, and lightening speed, Kate for design, joy and working with the community, Sally for creativity and curation, James for going with the flow and stepping in where needed.
Get It Done Day was community at its best, united by a shared purpose. A day of giving help and receiving it, centered in joy being together to get things done.
Kim, recapped this beautifully when I asked her for the memory of the day’s making:
The idea came up when a group was brainstorming ways to help, knowing you and your family were carrying so much. Someone started a spreadsheet, listing all the things that needed to be done around the house—moving cribs and kids’ beds, clearing out kitchen space, organizing things, prepping for the baby, and helping shift the other kids’ rooms. It was clear there was a lot to do, and we wanted to support you without making it complicated.
As we looked at the list and tried to plan out who could handle what, it became evident that coordinating everyone over multiple days would be overwhelming for us all. Then, the light bulb moment hit…. why not just get everyone together on a single day, make it a mini “event,” and knock it all out? One day where, everyone would show up at 9 a.m. armed with coffee, pastries, tool belts, and sticky notes. Tasks were organized: one person would tackle the toy room, another would assemble new furniture, someone would take a truck and swap out sofas, and someone else would organize the kitchen. IKEA furniture was assembled, rooms got reorganized, and everyone left feeling accomplished.
The day was born out of the need to simplify and support you in a way that wouldn’t feel overwhelming but instead felt efficient. Everyone knew their role, there were no extra logistics, and the power of everyone showing up together really helped set things in place. It was truly one of those “we can do this together” moments.
What we didn’t realize in the planning stages was how good it would feel for everyone involved. People described it as one of the happiest days they’d had in a long time. My guess is that it was a combination of giving help, receiving help, feeling progress towards a shared purpose, being together and getting things done as a team.
You might think this level of love and care is only for the unthinkable - a pregnant lady going through Cancer, but that’s simply not true. We are all living our own versions of struggle, trauma and hardship. You don't need to be chronically ill for this kind of support to come about. In fact, it’s a better way to live in general - reliant upon and connected in community. It also doesn't center around new gadgets, products and spending - the gift is in attention, time and care. Anyone can create a version of this to fit their lives.
I wish I had done more to have this tradition live on, but I’m capturing it now and giving it the credit it deserves. If you know someone who needs some Get It Done Day love I hope this post helps you support them to get started.
Get It Done Day recipe for success:
Step one: Ask a handful of friends to gather and give up a day of their time. Decide your overall goal - where do you want to be at the end of it? What ground rules do you have? Where can you let go and trust the people who know you best?
Step two. Write and collaboratively edit a list. Prioritize tasks. Assign friends rooms, or stations, or jobs, or have someone play the project manager role and take the lead.
Step three. Stock up on snacks, food and drinks for the day. Fuel people up and then let them roll.
Step four: Lean on people’s strengths. Who is good at curating spaces? Who can list items for donation online and work with the local community? Who has an eye for good design? Who is good at handy work and building? Who is creative? Have trust! Let go.
Step five: exhale, celebrate, share praise and thanks, pass on or gift the ritual to someone who needs it.
Isn’t Nadia (and her community) just the best? I love her so much. She’s one of the people in my life who just exudes this rare mix of dignity and authenticity that is infectious and makes me want to be around her.
Thank you Nadia! So, who do you need to do a Get Shit Done Day For? Or who can you put out the bat signal to so you can have friends do one for you?
Organizing a Get It Done Day is maybe a less challenging undertaking than building a community who would rise up and offer that.
Faith communities often having specific organization for that, a crew of volunteers who go to the homes of people who are isolated and lack social support. There are non-profit agencies too that offer support for people on their radar.
I think it can be hard for very outgoing people to understand how hard building informal community is for the great majority of fairly isolated people. What is easy for one is often very difficult for others.
love this. it's so great that she highlighted how meaningful and fun it was for the helpers, too.