Happy February Everyone!
I know I have been “radio silent” for going on 6 months now but I’ve had some good reasons.
The first is that I’ve been recovering from knee replacement surgery which can require a year for full recovery. At this point, I’m almost 4 months post-op and doing quite well. That said, it has also been a journey of patience, persistence and a firm commitment to doing what’s necessary for rehab and healing.
Simultaneously, my second reason for delaying a return to business as usual has been the events that have rocked the global community. For me, when things get this roiled up in the world, it always sends me into a deep dive about how I’m showing up in my own life. And this time – as never before – my introspection was mixed with an urgent longing to take action that will make a definitive difference.
It took a bit longer than I expected to get on track with my physical recovery and to find some grounding in response to the daily contentious, divisive current events.
Finally, however, my own soul searching has led to a deep belief that what’s going on for all of us is fundamentally a much needed summons to evolve as never before, both personally and collectively.
It is nothing less than an opportunity to channel fear, confusion, and anger into a rededication to be purposeful to the core of our being. It certainly is our time to stand for what is in alignment with our values. Truly we can’t be complacent anymore and anything meaningful that’s been on the back burner should be brought forward for consideration to carry out.
In this vein – since I love choosing a word for each new year that symbolizes the energy of what I envision for my life – for 2017, I picked the word “galvanized”!
Galvanized means to electrify, to stimulate, to awaken, to invigorate, to catalyze, to animate, to thrill and to inspire.
For me, to be galvanized has the energy of life enhancing forward movement. The word also embodies for me the dynamic energy behind my dedication to launch everything I’m inspired to do from the foundation of my own inner growth work and the honest ongoing clean up of my own shadow issues. I know my desire to make a difference begins with me.
If I’m doing that kind of work on myself, I can trust that I will bring clarity to any actions I take. I can confidently galvanize myself to fully commit to what I am a “stand for”. I can trust I will be part of the solutions for human rights, environmental sustainability, and peace. I can ignite my passion for positively contributing to a planet that is safe and filled with opportunities for us, for our children and for the generations to come.
I do recognize that there are some initial pitfalls for all of us who are feeling this kind of call to action. Here are just a couple of challenges with some suggested remedies:
First, a call to put your line in the sand for yourself and/or others has always been a call to bravery and to make truthful choices – the kinds of choices that are life-changing. This can bring up fear of the future and of the unknown.
But here’s what I know from my own experience and working with many clients. Everything we want is beyond fear. Often engaging with what is out of our comfort zone is what we actually need in order to have what we’ve longed for. It can even lead to positive outcomes beyond our imagining especially when our intention is to create outcomes that are a win-win for all concerned.
To cultivate courage and strengthen my resolve, I focus on actions or strategies that viscerally feel authentically empowering and are aligned with what’s possible. I know that if I bravely walk that yellow brick road, insights will emerge for practical solutions and each step will reveal more of who I truly am.
Secondly, there is a lot going on. There so many worthy issues in our world that require attention, time and action. There are so many fronts on which to take a stand. It can be confusing as to where to put your energy. And even when you make a choice, it can be exhausting and hard to hold your center while trying to find your footing on the daily shifting sands of what’s needed.
My centering antidote for overwhelm and avoiding emotional fatigue is to not neglect my self care. I know this is a drum I beat a lot, but I’ve learned that I can’t help anyone in my personal life, my professional life or my community if I neglect myself at this basic level. Being out in nature, eating well, getting enough sleep, making time for fun and, most importantly, practicing daily habits that connect me with my inner guidance expand my bandwidth for productively engaging with life.
Also, to combat confusion about where to take a stand, these are my simple strategies. There are small ways to support all issues but I’ve also chosen just a few that I will champion more robustly. I collaborate with good people who have a clear vision for being positively effective. I’ve made peace with the fact that, for most of the pressing issues these days, it’s a long game. As I said earlier, I’ve learned from my knee replacement recovery that persistence, patience and showing up is what’s necessary to create healing and meaningful results.
Crucial times such as these require those willing to go to bat for a world that works for everyone. We can do this…together!
