Be Who Listens …

Guest Post by Elena Lipson, Self-Care Mentor

On this day of “women’s march” …
you may be feeling lots of feels…
I know I am.

I’ve been feeling into the right thing to say, share and write during this crazy time.

I’m part mystic, part optimist, part Self-Care advocate for women who are doing important work in the world. From my 2 decades of coaching, training in corporations, working with women leaders to find center again ….

I KNOW that that most important thing you can do for
yourself, your work and the world around you is to be WELL.

Learn more about living well >

“YOU are the container for the work that you do.”
– Elena Lipson, Self-care Mentor

So I’ve been asking myself how I can support the work that needs to be done
without getting sucked into the hurricane of negativity from all directions.

When I was 12 years old,
my parents gave me a copy of The Diary of Anne Frank.

That book was my entry point into a world of horror, unbelievable accounts of what people can do to each other.

And the stunned awareness that there are those who simply turned away out of fear, out of denial, or out of sheer ignorance that something like the holocaust was possible.

On a soul level, I still don’t quite understand the holocaust.

I still don’t understand how people can be so cruel to each other.
I know, I know …
all of the horrors of the world are reality …
right now, for so many.
And it breaks my heart.

I don’t know what to do about it.

I wasn’t raised in an activist family.

I don’t feel called to hold a sign and scream at the other side.

Deep in my soul, I can see what’s possible for humanity.

But I don’t know exactly how to get there.

What I DO know is this.

“I know that despondency, depression, and denial
are the fast path to another horror on all levels.”

We can’t simply shut down and look away.

Here are 6 ways to support yourself
so that you can do your work and make a difference … in the chaos:

1. GATHER

Don’t be alone in your sadness – this is the time to gather with close friends and family and support each other physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Can you commit to a weekly meal to connect and talk about the important issues and how you can process and understand the true situation?

To see examples of women and girls gathering in COMMUNITY, go here >

2. PRAY

Get clear on what your intentions are for this time. This is important so that you don’t get wrapped up in screaming matches with those who feel differently from you.

You can choose to pray for peace, love, compassion for yourself and others.

See stories about MEDITATING for CLARITY and INTENTION.

3. JOIN

You truly are not alone. Find a local organization that is doing good work locally.
So many are distracted by feeling like we can never change anything at the federal level… and for the most part, that’s true.
BUT… there are SO many passionate local organizations in all local government that CAN make a difference on a local level.

That’s where we can start … where you’re rooted.