“Freedom is on the other side of reflection. As difficult as it may be to disengage from attachments and co-dependencies, the freedom to become more authentic and sovereign in your life is worth what you are being asked to give up. Pay attention to what people and circumstances are reflecting back to you. Observe what you are reflecting back to others. Be aware of your insights, intuition and curiosity. Use what you see to question everything and discern what makes sense internally for you. Be inspired by the answers and what you are coming to realize and know.” -Lena Stevens
Throughout history, we have learned to fight. Fight for what we want. Fight against what we don’t want. We have, often, played on the defensive team, blocking and tackling what life brings to our door. We’ve been on autopilot and automatic. We’ve been reactive in our thoughts, interpretations and actions. And this, where we are right now in time, is where all of this has collectively gotten us.
I believe the current circumstances that we are all facing are giving us an incredible opportunity to do it differently. To be collaborative instead of competitive and combative. To ask of ourselves to BE better in order to do better. To realize that even if we are confused and hurting, we can still approach others from a place of open-heartedness, patience and compassion.
We can stand on completely opposite sides of the fence and still offer up reverence and grace to others. We CAN grow, and we CAN rise above where we’ve gone, what we’ve done and who we’ve been. I KNOW we can.
Sure, this time, like others in the past, is calling us to be innovative and flexible, but I believe it is also calling for us to be more sensitive, aware and humane.
A friend recently shared a great post about Airbnb and the way in which they brought transparency and support to their choice to lay off some of their people. No gaslighting, no ghosting and no trying to ignore the crisis at hand. Head on, compassionate and clear communication and honor and appreciation for the value of each person within the company.
Whether it is in our personal or professional lives, we can do and be better than we have before. It takes awareness, dedication and ownership . . . not for others, but for ourselves first. We each live in closest proximity to ourselves. Therefore, liking who we are and how we show up in this world is essential. This is the only way we will stay accountable to being better to others. It comes from being better for ourselves.
One of the things I do with my clients is help them define their value, approach and ideal environments.
My own value is defined through these words: Loving, Genuine, Observant, Purposeful & Reverent.
This is what I have to offer in every interaction I have. This is what I have to give.
In the past weeks, I have been even more mindful of showing up with these gifts, regardless of the environment I am in.
Traditionally, if we want to learn to do and be better, we need challenge. This is how we have learned to grow. I believe we can learn to do and be better without instigation, but until we get there as a world, we can use the place we are in to rise to the gauntlet that has been thrown.
The time we are in is, indeed, challenging each of us to not only focus on what’s important, but also to be visionary and know what we put out there today will, as it always has, create the tomorrow we will all experience.