It’s been another week of intentional dismantling and chaos creation by our elected (and unelected) leadership. As I write on this quiet Sunday morning, however, I am celebrating that I have managed to stay grounded and action-oriented.
High points:
- Finding the right helpers to point me to the free clinic for school vaccinations needed for a newly arrived 5-year-old Afghan boy to start kindergarten.
- Having the patience and curiosity to spend two hours in that clinic with this beautiful child and his mother as the kind head nurse worked with the school to find the enrollment paperwork I had submitted earlier in the week.
- Shifting the frustrated energy of the woman at the registration desk who was being asked to let us in, going against the protocols she had been given. Meeting her annoyance with warmth, empathy, and gratitude transformed her energy 180 degrees.
- Helping one of the first Afghan girls we welcomed three years ago (a flourishing high school senior now), apply for her first job.
- Enrolling another empowered middle school girl in that same family in the running program Girls on the Run/Heart and Sole. (Take THAT Taliban!)
There is so much I can’t control right now in our domestic and international policy developments. But these pockets of donated time are my personal way of filling in what feel like ever-increasing Empathy gaps, at least at the leadership level.
In the process of problem-solving and path finding for our Afghan refugee friends, I have discovered the many quiet supporters, connectors, and behind-the-scenes contributors who maintain the true social safety net of our country. These are the heart-centered citizens who will continue to uphold our values these next four years and beyond.
Intentional choices that have helped me navigate the past week with clarity and resilience:
- Using my mental fitness tools and daily habits to stay grounded in presence.
- Avoiding doom scrolling and other sources of stress.
- Asking the question “What would be of service?” from a clear-eyed, action-oriented perspective.
How are you navigating the turbulence of uncertainty? Are you spending more time in stress or connection with purpose?
If you’re not sure, check in with your body. Purpose work does not feel stressful. Purpose work is energizing, not depleting. Purpose work leaves you feeling good – hopeful, even — regardless of the ever-changing external situation.
If you could use some strengthening of the mental muscles required to live into your potential with resilience and clarity as we meet this moment, my next 12-Week Mental Fitness Training program might be a good fit for you. Book a free 45-minute consultation call with me here to learn more.
