Let’s get real for a second. This is a love note, a pep talk, and a call to action.
The world has felt extremely crazy lately.
I’m talking to clients, family, and friends (all good people with BIG hearts) who are feeling like a deer-in-the-headlights, asking themselves:
What can I do?
Does anything I do even matter? Will it be enough?
Am I a bad person for enjoying my day when others are suffering?
I a terrible person for worrying about my own challenges when others have it worse?
Let’s all take a deep breath (literally, it helps every time) and support each other.
There is much you can do to help, even in hard times.
First, be kind, loving, and compassionate with yourself and however you’re feeling.
It sounds cliche, but really you can’t be helpful if you’re too busy beating yourself up.
I was feeling like if I wasn’t rescuing people on boats in Texas, or pulling through the rubble in Mexico, I wasn’t doing enough. But that thinking makes you stuck instead of activated. #nothelpful
Second, take action and show up (I’ll give you some concrete ways below, if you’re called to them). Don’t judge things as too little to be worthy. Do what you can, my friend. It’ll help.
When life feels more out of control than usual, it’s even MORE important than ever to CONNECT with people and be in a community that is up to something good.
Last weekend, I did two things that helped me feel connected and useful, and in turn happier and empowered.
I spent Saturday night dancing my butt off with my husband, a few friends, and hundreds of strangers at a local non-profit’s, Intercambio Uniting Communities, big fundraiser. The room was packed with people from different backgrounds, united in a common desire to build community. I was lit up with HOPE.
On Sunday, I took my lovely teenage neighbor with me to see the Doctors Without Borders free exhibit Forced From Home, about the 65 million of refugees/displaced people worldwide.
I was blown away, and deeply moved, by the generosity of people to help others. I was reminded, yet again, of our shared humanity.
BOTTOM LINE:
Whether you’re a doctor, retail clerk, mom, teacher, lawyer, business owner, accountant, WHATEVER, is not what’s most important.
What matters is that you take your “you-ness,” your skill set, your big heart, your pocket book, your kind smile and SHARE it.
Because YOU matter.
How you show up in the morning with your family, when you walk into the office, smile at a strange, make a donation, stop to talk to a neighbor, hug your partner, call your mother, brainstorm solutions, create art, volunteer at your kid’s school… it all matters.
YOU, all of us, can create loving relationships and strong communities together.
We’ve got this.
You’re enough.
Do what you can.
Feel the love come back to you.
With much love and more “naked,”
Sage
P.S. If you want to work with me on how you can show up more fully, love yourself more deeply, and build amazing relationships, reply to this email to set up a time to talk about coaching.
Here are some ways to contribute to Red Cross efforts for Irma and Harvey, or refugee medical care.
And if you meant to watch, but never got around to it (I feel you), here are some more free video resources for you over in the private Naked Communication FB community:
- The power of taking action, even if imperfect or “small,” here.
- Or jamming on how to be happier more often.
HINT, it takes discipline. CLICK here to watch..
- How to stop beating yourself up and practice more SELF-COMPASSION. Please, please. We need this.