4 good things born from these times
As I travel around the US speaking and facilitating resiliency workshops/retreats, just about everywhere I go, I witness emotional fatigue and exhaustion. I know Clarissa Pinkola Estes says, “We were made for these times.” But between all the political and social upheaval, natural disasters and off-the-charts stress and anxiety—it doesn’t always feel that way.
Yesterday morning over breakfast, I asked my husband and son, “So what good is coming from these crazy, chaotic times—there has to be something?!” As we all sat with this question and shared our observations, these four gifts emerged:
We’re more real, raw and vulnerable in our relationships. I noticed this the other day while visiting with a friend after a yoga class and then later that week with a mom at a school function. We have no desire for small talk—we need each other to help us process, release and integrate what we’re experiencing moment to moment.
We have a growing hunger to learn meditation and mindfulness practices. Last month I delivered a 90-minute resiliency workshop to a group of financial consultants and they wanted to spend the whole session on meditation. We all get “problems can’t be solved on the level at which they are created” (thank you Einstein) and more than ever, we’re searching for ways to calm the mind, find stillness and anchor within ourselves.
We’re ready to “dig in” and tackle our spiritual/emotional work. Whether that’s getting support for our marriage, our relationship with our teen, having a tough conversation with our boss or taking the first steps towards an overdue career change– we’re tired of stagnating in indecision. We’re all sensing how fragile and fleeting life is and asking, “If not now, then when?!”
We’re more big-hearted, generous and have an openness of spirit. Yes, this has always been present, but more and more I’m noticing many who are not just saying,“We’re all in this together”—they’re taking action to prove it. Read more in Feeling Powerless? Try Action-Motivation-Action.
Marianne Williamson, spiritual teacher/author of Return to Love—a book that had an enormous impact on my life—says, “Today we’re seeing both the best of humanity and the worst.”
It’s easy to get caught up in tribal fear but much more challenging to tap into tribal hope.
This week I challenge you to observe your interactions with others. What gifts are you seeing that are being born from these times? Share them on our Facebook page LiveInsideOutwithReneeTrudeau; I’d love to hear from you.
Want support for gaining perspective and building resiliency?
- Schedule me to speak to—or organize a retreat for—your organization, company or team on life balance, resiliency and stress management. Learn more.
- Explore the idea of facilitating or joining our Personal Renewal Groups for women (in 10 countries worldwide); becoming a RTA-Certified Facilitator can be a great way to support your own growth, empower women locally and learn the art of self-care. Our online training is $100 off through Oct. 31st and includes private coaching with me!
- Self-employed and live in Texas? Join me and other soulful women Friday, Oct. 20 at Soma Vida Work-Life Balance & Wellness Center in Austin, TX, at UNLEASHED ATX for seasoned business owners. Our theme is Cultivating Discernment: How to Become Your Own Business Advisor. Learn more; early bird rate good through Oct. 18.
Subscribe here to Live Inside Out, a weekly blog written by mindfulness coach/speaker/author Renée Peterson Trudeau. Passionate about living intentionally, her work has appeared in The New York Times, Good Housekeeping, Spirituality & Health and more. Thousands of women in ten countries are becoming RTA-Certified Facilitators and leading/joining Personal Renewal Groups based on her award-winning self-care curriculum. She is the author of The Mother’s Guide to Self-Renewal and Nurturing the Soul of Your Family: 10 Ways to Reconnect and Find Peace in Everyday Life. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and 15 year-old son. More on her background here.
