Planet > people > profit
In nearly 50 journeys around the sun, I have experienced love, loss, amazement, and disillusionment. Just like Rhea, I have gotten myself tangled up with bad men. I have born and buried children. I have fought to protect what’s precious and lovely in this world. I have suffered under the wrath of the patriarchy.
And yet, I rise.
I often ask myself, "what is personal resilience?" It seems to be the new 'buzz word' and yet, I firmly believe that changing the vernacular we use does not change the problems we face.
We come into this world dependent upon others to survive. Yet, we often times live lives that push away the beauty and simplicity. We act in ways that are harmful to ourselves, each other, and the planet. Why?
I believe that we assume facing disappointment is a necessary part of life. It is a cognitive distortion of the grandest scale. And, sadly, if we earn enough of it, we pay it forward by building walls around us for protection. We hide behind superficial veils of deception. We, not unlike Rhea, try and 'trick' the villains who torment us. We even shrink or contort ourselves into uncomfortable supplications so that others are not uncomfortable being around us. We essentially deny the very truth of our inner selves.
The truth of our being, however, is embedded in our biochemistry upon birth, influenced by our surroundings, and it yearns to be expressed through us, in relationship with others, in our work, as caregivers, and through our natural curious creativity.
Discovering this truth sometimes requires assistance.
Everyone experiences loss. The old saying, “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” is actually a disingenuous slight against those experiencing loss. We've surrendered to the acceptance of this truly unacceptable behavior. And this sentiment has proliferated our social media feeds. The personal development coaching space has exploded over the last few years. I personally find it challenging to find an authentic mentor whose primary goal is to help others, rather than brag about their profits. And, whether you are paying attention or paying for services, you might notice the irony behind the promotional offers.
I believe that is possible to establish your own personal self-care rituals that are affordable, realistic, and grounded. Sure, you may not be able to literally ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps,’ but you can create better conditions by creating daily rituals for resilience.
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Resilience means the ability to withstand and recover from disturbances or difficulties.
rituals for resilience
Okay, so what does personal resilience have to do with humanity and current global events? Well, staying with the story of Rhea, we might reflect on what we tend to do when someone or something disturbs our peace or takes away something we value. Our tendencies are like habits. By learning and adopting new behaviors that move us closer to who we want to become, we can pull ourselves up not by our bootstraps, but through personal resilience. It is possible to live the life you dream of living, or at least, begin to become more of what you seek, rather than hide your gifts because you fear losing them.
The hardest lessons I have learned always benefited from the simplest solutions. It starts with choice. It is a deliberate choice to live light on the land, in community with others, and within ourselves. The world can be chaotic, out of balance, and scary, but, rediscovering your calm, balance, and strength amid the chaos is possible and - - will ripple out all around you.
Greed, power grabs, and intergenerational privileges have created disequilibrium among the three pillars of a resilient community, which is used to guide sustainable development practices. Traditional thinking (aka patriarchal power structures) has created conditions for Earth's sixth mass extinction and acceleration of Anthropogenic change like never seen before in human history.
I believe we have lost our connection to our Divinity and lost sight of our purpose on Earth. One way I'd like to help others correct this imbalance is through what I am calling, Moon Girl Guides. Check it out here: https://moongirlguides.com/
Traditional Thinking
Traditional thinking seems fair at first glance. When balanced, this approach would guide sustainable development – meaning that growth and expansion can perpetuate indefinitely and that the common good would be protected. When out of balance, the majority will experience disturbance, while the minority, insulated by their wealth and power, will experience more growth and expansion. A perfect example of this is when, during the pandemic, many of us experienced loss while the privileged wealthy, like Jeff Bezos, experienced unprecedented exponential financial accumulation.
purpose before prosperity
I believe that prioritizing the ecological resilience of the planet and the people who live and depend on a healthy, functioning ecosystem should come first, before any thought of profit. Furthermore, that pursuit of profit should be replaced with a dedication to prosperity for all beings. And finally, a person’s purpose always comes before prosperity.
Wise people say that when you get to do what you love for a living, you will never work a day in your life. There is a Japanese word, Ikagai, that essentially describes this concept. When passion, mission, profession, and vocation are aligned, you are living your purpose – fulfilling the innate and unique expression that is you and only you.
Or maybe you are familiar with the Rig Veda? It is an ancient text that characterizes the Four Aims of Life: Darma (your purpose and passion), Kama (pleasure and love), Artha (prosperity and best practices), and Moksha (liberation and spirituality).
Living LiT up means capitalizing on a variety of spiritual counseling tools, setting and committing to healthy habits, and trusting the benefits obtained from using different forms of journaling and other wellness best practices. It is a do-it-yourself (DIY) approach to coaching that is designed for and completely customized to you, your life, and your purpose.
Living Lit up
Living a simple life versus one complicated by intergenerational privilege and status for me means a life that is balanced and instead of “eating my future” based on the fear of loss, I can “protect” my future by choosing love over fear and purposeful prosperity over selfish profits. The LiT model serves as a guide, for you as you lovingly unfold the layers that envelop your soul, or truest self, so that you can begin to lay the groundwork for living LiT up!
I have developed a DIY personal coaching system I call LiT. It stands for Life Improvement Tools. It is easy to live light on the land, in community with others, within your own heart. I promise. LiT can help:
- teenagers and young adults to discover their life path,
- recently widowed and/or empty nesters to rediscover their joy and purpose, and
- truly anyone wanting a “reset” in the course of their life.