Blog Posts - Braving the Hot Mess

The Sunlight Of Awareness

4/19/2022

A beautiful quote by Buddhist Monk Thich Nhat Hanh that I love is, “Each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes sacred. If you touch one thing with deep awareness, you touch everything.” I absolutely love this, it brings forth wonderful imagery.

The word sacred means connected with God. Therefore, the quote becomes...each thought, each action in the sunlight of awareness becomes connected with God.

I like to envision holding out my thought, or my action, in the sunlight of awareness and then ask myself, "Is this a godly thought, or is this a godly action?" That deep awareness of being connected with God, being one with all, and shining a bright ray of light on that deep awareness with the knowledge that it touches everything.

This doesn't mean that we won't have challenging feelings like anger, frustration, sadness, etc. I'm not a proponent of sweeping these feelings under the rug and ignoring them. However, we can bring awareness to our feelings, to our thoughts, and reactions to those feelings. A lot of times our thoughts and reactions to the feeling is the piece that causes us to get stuck.

Yesterday I was reminded to "embrace the anger", to use it as fuel for positive change. This is a good example of how we can either choose to use our anger destructively and gear our thoughts and reactions toward things like vengeance, or we can use our anger productively toward something like steps to correct an injustice, etc. Anger can be a wonderful motivator, a change agent.

Pastor and entrepreneur, Russ Ewell, explains that, “'Deep Awareness' is a spiritual sensitivity to God and his Word that awakens our conscience, and stirs up the transformative power of the Holy Spirit for change. This awareness keeps us from slipping back into old patterns of life or attitudes of mind. Most importantly, 'Deep Awareness' keeps us confident of God’s grace, so we can navigate the difficult or even discouraging stages of our spiritual journey, and reach the destiny to which God has called us."

This quote reminds me to live with a deeper awareness, to bring my thoughts and actions into the sunlight of awareness, to continuously remember my connection to God and to all.

Yoga instructor Lisa Mccormack sums it up beautifully, "When we walk united in deep awareness and stand undivided in our intention, our collective energy is exponentially magnified. The next person you meet needs this from us right now. You may need this from us right now. Join me in creating an energetic tapestry of compassion and hope to surround and comfort all living beings who are suffering in the world right now."

Amen

Grow Your Emotional Intelligence

4/11/2022

You may have heard that your level of emotional intelligence is more important to your success than your IQ. While IQ is a strong predictor of academic success, it alone is not enough to set you up for success in life. Researchers have shown that our success at work or in life depends 80% on emotional intelligence and only 20% on IQ.

Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to understand and manage emotional encounters. Individuals who score highly on emotional intelligence tend to be better able to handle everyday stress, foster a greater number of meaningful close relationships, be more socially competent, and reach their goals and aspirations.

Emotionally intelligent people have mastered different emotional skills, where each skill contributes to one or more aspects of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is a skill that can be learned and fostered. My new program offering, The Compass: An Emotional Intelligence Program, is designed to assist with cultivating emotional intelligence skills in the following four key areas:

1. Noticing and understanding emotions in oneself. This involves the ability to understand one’s deep emotions and be able to express them naturally. A person with high ability in this area will be better than most people in sensing and acknowledging their emotions.

2. Effective regulation of emotion in oneself. This involves the ability to effectively deal with one’s own emotions. A person with high capability in this aspect will be better than most people in preventing their emotions from automatically influencing their behavior. For instance, when a person with high emotion regulation skills experiences anger, they will be able to manage the anger in a compassionate, healthy and productive way that creates psychological comfort.

3. Using emotions to facilitate performance. This relates to the ability to make use of emotions by directing them toward constructive activities and personal performance. A person who is highly capable in this aspect is able to encourage themselves to continuously do better and direct their emotions in positive, productive and creative directions.

4. Noticing and understanding emotions in others. This relates to the ability to perceive and understand emotions in other people. A person with high ability in this area will be better than most people at noticing and understanding other people’s emotions.

These four steps will help you elevate your emotional intelligence. Please reach out to me if you are interested in learning more about the program.

The Practice Of Awe

4/5/2022

The feeling of awe, have you felt it lately? It's that wonderful, heart-opening feeling of amazement, wonder, reverence and inspiration. We usually experience it when we feel we are in the presence of some greater force.

Lately, I've been feeling awe at the beauty of nature. Springtime in Wisconsin can bring about the sense of awe in the cycle of nature. It's easy out in nature to feel awe if you are paying attention or actively practicing awe.

You might be thinking, "What do you mean actively practicing awe? Is this a thing?" The answer is yes, it is a thing! A lot research is coming out on the power of awe and the intentional practice of cultivating the feeling.

The feeling of awe is good for your health and helps us to revise our mental models of what's possible in the world. A new UC Berkeley study reveals that awe can even improve physical and mental health, possibly even lowering the risk of many forms of disease ... benefits similar to those enjoyed by eating right and exercising. As Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner puts it, “Don’t underestimate the power of goosebumps.”

This most recent research out of UC Berkeley links positive emotions ... especially the awe we feel when touched by the beauty of nature, art, and spirituality ... with lower levels of pro-inflammatory proteins that signal the immune system to work harder.

And the good news is that you can promote your health with an awe experience as simple as watching a sunset, or even looking at a picture of an awe-inspiring sunset. As Dr. Dacher Keltner put it, "That awe, wonder, and beauty promote healthier levels of cytokines suggests that the things we do to experience these emotions ... a walk in nature, losing oneself in music, beholding art ... has a direct influence upon health and life expectancy."

Awe can be found in almost any environment, turning a mundane or ordinary experience into one of inspiration, wonder and awe. We're more likely to feel awe in a new place, where the sights and sounds are unfamiliar to us.

The key to feeling awe is to be in the right frame of mind, then you can turn an ordinary walk into a series of awe-inspiring moments, filled with awesome surprises. The practice of awe is easy and can be done anywhere, anytime.

During your next walk, approach what you see with a fresh set of eyes, even if you are walking in the city versus out in a natural landscape. Look for the beauty, look for the awe-inspiring sights. You might find it in a skyscraper, some amazing architectural work, a beautiful art piece, a beam of sunlight dancing through a window, a gesture of another person, the giggle of a young child. The possibilities are endless!

I invite and encourage you to practice awe by building into your day mini awe interventions!

Morning Pages

3/29/2022

Have you heard about the practice, the tool, called morning pages? It comes from the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. I've heard it mentioned many times over the years and then a good friend suggested the book. I picked it up and began reading and then set it aside with the excuse to myself that I didn't have time to explore this new practice. Well, it's come up yet again and I've decided that it's time to dive in and explore the practice.

So what are morning pages? Morning pages are three pages of longhand writing, strictly stream-of-conscious. Cameron says that there's no wrong way to do morning pages. She writes in the book, "Nothing is too petty, too silly, too stupid, or too weird to be included ... If you can’t think of anything to write, then write, ‘I can’t think of anything to write…’ Do this until you have filled three pages. Do anything until you have filled three pages.”

Cameron suggests that you can write ... this is what I like, this is what I don't like, this is what I want more of, this is what I want less of. She says that, "It's as if you are sending a little telegram to the universe and you're saying here is my precise position and here's how I authentically actually feel. It's a form of prayer and meditation."

Cameron makes the case that morning pages will make your life better ... you will find solutions to big life problems, your relationships will improve, you’ll be more courageous, your senses will be awakened, you’ll take action and take risks, you’ll advocate for yourself, you’ll live more authentically, and the universe will start answering your questions and responding to your needs.

Here are some quotes from Cameron on describing some of the benefits of the morning pages tool:

• “When people ask, ‘Why do we write morning pages?’ I joke, ‘To get to the other side.’ They think I am kidding, but I’m not. Morning pages do get us to the other side: the other side of our fear, our negativity, of our moods.”
• “It is impossible to write morning pages for any extended period of time without coming into contact with an unexpected inner power. Although I used them for many years before I realized this, the pages are a pathway to a strong and clear sense of self.”
• “Pages clarify our yearnings. They keep an eye on our goals. … If we are drifting, the pages will point that out. They will point the way True North. Each morning, as we face the page, we meet ourselves. They will dare you to become larger and they are stubborn."
• Morning pages are about tuning out our inner critic. “We learn to hear our censor’s comments and say, simply, ‘Thank you for sharing,’ while we go right on writing. We are training our censor to stand aside and let us create.”
• “The morning pages teach logic brain to stand aside and let artist brain play.”
• “Morning pages may hold insights and intuitions that startle you. Typically, they puncture denial."

There is something therapeutic that happens when we get things out of our head and down on paper. It helps us to explore and to stop ruminating. I'm going to start incorporating this practice into my day and I invite you to give it consideration too.

Planting Seeds

3/21/2022

The spring equinox occurred this past Sunday. This is a time in the spring where the amount of light and darkness are equal. Soon the balance will shift and the amount of light will over take the darkness.

At this time of year we begin to experience more life force creative energy within our minds and bodies. As the darkness diminishes and the light increases you may feel a building of imaginative and creative energy.

Spring is a time for the planting of seeds, a time of renewal and rebirth. Many will celebrate the rebirth of Christ. The spring flowers begin to surface and bloom, the trees begin budding, the grass turns green, farmers plant their fields, and the robins return.

Some of us mark spring by engaging in spring housecleaning. Decluttering our homes and renewing them for the year. It can be a time for the attitude of "out with the old and in with the new". Spring can also be a great time to declutter our minds, our mental energy and our spiritual energy. An "out with the old and in with the new" mentally, spiritually and energetically ... the planting of a new energetic seed.

It's a great time to check in with ourselves. To reflect on what we want to clear out and let go of, along with what it is that we want to plant. It's a time for transference and manifesting. Now is a time of celebrating the freshness of life and of taking the time to raise our energy to regenerate abundance and manifest our dreams.

A time to remember that what you water, what you give energy to, what you give your attention to ... grows. You reap what you sow.

What is it that you would like to energetically clear out to make space for planting new seeds to grow? What old story are you willing to let go of, so you can energize a new story, a new way of being, a new mindset, a new experience? What are those seeds that you would like to plant this spring?

We are almost a quarter of the way through this year already. What is it that you are setting out to accomplish this year? Are you giving it positive energy, are you shining some light on it, some water and nourishment?

I invite you to take a few moments this week to be still and check in with where you are at. What's going well and what isn't? What would you like to clear out to make room for something different? Take a step off that hamster wheel of life and reflect, reevaluate, renew, reenergize and rejuvenate. Plant those seeds, shine some light on them, give them nourishment and watch them grow.

Anxiety Is The Worst Use Of Your Imagination

3/14/2022

I love this quote by Deepak Chopra ... "The best use of imagination is creativity. The worst use of imagination is anxiety." Anxiety is something that I hear people mention frequently as more and more people are experiencing its grip.

Anxiety can cause excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations. It's the body's natural response to stress. Anxiety is a feeling of fear or apprehension about what we imagine is to come.

When struggling with anxiety, the brain has the incredible ability to think of the worst-case scenario, to predict the worst possible outcomes and explanations for things. It doesn’t know for certain what will occur, but nevertheless it imagines, predicts, and then feels certain of this awful explanation or outcome.

Because anxiety involves imagination, we can also intentionally choose to use our imagination to help ourselves. We can use the same skill that makes us anxious to make us less anxious. I'm not trying to minimize or make light of anxiety, however for basic anxiety we can serve ourselves by not letting our natural negativity bias and imagination run rampant.

Anxiety wants to imagine an awful, terrible outcome or explanation, but with intention we can use our imagination to consider other possibilities. By doing this, we can take what feels certain and make it less certain. We can open the door to new possibilities allowing our anxiety to settle ... creating the opportunity for a shift. This shift will help us to attract a more positive reality into our life.

Imagination involves creative thinking and problem solving, identifying new and different ideas, thinking outside of the box, stretching beyond our initial ideas and finding new ones.

We can start by letting ourselves to imagine the worst. But then challenge yourself to imagine as many other explanations and outcomes as you can. No matter how silly, small, or unlikely you might think it is, name it and imagine it as a possibility.

The act of imagination is a tool to counter anxiety. It’s how to cast doubt on negative outcomes that seem certain in our brain. It's how we begin to manifest a new and improved reality.

The next time anxiety starts to get the better of you, I invite you to use your imagination as a tool for good, not just for bad. Let it guide you toward possible options that are uplifting and squelch the tendency to allow it to only focus you only on the worst case scenario.

Empathy Fuels Connection

3/8/2022

You've probably heard the phrase "walk in someone else's shoes." Don't you sometimes wish that others could walk in your shoes and understand you and your life better? This week let's explore empathy, what it is and why it's important.

The Bible refers to the quality of empathy and provides several examples of empathy in action. The Bible also commands us to love our neighbor as ourself. Though we may intend to love one another, it seems that we often miss opportunities. Maybe because we are unaware of others’ needs while walking around in our "urban trance," or perhaps because we are not practicing empathy.

Jesus was always sensitive to the plight of others, but are we exercising empathy the way Jesus did? I've heard statements such as ... the measure of a person, is how they treat someone who is of absolutely no use to them. Isn't that true? It's easier to exercise empathy for someone we know and love, someone who has a stake in our life. It's more challenging if it's someone who we have no contact with, someone who we think is of no consequence to us.

Empathy moves us to consider the actions of others when we make decisions. It's an important component of effective relationships, it's the oil that keeps relationships running smoothly. Empathy (and compassion) might be viewed by some as soft or weak, but having the courage to show empathy and compassion is a sign of strength, not weakness. For me, it would also be the sign of a good leader.

A good leader is someone who can inspire others to help. As our world becomes more interconnected, and cooperation and communication become more important than ever before, empathy will be even more critical for thriving.

Empathy is perspective taking and mindfulness. It's an emotional and thinking muscle that becomes stronger the more we use it. Brene Brown explains it this way, "Perspective taking is to acknowledge that the way you see the world, through your lens, is as real and as true and as accurate as the lens by which I see the world. Perspective taking is listening to the truth as other people experience it and acknowledging it as truth. It is not taking off your lens and putting on their lens, because that is impossible to do. Our lens is soldered to our head. Empathy says, let me get curious about what you see. Let me stop and listen and hear about what you see."

Brene explains the power of empathy to be, "I'm in it with you. I'm not here to fix you. I'm not here to feel it for you. I'm here to feel with you and let you know you're not alone."

I invite you to start today looking at people who are suffering and try as best as you can to imagine the world through their eyes. If each of us did that, then I believe that the world could be a different, more loving, more kind and better place. Empathy is the key that can unlock the door to our kindness and compassion.

Prayer For Peace

3/1/2022

In this week's post I am sharing an email I received this morning from spiritual teacher Marianne Williamson. It captures what is in my heart at this moment. Here it is:

On Tuesday, June 6, 1944, Western Allies began the D-Day invasion on the beaches of Normandy. It was the decisive battle that would begin the ending phase of WW2.

One thing was clear to the Allied commanders who led the effort: whether it succeeded or failed, more men would die in this single military operation than in any other in history. During the 85 days that the battle raged, people were well aware of the horror that was occurring. Those wishing fervently for the defeat of Hitler could only watch, and wait, and pray.

Today we watch, and wait, and pray for the incredibly brave Ukrainians now fighting off the Russian invasion of their soil. The world does not support this war. Indications are that the Russian people do not support this war. Conscripted Russian soldiers - many of whom were apparently not even told where they were going - are as much victims of this insanity as are the Ukrainians. It is Putin’s war, and a violent transgression against the deepest bonds that have joined the Ukrainian and Russian peoples for centuries.

The war is being fought on many fronts, political and economic and well as military. One front that many are involved in, including myself, is prayer.

This morning I remembered having once read the prayer that President Franklin Roosevelt gave when announcing to the people of the United States that D-Day had begun. Many of his words apply now to the Ukrainians, speaking not only to their predicament - as soldiers, civilians, and refugees - but also to the helplessness and heartbreak we feel bearing witness to it.

Roosevelt’s words spoke to the heart that day in 1944, and they speak to the heart today:

And so, in this poignant hour, he said, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.

Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.

They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the violences of war.

For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.

Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.

And for us at home -- fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas -- whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.

Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.

Give us strength, too -- strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.

And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wheresoever they may be.

And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.

With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace - a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.

Thy will be done, Almighty God.

Amen.

No matter what words we use, no matter at what time of day, let’s pray without ceasing for the people of Ukraine and the people of the world. May righteousness prevail.

Dear God,
Please help Ukraine
in this hour of their agony.
Send angels to minister unto them
and their horror be no more.
Amen.

Compassionate Communication

2/22/2022

Do you communicate with compassion, especially in those moments where you are feeling challenged or faced with conflict? In those moments we can act in ways that result in hurt or harm by blaming, speaking without listening, criticizing, name-calling, being defensive, or judging who's good/bad or what's right/wrong with people. This type of communication is lacking compassion and has been coined as a violent way to communicate.

The Compassionate Communication Process gives us a framework for communicating with compassion in a nonviolent way. It's modeled after Psychologist Marshall Rosenberg’s nonviolent communication tool used to help facilitate difficult conversations and resolve conflicts. Nonviolent communication is described as the “language of compassion” and it allows us to express empathy and understanding even in the face of difference. When one side of a conflict uses empathic inquiry and strives to understand the position or perspective of the other side, differences can be resolved.

The Compassionate Communication Process is a powerful tool for romantic relationships, where intimacy can bring up challenging conflicts and dynamics. Rather than responding reactively, we can slow down our reactions and responses, and through the use of this communication process, we can begin to explore what is happening between ourselves and our partner at the emotional level. Using I-statements and keeping the focus of the discussion on emotions and feelings, we are better able to navigate potentially difficult discussions without doing damage to the relationship.

Following are the five steps of the Compassionate Communication Process that can help us communicate from our heart.

Step 1: Identify a Challenging Aspect of the Relationship
Decide who is going to be Partner A and who will be Partner B. Partner A...Select a challenging aspect of your relationship. For example, it could be something annoying or bothersome that your partner does.

Step 2: The Compassionate Communication Process
“When I see you _____________, I feel _____________, and I imagine ____________. My need for ____________ is not met.”

Example...“When I see you are not cleaning up after yourself around the house, I feel burdened by the extra work, and I imagine that you don’t appreciate all the hard work that I am doing. My need for appreciation is not met.”

Be careful not to slip into shaming/blaming/judgmental language. This is a common pitfall when communicating. Here's an example of this format being used incorrectly...“When I see you are selfish, I feel like you don’t care about anyone else, and I imagine I married someone who is self-centered.”

Consider the challenging aspect of the relationship, as described in step 1. Partner A communicates their challenge to their partner using the format described in Step 2 following these guidelines:

“I feel....” It's natural for people to slip into the format of using “I feel....” followed by “like you." This is a way of turning the format into a you-statement. For example, when saying, “I feel like you are selfish", or "I feel like you are like your mother,” you are turning the I-statement into a you-statement. There is a place to express that sentiment, but it needs to be made later in the “I imagine” section. If you tend to slip into this pattern, remember that “I feel...” is a feeling statement about yourself and shouldn't have anything to do with the other person.

“and I imagine....” By stating that you imagine, you acknowledge that it may not be entirely rational. It allows you to express some of the negative thoughts that pop into your mind while also acknowledging that whatever is happening between you and your partner is in your own mind.

“My need for….” When we experience conflict or negative emotions, it’s a sign that our needs aren’t being met. At times we get stuck in conflict or negative emotions because we confuse needs and strategies. Everything we do is an attempt to meet a universal need. Strategies are specific things we do to meet our needs.

Step 3: Mirror Back
Partner B mirrors back what partner A communicated. It can be word for word, or in your own words, but it should include all of what partner A expressed. It should sound something like...“What I’m hearing is…" Then check whether you understood your partner using a phrase similar to...“Am I hearing that correctly?” “What am I missing?” “Is there anything important that I left out?” This demonstrates active listening and helps to clear up any misunderstanding.

Step 4: Reflection
Pause and take time to let the experience sink in. It can be normal for Partner B to want to respond right away or try to solve the problem. The purpose of this exercise is to create an experience where Partner A expresses themselves in a potentially new way and feels deeply heard by their partner. If Partner B goes immediately into problem-solving or arguing, then it can negate the emotional experience of Partner A.

Step 5: Request
To make clear requests is crucial to the Compassionate Communication Process. When we learn to request concrete actions that can be carried out in the present moment, we begin to find ways to cooperatively and creatively ensure that everyone’s needs are met.

Keep in mind that when we make a request, we’re open to hearing a response of “no.” Demands, on the other hand, implicitly or explicitly threaten people with blame or punishment if they fail to comply. Example of a request...“Would you be willing to set the table for dinner?"

I invite you to practice using the Compassionate Communication Process when faced with challenging interactions. Communicating from your heart with intention takes practice, but your relationships will benefit greatly.

Meditation On Hope

2/15/2022

Sherwin Nuland in his TED talk, Meditation on Hope, proclaimed that, "The world will be saved by the human spirit. The ability that each of us has to be something greater than him or herself. The ability to arise from our ordinary self to be something greater, something extraordinary, something that we once believed we weren't capable of. It's an elevation of us beyond ourselves."

I love this idea of the human spirit and the elevation of us beyond ourselves. Can you think of a time where you felt elevated beyond yourself? Possibly at the birth of a child...or as you were participating as part of a team where you gelled together and accomplished a great feat...or possibly as you were engaged in a some type of musical venue that lifted you up like a church service, motivational talk, or rally. It's that feeling of elevation where you felt you were part of something and it raised you up.

Those moments are special, they stick with us, they fill up our soul, they propel us to greatness, they nourish us, they give us hope. I think all of our spirits could use some hope and some nourishment right now. What gives you hope? What nourishes your spirit? Filling up our spirit is important, so we can continue to spread hope and love out into the world and continue to elevate ourselves and others.

In his TED talk, Sherwin Nuland dissected the word hope. I really enjoy and find it useful to look at the definition and root meaning of a word. Hope is an abstract idea, it's not a concrete word, looking into the definition and root creates deeper meaning. Hope is defined as an expectation of something good that's due to happen.

The Indo-European root of the word hope is the stem 'keu', it is the same root that the word curve (to bend) comes from. What it means is a change in direction, going a different way. Changing course, taking a different path.

It's hard to have hope when things aren't changing direction, when we're operating in the status quo and not shifting course. It's like the old adage of the definition of insanity...doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

The Hebrew and Greek equivalent of our English word hope carries the meaning of a strong and confident expectation. Putting the Indo-European root and the Hebrew and Greek equivalent together, creates the meaning of the word hope as a confident expectation that a desirable change is likely to happen. I like that definition of hope. What if each of us nourish our spirit and spread hope by helping to confidently change the direction of where we are going? How would the world change?

Sherwin Nuland also discussed the word philanthropy. The Greek concept of philanthropy is the love of human kind. Philanthropy arises out of a form of love. Spirit, hope, love. The world will be saved by the human spirit of hope and love for human kind.

I invite you to nourish your spirit by doing what elevates you to greatness, to spread hope by being the change you desire to see in the world, to be philanthropic and spread your love of human kind, nourishing humanity as you nourish your own spirit. Be confident and lead with your heart, your inner wisdom, with love.