Week 13/June 7, 2020

Greetings Shift Into Fifth Community,

Week 13 of some kind of shelter in place for most of us....and I'm continuing to think about YOU.

Two Viruses-Covid-19. Racism.

What a week this has been throughout the US as well as around the world. Two viruses plaquing us simultaneously. Covid-19 and Racism. One so new. The other, centuries old. Both So Big. So Complex. So Challenging.

While the challenges of these viruses are enormous, I'd remind all of us, so are the opportunities. Yes. Opportunities. What if we frame these viruses in a way that focuses on the opportunities for real foundational and systemic changes that lead us ALL to a healthier and stronger place. What if we envision this uncertainty and unrest as a universal wake up call. What if we successfully harness the energy from all the heartbreak, confusion, pain, fear, frustration and anger of this time and skillfully use it to fuel meaningful and sustainable change. What if:

My sense is that there is an acute and immediate need for resources to help develop and strengthen essential skills required to effectively and constructively move through this unprecedented time. Active Listening. Deep Learning. Cultivating Compassionate. Navigating Challenging Conversations. Processing Anger, Fear and Confusion. Cultivating Empathy, Presence, Patience. Productively Handling Intense Discomfort.

As I have been asked this week repeatedly for places to turn for guidance and support, I have decided to use this week's Covid-19 Compassion Correspondence to share a number of resources (meditations, podcasts, books, articles, talks and more) that I believe are particularly appropriate and helpful at this time:

Meditation/Mindfulness:

It's never been more essential to help strengthen and stabilize the internal wiring of our brain. Multiple scientific studies give ample evidence that meditation (breath based, walking, mantra-based, metta etc.) actually strengthens neuron connections as well as creates new neural pathways throughout the brain (https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/02/09/7-ways-meditation-can-actually-change-the-brain/#2035265c1465). Here is a link that connects you to a wide range of Apps that are either free or with a minimal subscription fee (please remember, there is no good meditating or bad meditating-there is only meditating or not....and just 5 minutes a day has proven to make a very big difference in the brain and overall health): https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/top-meditation-iphone-android-apps

Guided Meditations:

1. Listen to Joseph Goldstein | Meditating In A Pandemic from Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ten-percent-happier-with-dan-harris/id1087147821?i=1000470165906

2. Tara Brach Meditation on Facing Pandemic Fear: https://www.tarabrach.com/facing-pandemic-fears/

3. Tara Brach Meditation on Courageous Presence With Racism: https://www.tarabrach.com/courageous-presence-racism/

Books/Podcasts/Articles:

1. Pema Chodron Books (including When Things Fall Apart, The Places that Scare You, Certainty with Uncertainty, Welcoming the Unwelcome, Three Steps to Courage, Don't Bite the Hook): https://pemachodronfoundation.org/product-category/books/

2. What Great Listeners Actually Do? https://getpocket.com/explore/item/what-great-listeners-actually-do?utm_source=emailsynd&utm_medium=social

3. Listen to Can You Be OK With Uncertainty? | Jack Kornfield from Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ten-percent-happier-with-dan-harris/id1087147821?i=1000472997285

4. Using Mindfulness to Have Challenging Conversations on Race https://www.mindful.org/povmindfulnessforall/

5. Listen to The Art and Science of Listening | Kate Murphy from March 25, 2020 on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-and-science-of-listening-kate-murphy/id647826736?i=1000469553007

Systemic Racism Specific Resources:

1. Listen to Brené with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist from Unlocking Us with Brené Brown on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unlocking-us-with-bren%C3%A9-brown/id1494350511?i=1000476611079

2. Listen to The path to ending systemic racism in the US | Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff, Rashad Robinson, Dr. Bernice King, Anthony D. Romero from TED Talks Daily on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ted-talks-daily/id160904630?i=1000476916587

3. Listen to Part 2: The path to ending systemic racism in the US | Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff, Rashad Robinson, Dr. Bernice King, Anthony D. Romero from TED Talks Daily on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ted-talks-daily/id160904630?i=1000476916586

4. UNC Anti-Racism Resources: https://diversity.unc.edu/yourvoicematters/anti-racism-resources/

5. PBS-What to Read, Listen and Watch to Learn About Institutional Racism: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-to-read-listen-to-and-watch-to-learn-about-institutional-racism

Change

Remember, change is the one constant. Pandemic. Racism. Whatever. Every second, we are changing. It's the one thing that's a sure bet. How we handle change is at the core of how we move through life. My coaching practice is dedicated to supporting and accelerating positive and purposeful change. And with that, shifting, harnessing and optimizing energy. While there is no one size fits all on HOW to change, or what change will ultimately look like, there are definitely some tried and true tools that help each of us effectuate and move through change positively, productively and position us for sustainable and rewarding success. These include cultivating gratitude, tolerating and dealing productively with discomfort, staying curious, identifying and incorporating lessons learned, staying present, breathing/pausing (responding vs. reacting), maintaining healthy boundaries, practicing self compassion/non-judgment and engaging in a mindfulness/meditation practice,

Developing and sustaining the muscles that support positive and productive action, change and energy is the work that we continue to do together in the Shift Into Fifth community. So many of you have started and continue to do the hard work to cultivate and develop the inner tools to stay calm, centered and shift/utilize energy in productive and powerful ways. In other words, you are ready to meet the moment!!!

Self Care

And yes. Self care is ESSENTIAL. Please, stay extra vigilant about your own self-care - hydration, nutrition, sleep, exercise/movement, meditation/mindfulness/deep breathing, practicing self-compassion/kindness/gratitude, laughing/smiling, staying super curious (each day asking who are my teachers today/noting lessons learned-today's takeaways), limiting social media/tv/print exposure, actively choosing/ingesting those thoughts/stories/information that support your optimal self etc. Remember, this is a marathon...not a sprint!

Additional Resources

All the weekly SIF Community Covid-19 Care Correspondence are on my blog (www.shiftintofifth.com) with an additional (growing) list of resources for all of you to use and to share with others. PLEASE SHARE! Thanks to many of you, our SIF Community is growing and so is the list of resources-Grateful!

Please, share any part of these weekly Covid-19 Care Correspondence emails with your networks. A picture, a cartoon, a story, a podcast, whatever. All meant to support and strengthen one another.

And I want to remind you that I am here for YOU-to support you in any way that I can. If that means a quick call for you to rant/vent or simply to get a pep talk for you and/or members of your circles, I am here. Creating more anabolic energy for accelerated positive and purposeful change in the world is at the very core of my mission. Supporting YOU is key to that mission.

Please. Stay strong. Be Safe. Stay Healthy. Be kind.

With Gratitude and Purpose,

Valerie

PS. Humor. Yes. Even now. It's an essential tool for self care that shifts and maintains positive/anabolic energy. Thus, I'm sharing a few new pandemic inspired cartoons/memes.

PPS. And here's this week's moments pf zen brought to you by the desert's late spring magic show. The power, grandeur and majesty of it all continues to take my breath away. Enjoy!