Greetings Shift into Fifth Community,

This is my 18th Covid-19 Inspired Care Correspondence (and my final blast for a while). As we all continue to deal with two raging viruses, Covid-19 and Systemic Racism, I am continuing to think about YOU!

Pollyanna - The Glad Game - Curiosity/Gratitude!

"You're such a Pollyanna!" "Can you please stop being such a Pollyanna?!?!" "Seriously, do you have to be such a Pollyanna?!?!"

Sound familiar? Heard that before? I sure have. And, certainly, not meant as a compliment (especially by my children:-). And yet, if my sin was/is making a choice to stay relentlessly committed to curiosity and find something to be grateful for, then I proudly say, YES, guilty as charged.

Truth is, I really didn't know much about Pollyanna. I had heard these less than flattering statements (more like accusations/digs) many times. On some gut level, I have always known the challenge and the power of curiosity and gratitude. Especially in contrast to the toxicity and dangers of succumbing to the opposite.

What do you know about Pollyanna? As I admitted, I didn't know much. In my post divorce quest to find some viable alternative to the toxic and corrosive nature of sustained anger, victimhood and cynicism, I rediscovered Curiosity and Gratitude. Early in that quest, I stumbled upon a description of the 1913 Eleanor H. Porter classic Pollyanna within a gem of a book entitled A Simple Act Of Gratitude by John Kralik. On his own quest to find some light, Kralik shares the story of nightly reading sessions of Pollyanna with his 8 year old daughter. During such readings, he learns of the Glad Game, the only significant inheritance to Pollyanna by her idealistic missionary father who realizes his days are numbered. Pollyanna is taught a faithful devotion to curiosity and gratitude. Knowing her future with a distant disapproving aunt is likely grim and uncertain, he teaches her how to find something to feel glad about in every situation. Pollyanna learns the "Glad Game" well. And, after her father's death, it indeed becomes her lifeline. Far from being naive and absurdly wishful, with her unwavering devotion to stay curious and find even the smallest thing for which to be grateful, she becomes the very symbol of strength and courage.

Yes, Gratitude feels good. It's pleasant. So simple. But don't be fooled. It's powerful. A game changer. And it literally can help rewire the brain. (https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/the-amazing-way-gratitude-rewires-your-brain-for-happiness.html) There are numerous studies illuminating the power of a simple gratitude practice (daily journaling or verbally expressing gratitude on a consistent basis). It not only results in more pro-social behavior leading to enhanced cooperation and greater productivity but strengthens parts of the brain that are responsible for more positive thoughts and emotions. Here are links to 2 of the myriad of interesting articles and studies enumerating the positive impact of cultivating the emotion of gratitude and concrete examples of creating a gratitude practice:

1. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/322419) and

2. https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-of-gratitude/

And Curiosity. Viewing life as one big classroom, with everyone and everything as potential teachers and lessons to be garnered and applied. Not as something happening TO me but rather happening FOR me to learn and grow. A powerful tool that helps keep the lens open wide, supports a sense of the possible and shifts energy from catabolic (negative) to anabolic (positive).

Perhaps you're saying good for Pollyanna, But how in the world can I stay curious and have gratitude in the time of this Pandemic. Systemic Racism. I get it. Old realities shattered in big and small ways. A new normal for all of us filled with lots more questions than answers. Unsettling. Uncertain. Scary. At times, paralyzing. Once again, the universal challenge of HOW to move forward in this new reality? Grieving. Making Peace with What Is. Healing. Looking for Lessons Learned. Loosening the Grip and ultimately, Letting Go. And yes, playing the Glad Game - aka, staying curious, cultivating gratitude and strengthening the gratitude muscle with a daily practice even for the most basic of things (waking up, blue skies, the sun, stars, air, a shower, a meal, a flower, a song, a poem, a laugh....).

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 prepare, navigate, and handle change is at the core of how we move through life. And grow. Developing and sustaining the muscles that support positive, purposeful and productive choices, 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!

Resources

Accessing Resources is key! Please remember all the weekly SIF Community Covid-19 Care Correspondences 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!f Please note that while this is my last email blast for a while (taking time for some deep dive studying and regeneration), I will continue to write and add to this growing list of resources on my website for all of you to access and share.

This week's highlight resources feature a guided meditation, podcasts and articles that focus on both the critical value of both gratitude and curiosity as well as ways to cultivate and strengthen those essential "muscles". I've also included Dan Harris' terrific interview of world renowned meditation/mindfulness scientists/practitioners/teachers Daniel Goleman and Dr Richard Davidson reminding us all of the substantive core value of meditation/mindfulness:

1. Gratitude meditation

https://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/gratitude_meditation

2. Harvard Business Review Article/Podcast-Power of Curiosity - https://hbr.org/podcast/2018/10/the-power-of-curiosity

3. Being Well Podcast, Episode 18:Gratitude -

https://f1b81bfd-6357-4128-992b-9150a8e6c834.s14.conves.io/well-podcast-gratitude/

4. Listen to Daniel Goleman, Dr. Richard Davidson, 'Altered Traits' from Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ten-percent-happier-with-dan-harris/id1087147821?i=1000468718944

Please, share any part of these weekly Covid-19 Inspired 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 are some additional moments of zen brought to you by continued wanderings in and around Boston and the Northeast. Staying curious. And always, grateful. Beauty and light abounds. Enjoy!

PPPS. With this 18th Covid-19 Inspired Care Correspondence, I will be pivoting away from this format to study and work on some additional offerings and writings for this wonderful Shift Into Fifth Community. Please remember, I remain just an email/phone call away to support and accelerate your positive and purposeful change for sustainable and rewarding success. And together, we will continue to create more anabolic energy for this terrific community and yes, the world.