I had a teacher whose words felt cutting, and sometimes hurtful. After a few days in his acting class, I realized he could say them without challenge because they were honest and true. Weeks passed, and my fellow students and I had a better grasp on what he was working to teach us. The feedback stayed the same, but felt less personal and more objective; we could all tell when the actors in a scene stopped being “real”. By the end of the semester, the man who appeared to be a grizzly at the beginning was really a teddy bear. I’ll always remember him.

I love reading about Amanda’s experience here, and how her teacher opened her mind with her direct and honest feedback.

- Corey

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I happened to be there to witness the story Amanda tells in her blog. I remember sitting there thinking, realizing, being humbled by a glimpse of the invisible link that runs between people. Having been a bystander of what transpired, I silently noted and walked away considering that maybe, I have a bigger impact than I may perceive and maybe, the people in my life do on me as well.

- Christina

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Today is an extra special blog as we have arrived at a milestone! The 300th piece! So with this theme in mind, I am sharing my words below about my personal journey and my next milestone.

- Amanda

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Someone once asked me: “What are the first 5 words that come to mind when you hear the word ‘Generosity’?” I thought to myself, and then listened as he shared his. While it was not too surprising to me that he had 5 entirely different words, it did surprise me how infrequently I consider this…

That to each and every person, the world and their experience of it is different, and that when I speak to someone, the lens through which I speak and the lens through which they hear can often play a greater role than the words spoken. That to truly have empathy, it’s not about me necessarily trying to understand how someone feels, but acknowledging that I may never (despite efforts) really know, and that the best I can do in life is challenge my own perspective to see the world in more ways than my natural inclination to view it. Amanda’s blog makes me think of this, and how symbols in my own life often serve as a reminder of perspective.

- Christina

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Our local Starbucks drive-thru has become a COVID bedrock for my family in New Jersey (and our dog who knows that means he will get a “pupachino”). More times than I can count in the last few months, I have heard from my parents and sisters how they have gone and when they drive up to the window to pay, the barista tells them the person in front of them paid for their order…because someone in front of them did…so my parents/sisters pay for the people behind them…and then I would like to think they paid too for the people behind them.

This chain reaction of socially-distanced kindness I think is representative of a lot of things I have witnessed throughout 2020 - and I love how Amanda so wonderfully puts that sentiment into words below. I really hope this is something that continues beyond 2021.

- Lauren

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I remember when I first heard about there being a big movement in Japan called “Forest Bathing”. Groups of people spending extended time meandering through a local wood to experience the healing energy and cleaner air made complete sense to me. Adding work to being outside MIGHT complicate the matter for some, but I’m a big fan, myself. I count myself quite fortunate to be able to stare outside and look at the trees when stumped, or occasionally take work calls with me on a walk through our nearby park. There’s a gentle alertness I’m able to find there that is much less common when I’m inside with no reminder of the natural world. When being outside isn’t possible, I find I can still tap into some of the same energy by using my imagination to put myself in places I’ve visited in the past. I might suggest conjuring up one of your own special spots in your mind as you read Amanda’s piece.

-Corey

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My first thought when I read Amanda’s blog was: “This writing is not for your eyes.” That’s often how I feel (or try my best to feel - she DOES admit to little sister snooping) when I’m journaling. Amanda’s blog does a great job capturing the essence of journaling, which, without giving too much away, is that it is less about putting pen to paper, and more about putting unconsciousness to awareness… and ultimately to choice.

- Christina

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I remember the day Amanda told me about what happened to Mr. B. We were walking in the woods by my house and I felt the weight of her words seemingly increase the gravity in my footsteps. Suddenly the forest seemed quieter...you could hear our steps....things moved more slowly...and it was just us. I listened to everything she told me about Mr. B...feeling like I had come to know him a bit myself. Or, at least I would have liked to. I think that when someone touches our lives and we share stories about them with others it has that effect on people. Their spirit quite literally comes alive in us....we can feel their presence...and maybe we are even able to carry a bit of it forward.

-Jaime

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When I lived in Costa Rica I never missed the farmers market. As you might imagine, Costa Rica is lush with just about a million different varieties of fruits and vegetables. I made a point to buy something every week that I’d never eaten or cooked with before. This totally changed the conversations I’d have with the farmers, sellers and fellow shoppers. It changed how I related to my food and how I felt cooking and eating it and in turn, how I felt about my body, my self and my day. There’s such power in setting an intention for your day and in making a point to see how we connect with people, places and the things around us. Amanda’s piece was just the reminder I needed today to look up and around and outside of my “do” list!

- Jaime

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While going through some old documents on my laptop a couple days ago, I came across this forgotten poem I wrote about/for my dad two years ago, which was ironic because today is actually his birthday. Interesting and pretty fitting timing..

Because poetry is not realllyyy my forte, I decided to go back and edit this piece a bit, and am now sharing it with the community in celebration of what would have been my dad's special day.

- Amanda

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Sometimes I wonder if our dog Sam had any idea just how deeply she touched all of our lives. She walked with me, literally and emotionally, through so many of my joys and sorrows in life- most recently the loss of my father. She gifted me the quiet, loving, supportive, non-judgmental company I needed to feel safe in my grief in solitude with nature, when being alone was too hard and being with another human was too much to manage. I love how Amanda makes the connection here about a place deep within us that perhaps our spirit resides and it’s that place, too, that we carry all the Ones we love.

- Jaime

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I love this story and this quote. And I love that my sister takes time to listen to people and engage with people that are, perhaps, outside of her typical circles. I don’t think everyone does that and I wonder how many 21 year olds do! This story inspires me to smile at and make space to connect with “strangers” when I finally get out of the house again. (It’s been 3 weeks of nesting with my newborn!) There’s so much to learn from everyone we meet if we just pay attention. Thanks Amanda.

- Jaime

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This is such a simple but beautiful story. I think that, if only we as adults could resolve our differences so quickly... the world wouldn't be the same.

- Danielle

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One of my ten favorite songs is by Garth Brooks: “Standing Outside The Fire”

“They call them ‘strong’ – those who can face this world alone… who seem to get by on their own… those who will never take a fall…

“They call them ‘weak’… Who are unable to resist… the slightest chance love might exist… and for that forsake it all… they’re so hell-bent on giving, walking a wire, convinced it’s not living if you stand outside the fire…”

For me this song suggests that we get confused in our human social norms… being “strong” is meant to never show vulnerability… given how we all are raised maybe being strong is just the opposite…

I have a thought that the popularity of Brene Brown (who I love!) and many others suggests that there is an emergent amazing critical vital wonderful scary empowering threatening set of conversations alive in the world today and only growingly mainstream (and IN business as well as everywhere else) which would have been deemed socially weird just 50 years ago… Excelsior!

PIP

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For the last six months, I have been meeting with an amazing life coach in-training via zoom every other week. During our last call, I communicated to her that, lately, I have been so stressed and overwhelmed that I have actively noticed myself getting more easily frustrated or upset over minor things that occur in my life on a daily basis. I told her that I had been feeling hypersensitive to trivial negative incidences… like when I got to Dunkin’ Donuts and realized I had forgotten my reusable plastic straw.. or when a driver didn't let me cross in the crosswalk.. and safe to say, I did not like this realization I was having.

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Sometimes, when I get really hyper-focused on "my" problem at hand, I forget to look up. I have my head down so deep into analyzing and "trying to figure it out" on my own, that I forget what's going on around me. I love this reminder to reach out. To ask for help. To look up and around. To turn to community. Even when you have absolutely no idea where the support could possibly come from....especially then...remember that the world is full of friends, community, and strangers waiting to surprise you with their kindness. We're so much more connected than we realize at any given moment. Thanks for the reminder, Amanda!

- Jaime

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