In the Face of Fear, I Create — and Stand Out

We are living in uncertain and challenging times, the likes of which I never imagined.

As the daughter of a man who fled Eurore as the Nazi's invaded his beloved France, and — with his parents and brother — courageouly overcame many perils to reach the United States and create a brilliant life, I feel this moment in the history of our country very personally.

On many days these last months I have felt rocky, distracted, distressed. It has often been a challenge to focus on doing the work I love and am committed to, to look ahead with optimism, and to lead as I feel called to do.

The vision I am commited to more than ever

I am here to activate the creative power that is inside of all of us — so that people everywhere can ignite that power and harness it to fuel their ability to live the bold fulfilling life they deeply desire. 

I believe that the more of us who are able to show up fully and bring our unique gifts into the world with our whole hearts, the faster we will build a better world.

How I am navigating the current landscape

I have turned to what I know — and advocate for, and teach — to be a reliable way to keep grounded and to process emotions that sometimes feel overwhelming.

I have been creating.

I have devoted more time to painting in my studio, as well as to writing.

I use my emotions as fuel, and find that each time I dive in and express myself on a canvas I feel release and satisfaction — and I feel powerful.

I have just started to create a series of paintings inspired by the book, On Tyranny, Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, by Timothy Snyder.

I have been turning to this small book often these last months, and am amplifying some of the inspiring ideas in its chapters.

I have rarely shared my paintings these last years, as I have been building my skills and finding my voice as an abstract painter.

And today I feel the urge to share my latest painting — even as I am not sure it is finished, or what I may do next with it. 

“Stand out” is the title of a chapter in On Tyranny that resonates deeply for me.

It invites us to do or say something different, and that without the willingness to feel the unease of speaking up or taking action to stand out, there is no freedom.

Professor Snyder states that when we set an example, others will follow.

And so I am bravely standing out here.

I am sharing in a way that feels quite vulnerable, encouraging myself to do so knowing I might inspire you to stand out — in any way that you are able or feel called to do.

You may not paint a canvas. You may not publish something you write. Find a way to express yourself that is meaningful and works for you.

I do invite you to share what you create, or express yourself visibly, in some way. Stand out and inspire — even if you do it with just one person.

It is an important act, that can help to build a better future.

New Opportunities to Support Democracy and Social Justice

Having just watched the formal transition to a new presidential administration, we find ourselves at a notable moment in the life of our nation. Since the election in November I have been anticipating this moment with great concern.

My belief is that no matter what is happening around us that causes us concern, we are always able to take action that aligns with our values and principles.

This moment has motivated me to find ways to have a positive impact.

I am glad to share two opportunities for you to join me if you, too, want to live in a nation where democracy thrives.

1. Become a Creator of Change

I have created a page on my website called Creators of Change. On that page you will find links to organizations focused on preserving our democracy in many ways.

Their missions include:

• journalistic integrity

• aid to immigrants

• limiting discrimination

• protecting the legal rights of those who will be targeted by the incoming administration

• protecting the environment

• protecting the rights of women, including reproductive rights, and ensuring healthcare access for people in this country and elsewhere in the world

• working to end hunger

I intend for this to be a growing list of organizations, groups and individuals who are committed to making ours a just and caring country, and world, for all.

Please look at what is on the page now, and email me with your suggestions for other meaningful resources that we can choose to support — financially, or by volunteering, or making in-kind donations.

And please spread the world to like-minded people about this page of resources.

Together we can take meaningful action, stay informed and have an impact.

2. Read brilliant writing and do good 

Following the outcome of the election, my writing teacher, Leslie Berliant, decided to publish an anthology of select women writers. I am honored to have been asked to be a contributor to the collection of short stories, poems and essays titled Cassandra Speaks — Essays, Stories and Poems by Women Truth-tellers.

This book provided a way for each writer to channel grief, pain and rage, and is filled with moving, powerful work.

And, all proceeds of the sales of the book will be donated to organizations who support abortion access.

Order your copy, and order copies for others who want to read great work and do good, too.

Together we can create a better future.

Have you thought about the choices you are making?

Welcome to October! I am feeling joy and gratitude when I am in the splendor of nature in all its glory. Color fills my view each time I step outside, and my heart swells!

This upbeat feeling is especially appreciated as the emotional intensity in the world around us seems to be escalating daily. How can we find, and hold, energy that lights us up, that keeps us grounded, rather than being pulled into the chaotic energy that abounds? 

Your choices impact your outlook

You see what you look for

Have you stopped to consider where you tend to put your attention? When you look for beauty (of any kind) you see more of it. And the more you look for, the more you see, the happier it makes you.

This works in much the same way when you choose to listen to uplifting stories or music, or choose to create meals with colors and aromas and flavors that especially delight you.

You can choose with whom to spend time

Think about the people you choose to be with and the kinds of conversations you choose to have. These choices have a huge impact on the way you feel and the way you see the world.

We all know people who bring us down. Their negativity can pull you in and be hard to shake. If someone like that is a family member with whom you want to be in contact, limit the exposure — or better yet, try and steer conversations in a positive direction.

Focus on connecting to people who lift you up. Who can you think of who sees the world as a place filled with inspiring stories and possibilities, even in hard times?

You can say “No” to news overload

Just as we can focus on interacting with people who lift our spirits and inspire a positive outlook, we can limit the time we spend listening to, watching and reading the news.

We can also carefully choose sources for news that are free of hype and bias. 

If you have not yet tried going on a “news diet” it may feel like a challenge. More and more people are finding this to be a great way to keep themselves positively focused.

You get to make new choices

Why not try some of these ideas and see what happens?

• If you have been cooped up inside, spend more time outside.

• If you have been feeling low, read something inspiring, watch a great TED talk, listen to a fascinating podcast, or dive into a creative project and express yourself.

• If online TV binges have made you feel sluggish, get curious about something new. Read about it, find demo videos, or give a new technique a try. (Maybe you will take up a new craft, cook a new cuisine, learn to build something, plant bulbs, study a period of history, pick up an instrument you haven’t touched in ages...)

• If you feel lonely or isolated, look for ways to make virtual connections or find like-minded communities of people online.

• If you are concerned about the election and the world around you, take action. You might volunteer for a campaign or to support voting rights. You can register to be on the next Creators of Change call. There are many incredible ways to get involved, rather than letting distress bring you down.

What choices will you make today? 

No matter the externalities, you always get to choose the way you see the world, and the way you can live through each day.

Making thoughtful choices aimed at supporting a positive frame of mind will impact everything in your life.

Leave a comment or email me and let me know how your choices are making a difference.

And if you want to talk about how to usher meaningful change into your life, we can make a date for a Live Big Breakthrough Call. I will help you gain clarity and insights about what is in the way of you stepping into the big life you yearn to make your reality.

Stay safe and well, and keep creating.

These questions can unleash your greatness

I have been thinking a lot about the meaning of “living big” lately. 

I talk about living big all the time(!), but I have been thinking about it in terms of my life, and my path through life.

Because I did not live what I now consider to be a big life for many decades. And I have learned a lot from reflecting on the path that brought me to my life today.

And as much as I was influenced in many ways to keep myself small as I was growing up (that I understand more clearly now than ever before), I see that my lack of awareness kept me living that way well into adulthood. This has been an unfolding revelation.

We humans are complex beings

And yes, we are able to learn, grow and expand.

There’s no magic spell that enables us to cut through the complexity and make quick change. But we can change.

We can be guided to get clear about the things that have been in our way, and we can be guided to heal old wounds and step into new ways of thinking, believing and living.

And I feel an urgency for more of that to happen.

There is greatness in all of us

My story proves that even when you have been shut down, taught to keep quiet, disconnected from your truth, lacking in confidence and living in fear, and even when that small way of living continued for years and years, as it did in my life, it is possible to emerge.

Your story is likely to have different elements. But most of us have had influences and have acquired stories that have shaped our beliefs in ways that have limited us.

All of us can find our voices.

It is possible to step into the light.

It is possible to rise above fear.

It is possible to believe in an abundant universe.

It is possible to become a powerful creator in your life. 

There is enormous greatness waiting to be tapped, waiting to be unleashed in all of us! And now is the time for more of us to begin to step into that power, or continue on our paths.

Now more than ever, ask yourself good questions 

We are living in an extraordinary moment. There are challenges of enormous proportion all around — in the greater world and in each of our day-to-day lives. 

If ever there was a time to approach life as a powerful creator, it is now!

This is an opportunity to orient your thinking from the starting point of asking questions that will help you think and act in new ways.

Choose liberally from this list:

“What can I create now?”
“What do I deeply desire?”
“How might I take a new or different approach?”
“What can I learn?”
“What idea might I test?”
“What’s possible?” 
“What if it’s possible that...?”
“What would I do if I were not afraid?”

Look for inspiration every day

Each day I look for inspiration, and you can, too.

I find inspiration that calls on me to find stillness and listen deeply. It tells me that there is more greatness waiting to be tapped and more boldness to bring forth. It supports me to take the next steps on my path, to expand again and again.

And that inspiration expands my definition of living big.

It expands the definition of being a powerful creator.

This excites me because creation brings change into the world.

And my aim is to be a creator of change — to help individual lives to change, and as a result, as more of us change and become creators of change, to see more impact in the world.

I invite you to join me on this path

There are many ways to join me.

Share what you are doing now to create change in your life and the world — in a comment below, or email me. Let’s inspire and support one another!

Join my weekly Creators of Change calls and (and check the resources on that page) to help bring change to systemic racism and social injustice.

And if you feel inspired to make meaningful change in your life — or take bigger steps — with guidance, schedule a Live Big Breakthrough Call. I promise you’ll gain valuable insights and ideas about what’s in your way now and all that is possible for you. 

Stay safe and well, and keep creating.

Action is the answer

People are looking for lots of answers these days.

Life has been anything but “normal” the last few months. And the last weeks have been extraordinary.

Our personal lives and work, even in the best of times, call on us to address change, deal with challenges, look for opportunities and be resilient.

Add in the pandemic, and we’ve had to make major adjustments in our daily lives, face economic impact and hardships, and confront societal disruptions.

And then came an emergence of urgency to address structural racial injustice.

All of this is unlike what most of us have ever had to address, and the confluence of factors we’re dealing with in a remarkably compressed timeframe is huge.

Of course it all feels big. Because it is big.

It’s natural to want a quick return to “normal” and look for quick fixes for everything that’s hard.  

It’s natural to feel an impulse to pull the covers over our heads. 

That’s what happens when it all feels like too much. We can feel powerless.

Action is the antidote — but not just any action

The key is to choose to act with purpose. 

If you frantically start “doing” without thought, or take action that is merely a distraction (ie scroll through your phone, or scrub away at the crevices in your sink), you will not reap these benefits.

Here is why action with intention works so well. 

Action is a great antidote to fear.

Fear is unable to take the reins when you are in action. 

Taking action gives you agency in your life.

When in action, you have some control, which makes you feel good. You make choices and you pursue them, which puts you in the driver’s seat.

When you take action, you demonstrate ability.

Even taking imperfect action (that I always encourage!) and taking small steps (also always great!) shows you what you can do. You build momentum, confidence and satisfaction.

What action will you take today?

If you feel stuck, or if you feel overwhelmed with possibilities, take a bit of time to make a decision about the action to take — and then start. 

Your action may be related to your work, your health, a deadline, a desire, or more than one category. 

I’d be happy to hear about the action you take in your life. Leave a comment, or send me an email to let me know.

And if you want to take action to help end racism, I welcome you to join my new initiative, Creators of Change.

My recent blog posts, We Must Become Creators of Change, and Do You Hear the Call? will fill you in about this new effort. 

And last Thursday, we had our first Creators of Change Zoom call. 

There was tremendous engagement and a rich conversation. I am inspired by all of the people (including some who were unable to be on the call) who have committed to taking action to turn the tide on this huge problem in our society.

It’s worth noting that the commitments of those in the group are varied, in both scope and focus. And that’s fine. It’s the collective impact of all of the small action that will make a difference!

There are lots of ideas and resources available.

My Creators of Change Resource page has a growing list of information for educating ourselves, great organizations to consider supporting, art and literature (for kids as well as adults), and inspiration, too. 

Please contact me to suggest additional resources, as I am eager to expand the list. And, please share the resources with your networks.

Join the conversation!

The next Creators of Change call will be on Thursday, June 18, 8:30 am eastern. All are welcome — and please invite others in your networks, too!

Register here to join us.

And if you want to talk about taking more or different action in your life, or other challenges you may be facing, hit reply and we can make a date for a Live Big Breakthrough Call.

I promise that you will gain insights about what is limiting you, as well as what is possible in your life and work. This first step may be the most important action you take today.

Stay safe and well, and keep creating.