Figuring out It!

 

When It is figured out, you’re:

The envy of your classmates!

A shining star who aced her final!

At the top of your class!

An honors graduate with every pragmatic it figured out!

Meanwhile that perfectly perfect body of yours? She’s pragmatically and systematically keeping score. 

Sometimes she keeps the score by not so lovingly pushing you down and shoving you back – she’s knowingly underscoring that figuring it out comes down to one thing:

Being.  

Not doing. Not producing. Not attaining the next accolade. Being. 

And that’s the kind of score your perfectly perfect body will happily and healthily always figure out.

 

 

Photo by GreGGme on Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

 

Take a Hike

This path you’re on? The one where an irritant nestles its way into your shoe causing you to –

Stop.

Sit down.

Remove your shoe.

And shake the debris loose?

Turns out that very debris, that very irritant, that very sit down, all hold great beauty and wonder.

Upon closer examination and honoring of the debris, you’ll discover both the irritant and the pause contain messages and knowledge to inform your own unique path.

Go.

Take a hike.

Beautiful bits of irritating debris are awaiting perfectly perfect you.

Photo by Victor Bezrukov on Foter.com / CC BY-NC

Get a grip

Last night was a history making moment. An end of an era moment. A moment of gratitude and reflection. It was a moment of grace coupled with an incredible knowingness to make space for the next generation of leaders who will undeniably shape a more just world.

It was a moment that almost didn’t happen.

In a packed DC ballroom, of Planned Parenthood staffers and volunteers from across the country, Cecile Richards bid adieu to her Planned Parenthood family. Speaking from her heart, she shared how she nearly didn’t show up to interview for what she calls her opportunity of a lifetime – serving as Planned Parenthood’s national president.

Cecile Richards

Surprisingly Cecile Richards, regarded as one of the fiercest modern-day advocates for women and families, initially doubted her own gifts and talents to lead the national Planned Parenthood organization.

Cecile said, “Like any adult woman who’s unsure of her own abilities, I called my mother.”

Enter Ann Richards, former Governor of Texas, who told her daughter, as only a mother can, “Get a grip, Cecile.”

Each of us, as our own insecure and flawed perfectly perfect self, has the opportunity to create unique, history making moments. It’s as easy – and it’s as difficult – as whole-heartedly showing up in your own life and your own spheres of influence.

It’s our collective moment to get a grip, believe in ourselves, and make a difference.

No time for losers…

 

…we are the champions of the world.

When there’s no time for losers, there’s so much at stake for ourselves and our world.

How do we make advancements holding a binary worldview of losers and champions?

How do we open ourselves to learn from and work with one another inside a politically binary landscape?

To step into our brilliant, perfectly-perfect selves – the place where we can genuinely create and make extraordinary work for ourselves and the world – will each of us have the fortitude to embrace the lessons of sometimes being a loser and sometimes being a winner? 

The world is counting on our perfectly-perfect blended collective of losers and champions to make some impressive, glorious noise.

Go. Now. Get some sand kicked in your face.

 

photo credit: id-iom Maps, DNA and spam via photopin (license)

The “ov” life hack

An extraordinary thing happened today.

Actually several extraordinary things happened today.

A friend introduced me to some new people during an inspired life celebration for Mary Louise Mussoline, a woman who lived wholeheartedly, leaving the world and the city of Milwaukee better than she found it.

When asked during the introduction how we knew each other, he responded, “We’re heart friends.”

Not, “oh we worked together on xyz project” or, “we met during the xyz event” rather “we’re heart friends.”

Humbling.

Following Mary Louise’s life celebration, complete with a dance party hosted by Radio Milwaukee, the news of Al Jarreau’s death was breaking.

Synchronicity.

On the day in which Mary Louise’s exceptional life and her ability to utilize music as a vehicle for unity in this racially divided city was being celebrated, the brilliantly talented artist, musician and Milwaukee native Al Jarreau’s life, also using music as change agent, came to an end.

Upon returning home I listened to Al Jarreau’s “We’re in this love together.”

Not “we’re in this life together.” Something much more profound – we’re in this love together – we’re heart friends.

In order to extraordinarily live each day being the change you want for the world, like Milwaukee’s own Mary Louise Mussoline and Al Jarreau, it takes a little life hack – changing up the rhythm of life to the rhythm of love.

Together, as perfectly perfect heart friends, we are indeed in this stressful, politically and socially challenging, gorgeously messy, love together.

As Mary Louise’s dance party was coming to an end, another friend shared this pearl he had learned regarding life and death: “I greet you from the other side. With a love so vast and shattered it will reach you everywhere.”

Go. Do. Be – in this life of love together.

photo credit: monsieurlam Divide : My Favorite Tune via photopin (license)

It is what it is

Design by BlackPaint Studios

Until you’re resolved it’s not.

The time is now.

What it is, is not the way forward for women, girls and families.

Backbones. Not wishbones.

Voice your perfectly perfect resolve to be the change you want for the world.

Rise up. Be Visible.

 

13-year-old girls

What words pop into your head?

As a mother, maybe, Caring or Trouble or Sensitive or Shy or Passionate or Kind or Daring or maybe even Yikes!

How about this word?    Activist.

It’s likely the word activist is one Mary Beth Tinker’s mother may have used when describing her daughter.

In 1965 Mary Beth Tinker was 13. She and her friends made history – by being activists.

Armband Advocacy

This young group of friends wore black armbands to school to mourn the Vietnam War dead and support the Christmas peace truce being urged by Robert Kennedy. Mary Beth was suspended as were others. Yet her 13-year old activism resulted in the landmark free speech Supreme Court Case, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District.

In a few short weeks, on January 21^st, people will gather for Women’s Marches in cities across the country showing their advocacy, their fortitude and their strength – just like Mary Beth Tinker did in 1965.

And just like Mary Beth Tinker, my daughter and I will be wearing our black armbands in the Women’s March on Madison on January 21^st.

Thank you Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin for working with women owned BlackPaint Studios to create this powerful reminder of advocacy while allowing us to support the country’s largest provider of reproductive health care.

How will your perfectly perfect 13-year-old heart, advocate for the issues and rights that are important to you?

#Riseup
#Bevisible

Click here to order your Mary Beth Tinker inspired armband.

Losing my religion

My sister has lived in the south long enough to pick-up a number of southern-isms – “Don’t make me lose my religion” being one of them.

The first time I heard this southern-ism I understood its urgency – its immediacy to check one’s attitude, words or actions to avoid a world of hurt.

As the headlines broke yesterday regarding the degrading and vile conversation between a presidential candidate and a Hollywood reporter, the pretty-boys-white-club nearly made me “lose my religion.”

Instead I heeded the advice of Michelle Obama and went high with a little help from a friend.

DJ Bizzon has recently created a mixtape with songs of empowerment that took me high when the misogynists went low.

Here’s a sampling to help you go high:

• I’m every woman – no doubt Chaka Khan
• All I’m asking for is a little respect – amen Aretha
• You deserve the best in life – thank you Madonna
• Rebel, that’s right, I’ll call my own shots – absolutely Janet Jackson
• So I like what I see when I’m looking at me when I’m walking past the mirror – that’s keeping our heads on straight Mary J Blige
• Uh-oh, running out of breath, but I got stamina and I see another mountain to climb – you’re free to be the greatest Sia
• I’m holding on to my freedom, can’t take it away from me – yes we can live our lives like they’re golden Jill Scott

And finally with Beyonce’s lyrics in mind – it’s time to get your perfectly, perfect selves in formation because girls run this world.

Who are we? What we run? The world.

Rise up!

Vote!

Get off the side lines and run the world – today – our futures depend on it!

 

Graphics courtesy of Blackpaint Studios

What makes you blush?

Is it when someone gives you a compliment?

Is it when someone points out you did not keep your commitment?

Is it when a public figure says something anathema to your belief system?

Whatever it is that makes you blush, it may be an indicator deserving of your attention. A blush deserving further personal exploration.

In that compliment someone may be noticing a gift or talent the world needs more of.

In that criticism, a reflection of a barrier you may have unwittingly created to prevent yourself from realizing your full potential.

In those comments that are out of alignment with your values may be an invitation to get involved with an issue or an organization.

The next time your perfectly perfect self blushes, that outward response may be a reaction to an inward yearning.

Photo source: narscosmetics.com

Conspiracy Theories

They seem to be everywhere. Nearly a day passes without one or more media outlets reporting on the latest political conspiracy theory as November nears.

Among the hyperbole and vitriol, one conspiracy theory appears to be suspiciously missing – yours.

What might your life and career look like if you decide, in this exact moment, to conspire with yourself?

Might you make that first mark and then another and another until the painting in your head begins to take shape? Or, perhaps you might revisit those lyrics you scribbled in your journal to give voice to the voiceless. Crazier yet, you might tender your resignation from a job you’ve disliked for a decade and start shooting that film you storyboard each night.

The greatest conspiracy to have ever been conceived is just waiting for you. Eagerly anticipating that glorious moment when perfectly perfect you, with all of your magnificent imperfections, reaches down deep inside to honor and bring to the surface your extraordinary gifts and talents – for you to conspire on behalf of you.

That’s a conspiracy theory worth reporting.

photo credit: Partitura_02 via photopin (license)