YWCA Career Circle Feedback

Thank you to all the wonderfully engaging women who attended today's workshop, "Fear: Use It or Be Used by It."

Please use the comment fields to leave feedback; three sentences about what you learned and anything else you want to communicate to me and/or other attendees.

This feedback will help inform and evolve this work and is much appreciated.

Sleepers Awake!

I was having tea with Gloria Burgess (of Jazz Inc. and Lift Every Voice Foundation) last week and we were talking about leadership and how out of alignment American culture is with American ideals and emerging values of sustainability. We agreed that the pursuit of "The American Dream" (more info on just what this is/means, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream) has hurt more than helped most Americans, while crippling our planet.

Gloria laughed heartily when I quipped: In order to have the American Dream, you have to be asleep.

See, what is most dangerous - for you, me, us, and them - is that the American Dream is set in a troubled sleep of scarcity and insatiable consumption. In order to chase this dream, you have to believe that you don't have what you need, that what you need to be happy is your own material riches, that the stuff you have is never enough, that you will always need more/different stuff, and that there is not enough stuff to make everyone happy. This mindset has set the pace and tone for the American lives we are living today - which most of us feel are not all that happy - and has directly contributed to the below-prime mortgage fiasco that triggered the economic collapse in 2008.

The area of happiness research offers some insight into what really brings happiness (Happiness Studies). We are happier when we spend time with family and friends, when we help people, and when we share resources equitably. Other research shows that we are softwired for connection, empathy, and belonging (see Emphathic Civilisation), not competition, aggression, and violence. How does this fit with consumer society and "keeping up with the Joneses"?

Awaken dreamers! We have all we need and more!!

Practice abundance thinking and enjoy the creativity it activates and nourishes. Walk outside and meet your tribe, start creating your family of choice. We are poised to make a monumental choice to care and connect with all that frightens us, to hug the frightening monster of our nightmares and know that it is bringing us important information about living consciously and compassionately and happily on this planet today and for many tomorrows.