Humans lifting humans
Growing up in Sweden, I experienced quite a bit of female support and sisters lifting sisters. It was most of the time nothing I spent a lot if time thinking about, it was just sort of the norm in my small town and my group of friends. Don’t get me wrong, there was definitely the occasional juvenile teen bop mean-girl attitudes here and there, and gossiping was a thing. At times everyone had a some point been excluded, just to be included again, and I assume that is how we evolve as humans and find our way as young individuals, to adults. Landing in adulthood, as some of us do at some point, I learned through personal experience but also my long winded passion in human behavior and studying it in school, that when we reach adulthood, but still act like teeny bops, something's happened along the way and we get proverbially stuck in a stage that is not useful anymore. Personally I have realized that this behavior is present in so many adult, especially politicians! :)) Am I right?
Spending my young adulthood in my business in Los Angeles, I experienced a different set of rules. In a competitive business like my own, there has been a more dis-engaged and less community oriented approach to working as a team. Ironically enough, our work in the wellness industry is SO MUCH about team work! Although there is something to say about regular competitive energy, and where it can push us as professionals, I believe that the openness to and desire for collaboration and unity is something the will make us evolve further with HUGE take-aways as a group. After all, it takes a village to raise a child! It will take a community to get us out of the pickle we are in at present day. Instilling wellness as a tool for actual wellbeing not just body obsession, communicating love to inspire self-love without judging self or others, and caring for the bigger picture, climate change, the globe, how we treat the ones we know nothing about and are in need. It really takes a village.
So far I have meet humans, not just women ;), in my life that have changed my life partially and completely. I feel so grateful that I’ve dared to stick my nose out far enough to actually bump into said humans! I have also met people who I can gladly say I’d never want to meet again. Some of them I have forgiven, and some I have been able to accept, not judge, and wipe the sweat from my brow knowing It’s my own choice to step away from the energy. The older I get, the better it feels to realize that I am positively capable of making the distinctions, and making the choices. The second category have taught me LOADS more than the first one at times, so I’m hugely grateful for them in my life (and then out of).
A few days ago I came across a colleagues post on how scrutinized she has been for embodying a woman mid menopause, that has the desire, skill and has made the choice to live healthily through her journey to splendor. Yes those hormonal changes end up being the gateway to something truly new and exceptional. The woman’s job is to teach other women how to take care of themselves through their transition, and and inspire to health and wellness. The backlash has been riddled with “canceling” her, and criticizing her for not being a good depiction of how menopaus can be. It just makes me sad and angry how we as individuals will choose to judge and criticize, instead of finding the opportunity to learn and curiously try. I realize that it has to do with how we view our individual selves, and if we don’t have a good relationship there, then extending any good relationships anywhere else, is purely impossible.
Instead of me doing the same, judging and analyzing and canceling the noise out, I would love to invite to the opposite. A dream is to have an ongoing round table conversation on how we can get to a place where we as adults help young children gain self confidence, without the need of a negative comparison to other peoples choices. Where do we begin eradicating that need to squash our individualities and start celebrating them instead? How can we have the conversation about acceptance of all choices? Where do we start building the strong sense of self, and a desire to curiously connect to each other for inspiration and evolution of spirit? After all we are social animals, that work as a pack and we do need each other. Can we ever come back to that it actually takes a village to create a solid, confident and positively curios sense of self? I’m thirsty to step out on the journey to find if this is possible.
Live Loud!!
Tanja