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Everything’s Connected
Table of contents for Change, Transition and Transformation
Part 7 in the Change, Transition, and Transformation Series
When my neck was in pain, I knew that my muscles had tightened up and locked into place. According to Dr. Lou, my chiropractor, the massage had not been effective because my muscles were not the source of misalignment. Rather, the muscles had tightened up in response to the misalignment of my vertebrae.
I continued to see Dr. Lou so he could make adjustments to realign my spine. But, in between visits, my back would become misaligned again and the pain would return. Interestingly, the muscles were so used to being in a tightened, resistance mode, they would fall back into the familiar role by force of habit, pulling my spine out of alignment in the process. The muscles, rather than supporting the adjustments, were working against them.
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Balance, Alignment, and Support
Table of contents for Change, Transition and Transformation
Part 9 in the Change, Transition, and Transformation Series
As James Baldwin stated:
“Any real change implies the breakup of the world as one has always known it, the loss of all that gave one an identity, the end of safety.” As we undergo change, even desired change, we do temporarily lose ourselves – we lose the identity that we knew and that was familiar to us. As a result, we end up feeling unsafe, uncertain, and off balance.
As is clear from my earlier posts, being able to move through change and transition and successfully come out transformed on the other side is about balance and alignment. Read more
Change, Transition, and Transformation for Executive Directors
Over the last few months, I have been facilitating a monthly Learning and Support Group for executive directors of New York City nonprofit organizations with the support of the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York.
I developed this series after having conducted a few roundtable discussion meetings with these organizational leaders. What became apparent during these discussions was their difficulty finding time to step back and reflect on their work, their roles, their visions for their organizations and their professional and personal development that is crucial to their ongoing success and effectiveness. Read more
Stories As a Means to Make Sense of Our Lives
When I was undergoing my personal transition (see the Change, Transition, and Transformation Series), I had to find ways to pay attention to, see and understand the connections between my mind, body and spirit to tap into a new sense of focus and creativity.
Another vehicle for becoming aligned and integrated as individuals involves stories.
Stories as a Mean to Enhance Mutual Understanding
Since stories are the way we make sense of our lives, story telling is an important vehicle for gaining mutual understanding. It is by telling our stories and hearing and understanding their differences that we can begin to create larger more inclusive and fully integrated stories. Like quilters, story-tellers piece together what is otherwise unconnected. Read more
Stories About Ourselves and Stories About Others
I had an experience recently in a long-term learning group that I was in. All the participants had made a commitment to attend six 3-day sessions over an 18-month period of time.
New York City Executive Director’s Roundtable
I run a monthly Executive Director’s Roundtable in New York City (in conjunction with the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York). This Learning and Support Group, open to executive directors of nonprofit organizations only, is designed to provide non-profit leaders with:
(1) peer support to reduce isolation,
(2) best practices to improve effectiveness, and
(3) networking opportunities.
Finding Balance: The Great Challenge
In my ongoing Learning and Support Group for executive directors of NYC nonprofit organizations (in conjunction with the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York), a recurring topic is finding and maintaining balance.
One of the reasons these organizational leaders continue to come to these group meetings is because they have come to understand that maintaining balance outside is dependent on being centered inside. Read more
The Magic of an Apology
One of the worst consequences of our increasingly litigious society in the United States is the growing obsolescence of apologies. Many people live and act from a fear of being sued, leading them to take actions to cover up their mistakes rather than take responsibility for them, apologize and try to help in the healing process of those who have been harmed. Read more
Seeing and Being Seen
One of the most basic of human desires is the desire to feel “seen.” We want to be seen for who we are – and have the unique gifts that we bring to the world appreciated and valued.
An incident that took place with my daughter about a year ago helped me realize how easy it is not to “see” and appreciate those around us – even those who are nearest and dearest to us. My daughter is eleven years old now but was ten at the time of the incident I’m writing about. Read more
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For information about Deb's book, The Quilt of Humanity: A Metaphor for Healing and Reparation, click here