We never know how high we are till we are called to rise

This time of the year we usually do a recap of what has happened this year, maybe our accomplishments or our dreams, etc. But this has been one heck of a year, hasn’t it?

We have all been affected by it, so in that regard, we are all in the same boat. Yes, perhaps you have heard that before. And yet, everyone has been affected differently, depending on our resources, financial, emotional, and physical. 

“We never know how high we are
Till we are called to rise;
And then, if we are true to plan,
Our statures touch the skies – “
Emily Dickinson

Even though these words were written in 1800’s, to me they never sounded more current and relevant than now. We’ve all been asked to dig deeper this year, so it’s possible to feel a bit depleted. A bit “over it“. However, if you are doing an inventory of 2020 and setting intentions for 2021, maybe consider this invitation to reflect on your “stature” this year.

We never choose to go through unpleasant experiences. If someone asked you if you wanted to grow spiritually or become stronger, or more resilient, you’d probably say, “yeah, that would be useful”. But then if you were told that you’d have to go through a situation that will test your patience, your limit, and deplete your resources in order to expand, maybe you’d say “no thanks!” 

Almost nine years ago I experienced one of the most difficult losses of my life and the circumstances made it even more difficult. I felt like I was spinning, losing control, and I remember the pain of my grief being so unbearable that one day I literally felt that I couldn’t breathe anymore. I was on the floor, in my home office, and was not able to move. At that moment, I thought that I was never going to be able to move again. 

What I didn’t realize at the time was that in that moment I was both dying and rebirthing. I had to fall to the ground, literally, in order to shed my shell and start growing. That experience wasn’t something I wished for and yet, now that I am on the other side of it, I am grateful for the lessons that it brought to me. I am not saying that I am grateful that it had to happen that way, I don’t think anyone wants to go through hardship, but I am grateful for my lessons, because without this experience and everything that I learned going through it, I would not be who I am today. 

I learned that I am stronger than I ever thought I could possibly be, and also that I am never alone, not even in that experience. Whatever experience you may be going through or have been going through, while it is unique to you, there’s always someone that can help or that can relate to it. So find that someone.

So now, as you are reflecting on this one-heck-of-a year, do you see how you’ve grown? How much stronger you are? How much more resilient you are? “We never know how high we are till we are called to rise;”

Thank you to everyone who has worked with me this past year, everyone who reads these notes from the heart, and I wish you all a healthy new year!

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NEW COURSE: How to Make Your Practice Trauma-Sensitive

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We created How to Make Your Practice Trauma-Sensitive, based on our experience as practitioners trained in trauma and working with trauma survivors. We think that this work is so important now more than ever, and we want to support other practitioners and organizations in their mission to help trauma survivors, by offering practical tools that can be applied instantly.

We start with trauma theory and then go into what makes a practice trauma-sensitive. Everything from the recovery process and establishing safety, to language, environment, and how to support your clients when they get triggered.

If this sounds like something you would benefit from, please check out the course page for details. Pre-orders get 20% off with code “trauma-sensitive” until 12/7.

We hope you find it helpful and if you have questions, we are here for you! Also, if you know anyone who could benefit from this, feel free to share with them. Or if we can speak at your organization, event, or podcast, let us know. We love this work and more than that we want to support other practitioners and organizations to do it, so help us spread the word!

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Beaver Moon 2020

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Did you feel the effects of the full moon this week? This is the moon that marks a shift in the seasons and our tendency to go more inward, to reflect, to hibernate, etc. Add a penumbral eclipse to this and you’ve got all the energies moving around. For our benefit, they say.

If you are feeling something shifting or have felt it these past few days, then there’s no better time than to pause and reflect and see what that means for you.

For me, it was about communication, about reflecting on my own doubts and fears, and also what was/is holding me back. The full moon is usually a reminder to let go of something – what we thought we needed or wanted, old beliefs, habits etc – in order to make room for something new, or to hold on to what has been working for us. It’s the peak of the (lunar) month, the peak of the work we’ve been doing since the new moon.

To find out the answer, though, we need to turn down our mind chatter. To sit, to draw, to pray, to meditate, to walk… you name your own preferred way to be present, and then the answer will show up.

So, what do you want to hold on to?

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