Diversity of thought, beliefs, wants, and needs are often the reasons why humans struggle with the idea of peace.
We want to feel heard.
We want to be understood.
We want acceptance.
And our diversity of thought, beliefs, and wants threaten the ease of getting that acceptance.
The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") is observed around the world each year on 21 September. Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.
A culture of understanding, despite our differences.
A culture of acceptance, despite our varying experiences.
Peace is the recognition that we may not all be the same in terms of language, ability, experience, or culture, but we all deserve the same right to a beautiful life, a safe life, a full life.
Today, we honor peace and highlight acceptance.
Let today be the first of many days where we prioritize peace and acceptance of our differences.
How do you promote and embody a peaceful world in your day-to-day?
Diversity in women is a beautiful thing.
Black women.
White women.
Asian women.
Brown women.
Disabled women.
Neurodiverse women.
Transgender women.
Different abled women.
Diversity is what contributes to a technicolor world, where our cultural, racial, and interpersonal differences highlight the best parts of us.
Our differences are also colored by our experiences, our stories, our cultures, and traditions.
Once we fail to see the beauty in our differences, we begin to dull the beauty of our world. We begin to paint in black, white, and shades of gray.
We diminish the beauty.
What is your favorite part of being a woman? How has womanhood shaped your life experience?
No emotional support animal?
No problem!
Studies show that looking at pictures of cute animals, such as puppies, increases productivity, focus, and well-being.
So lower your stress levels and follow some of the best animal accounts you can find! Here, I'll help:
#dogsofinstagram
@jiffpom
@pumpkintheraccoon
@this_girl_is_a_squirrel
@juniperfoxx
@lionelthehog
@mr.poof
Do you have an emotional support animal? Tell us all about them below!
Everyone's hero is a human being as well!
Don't lose your humanity trying to maintain your hero status.
There is no finish line!
Repeat that to yourself: "There is no finish line."
You are not working toward this perfected version of self. There is no end goal on your internal work.
You are always growing.
You are always evolving.
The work you do in therapy is not the beginning of your journey to a more perfect self. Therapy is a way for you to obtain the tools to constantly and consistently be your best self.
To address your shortcomings in a healthy way.
To support your growth and embrace change positively.
To embrace life with the tools you need to keep being you.
There is no finish line. And you may even find that therapy is most effective for you in times of uncertainty, doubt, or fear.
Whatever you need it for, whenever you need it, know to ask for it when you do!
What are some wins you've achieved by going to therapy?
Despite the societal pressures against women, they continue to rise.
Despite unequal pay, they continue to provide.
Despite rising (and often competing) responsibilities, women continue to raise the bar educationally and intellectually.
Despite all odds, we rise 🌱
How are you facing the world and rising today?
It's been quite the year #2020
And with respect to their indigenous people who lost their homes, culture and livelihood for us to have a Thanksgiving, we at RPS recognize the origins of this day.
And we remember what was taken in order for us to have a day of thanks.
So today, reflect, connect and remain abreast of the realities of this day, while connecting and appreciating what and who you have to be thankful for.
How are you connecting with loved one today?
Love,
The RPS team ❤️
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#thanksgiving2020
How do you define who you are?
Is it a mixture of what you love about yourself and what brings you joy, or the idea you have of what others think of you?
Is your inner self a reflection of all you have accomplished and survived, or all your mistakes and falls?
When you paint the picture of what makes you, you, it's easy to loop in the negatives we believe helped shaped us but, the reality of it is, they do not define us.
We are the sum of our experiences, meaning they all count, they all matter.
And only you can define exactly how each experience has worked to get to this point.
So as many of us head to our small, intimate (COVID-friendly gatherings!) family gatherings for Thanksgiving, it's important to remember these aren't fun holidays for us all.
Some people struggle with holidays for many reasons. If that's you, remember:
You know you best.
You are your own best asset.
Let your inner light shine, no matter what.
What are your Thanksgiving plans this year?
Happy #WomenEntreprenuersDay!
Today, we at RPS celebrate the women who have chosen to step out of the box, create the life that suits them and make money in ways that feel aligned and authentic.
Women, even in the face of a pandemic, have also continued to grow and scale their businesses widely, contributing over $1.6 trillion to the US economy annually.
But with every good side, there is a bad and often, the mental health of women business owners is overlooked. Business owners are so busy taking care of their clients that they sometimes forget to take care of themselves. Because most business owners feel responsible for not only their own livelihoods but also that of their clients and team, they’re more likely to experience stress, have a poor work-life balance, and suffer from anxiety. So, along with the financial insecurity, health concerns, and feelings of isolation that nearly everyone is experiencing during the pandemic, business owners feel all those worries, on top of taking care of their employees and clients and business.
So how do you find a balance so you can continue thriving mentally and financially?
⚖️ Commit to work/life balance.
Remember and constantly remind yourself why you decided that business ownership was right for you. Your why is what will allow you to consistently maintain a reasonable work/life balance structure. Separate where you work from where you sleep, cut off meeting and work times, and be diligent about what you need to be productive and creative.
⚖️ Exercise/Take a Walk
When we are in work settings, we are more apt to get up and move around to change our environment. This can be difficult when in the house or apartment. So be aware of your movement and be sure you are constantly moving about and working in environments that fit your needs.
⚖️ Know what positive and negative productivity looks like
This is a big one. Not all productivity is good productivity. So be sure to stay aware of what you are doing and when and why. Don't force productivity for the sake of productivity. Work within your zone of genius and you'll find you do well every time!
Are you a business owner? How are you celebrating you today?
After an exciting week last week, it truly is okay to be tired right now and emotionally spent.
When we spend days anticipating big news or a big event, our bodies consistently release dopamine to keep us excited, sharp, and aware. When the body is excited, it's a kind of state of arousal and that arousal means an increase in heart rate, sympathetic nervous system activity, and your brain begins to signal the increased production of hormones.
So suffice it to say, there's a lot happening!
Your emotions become so powerful that that excitement and overdrive likely led to hyper-productivity, awareness, and attentiveness.
And naturally, here comes the crash 💥
So if you're feeling like I am right now, tired and withdrawn, here are some ways you can focus on your self-care and really cater to your mental health this week:
🇺🇸 Take some time for reflection and renewal
Focus on your breathing and reflect on what you need to feel whole again this week. Is it to disconnect? Do you need a massage? Or do you need some quiet time at home this week? Whatever it is, communicate your needs to your family and friends and get the support you need to unwind and decompress. It's a priority.
🇺🇸 After days of social media and news, it may be time to turn them off.
You likely watched the news like a hawk the last week, rightfully so. This week, CNN and FOX can go. It's okay to tune the rest of the world out for a bit and focus on yourself. You'll regroup and hop back on socials again later.
🇺🇸 Get outside.
We're like of like plants in that way. With the weather being warmer on the east coast this week, step outside and get some sun and fresh air to rejunvinate your mind and senses. This land is your land, right?
Are you feeling post-election exhaustion this week? How are you practicing self-care? Tell me about it below! 👇
Quite a week as elections continue to discuss rising above the negative but here we are!
Failure is a very regular but very important part of our every day lives. Understanding how failure teaches us to be better, propels us forward, and ultimately, reroutes us when necessary. These lessons are a necessity in our lives.
But failure can trick us into thinking we are less than and those negative thoughts can be plaguing. So where do you go when you've worked hard and failed? How do you get yourself through that experience?
👍🏼 Acceptance is important to overcome failure
It's important not to spend too much time lingering in thought on your failure. Reflection is an important part of growth but the reflection process should not be long or overwhelming.
Once you have reflected on areas of improvement, move forward, and apply what you have gathered. Accept your failure and put it in the past.
👍🏼 Focus on nurturing and improving yourself
Failure can only be negative if you do not allow yourself to bounce back from it. Once you have decided to move forward, focus on appreciating your experience, the work you put in, and create a nurturing and caring environment for yourself. Self-care should not be used as a reward. It should be used as a way of reconnecting with yourself.
👍🏼 Adopt a constructive approach and learn from the adverse situation
Consider your failure as valuable life feedback and take home something you can implement in the process of overcoming your failure. Ask yourself:
✔️ What is the lesson for me?
✔️ How can I avoid making the same mistake and do better next time?
Remember, you don’t need to rush through any part of the process. You may find answers immediately, or over a period of time. But the most important part of this is to remain constructive about things rather than getting stuck with denial, negativity, and apathy.
When was the last time you overcame negative thoughts about yourself? How do you practice self-love, even when faced with failure?
You are your best:
Friend | Confidante | Cheerleader | Accountability partner | Supporter | Advocate
Honestly and directly letting others know what you need and desire—as well as how you feel—demonstrates personal dignity, self-confidence, and respect. It can also make others much more sensitive to your needs and viewpoints moving forward, without a confrontation involving you.
Failing to stick up for yourself, or speak for yourself, makes it so that your basic relational needs are not being met. This can leave you feeling frustrated, misunderstood, and unfulfilled -- all of which is ultimately a detriment to your relationships -- with others and yourself.
Be aware, however. Assertiveness and advocating for yourself is a balanced element of maintaining long-term relationships. You don't want to assert yourself so much that you cannot see past your own needs and begin to isolate those around you.
Take these areas into consideration when advocating for yourself or in confrontation with another person:
✨ Consider where the other person is coming from. What do you think their thoughts and feelings might be? Could you begin simply by asking them?—or, before you respond, take into account what you imagine might is going on with them?
✨ How much do you really need to justify, or explain yourself? Think of how you can, without attacking, best clarify your perspective—that is, in a way that’s neither self-righteous nor overly defensive. Sometimes, it's also okay to simply agree to disagree.
✨ Assure yourself that, without your consent, no one has the authority to invalidate you. That, unless you’ve been in intense denial about the facts of the situation, the prerogative to judge the validity of your thoughts and feelings belongs to you alone. And that you hardly need to take up arms against someone else’s viewpoint. Be comfortable in your logic and reasoning.
On a scale of 1-10 (with 1 being not comfortable at all), how comfortable are you with sticking up for yourself?
You know what’s powerful?
Standing in your own authority.
Being firm in your own boundaries.
Maintaining your mental health above all.
This week’s political and social turmoil can be enveloping. We find that it’s everywhere, discussed online, at work, at school. This can make it increasing difficult to separate our thoughts from the thoughts of others; increasingly difficult to process our emotions without confusion from others.
You’re not alone.
Times of collective stress, like this week, can make it difficult to separate processing our emotions from being there for our fellow Americans.
It’s admirable, of course, that now, more than ever we connect. But that should never be to your own detriment.
Processing can be emotional, freeing, and unveiling. So if you are still processing, feel free to share your emotions below, leave them here and take what you need from others comments as well.
We all need a little space this week.