Generating ourselves intentionally
Anybody else feeling the effects of perfectionism and how it uses our precious emotional and physical energy? What about learned patterns of self-doubt especially in times of pain, loss, stress, and change?
I was reminded by June Lucarotti, founder of Vola Sessions, of the value of generating ourselves every day. To generate is “to bring into existence; to be the cause of (a situation, action, or state of mind).” -Merriam Webster
There is much to say on the ways we strive for our needs to be met within structures that don’t align to our personal and collective wellbeing. It is exhausting, and still, we try. One moment and day at a time.
Below are 6 tips to “generating” yourself – as the leader, business owner, community strategist, coach, teacher, or diversity and equity consultant, you are.
As a way to be in practice to re-focus and interrupt the chatter. As a way to embody words like “I am deliberate and afraid of nothing” from Audre Lorde and have our aspirations guide our thoughts, being, reactions, and deliberate actions.
It can be easy to loose sense of who we are and who we long to be within the chatter that occurs in our thoughts. There are many societal messages that are counter our healing, nurturing, and caring; which encourage imposter syndrome (aka internalized oppression). Yet, who we are is powerful and worthy of dignity, love, clarity, grace, and space to make and learn from mistakes.
It takes practice to care for ourselves, and each other. It takes practice to connect our values to the tasks and activities we engage in each day. It takes practice to center and remember all the communities and people who have fought for us; visionaries and every day folks who have been carrying messages rooted in racial justice, gender justice, healing, and our collective needs being met. Slowly, more and more of us are waking up to listen and to examine how we’ve been living, teaching, and learning. To re-connect and re-align to what matters.
As Resmaa Menakem says, “we are not defective.” To hold onto our light in the darkness takes practice and gentleness. Thank you to those who have been carrying this light and may it become brighter.
With care, Sarah
Ways to generate yourself as a practice:
“It harms my capacity when I am not free to be myself…”
Images from pexels
1.) Bring attention to the way of “being” you want to generate.
For me, this is embodying a strong and caring presence as a somatic coach. Other examples: Generate yourself as the amazing boss or loving parent you know you are and continue to want to be.
2.) Align with your purpose and have what you are generating be aligned to what matters to you - your values, principles and hopes.
3.) Remember and acknowledge what is at your back/history; the efforts, experience, knowledge, and past wins and struggles of communities you belong to and communities you don’t, which have led to today.
4.) Notice self-talk and the thoughts you are having right now. Acknowledge them, feel them, and begin to orient yourself and your thoughts towards an even more affirming context as you move forward into the day.
5.) Feel and embody what you wish to generate. Connect to the felt sense of who and what you want to generate. Pause to feel this, notice, and welcome more of it.
Example: Again, I am a coach and when I connect to what this means to me in a felt sense, I feel even more settled, grounded, full, and confident.
6.) Practice over and over. Each moment, each attempt, each mistake and repair, and each time you engage and give in a new way is a ripple that is part of a movement.
#progressoverperfection #communitychange #somatics #transformation #collectivecare #organizationalculture #healing #racism #sexism
I am a somatic coach, team coach, and intercultural strategist. If you’d like to connect to chat about providing support via coaching, capacity building, and accountability-building for you and/or your team, please email me at hello@sarahrimmel.com or schedule a call below.