repair — EMPOWERED TIMES BLOG

Growing Through Calamity

The following article is written by Billie Greer—a public policy advisor, retired lobbyist, business leader, consultant, activist, feminist, and mentor to many (including me!)

Crises happen. In our world. In our nation. In our everyday lives. When we face a crisis, as most of us will, we feel overwhelmed. Powerless. Fear sets in.

Disaster or hope? The answer is determined, in large measure, by how one reacts to a crisis and manages that crisis. “Calamity 101” steals a page from the experiences of corporations and leaders who have successfully handled crises.

Consider these steps, when a crisis is upon you, to help deal with the situation and to gain some level of control over what is happening as you seek potential resolution of the issue at hand. You either advance or stay where you are, and the latter is not where you want to be. By taking action, you empower yourself and you will be stronger for it.

The Art of Repair in Relationships

In Japan, kintsugi is the art of mending of broken objects. Sometimes our relationships can feel broken. We make mistakes, we see things from different points of view, we disagree, our priorities shift, we drift apart. Every relationship encounters conflict. No relationship is perfect. The greatest marker of a healthy relationship is one that is able to repair effectively. Repair is the cornerstone of a secure relationship. Cultivating the capacity to recover from conflict helps us restore safety and trust.

Like kintsugi, mending our relationships makes them resilient and whole again. When we invest in the art of repair, we end up with something that not only stands the test of time, but actually increases in value.

Using the acronym R.E.P.A.I.R, this article explores six basic principles to restore connection in your relationships.

2020: The Year of the Breath

Lately, the breath has gotten a lot of press. 2020 seems to be the year of the breath, or perhaps more accurately, lack thereof. COVID-19, the global pandemic has affected millions of people across the world who have contracted the virus and struggled for breath. People have lost their lives, their loved ones, their livelihoods. In the midst of the virus crisis, we heard the haunting words, “I can’t breathe,” uttered by George Floyd as he was suffocated and publicly murdered under the knee of a white police officer. Our sense of physical and psychological safety has been severely compromised on a number of levels. The often overlooked luxury of breath has become the symbol of health, freedom, justice, and aliveness. As DJ D-Nice regularly reminded us this year, “Let it breathe.”

Categories: