Wow, did things feel turned upside-down with the events of the world last week!
Things are uncertain. Many are feeling fearful and contracted (you too?). We’re seeing deep and troubling divisions. We are awakening to a world with a lot of suffering on both sides.
So, now what? How do we show up in this new world?
How do we empower our children when the world feels unstable?
Our children are watching us. They are taking their cues from us to see how we respond to this new world. They want to know, does mom feel fearful and small? How should I feel?
Telling them that they can do or be anything amounts to nothing if we stay afraid and contracted. We teach our children not through lectures, but by how we live our lives.
Just as we teach our children to yell by yelling, and we teach the language of respect by using respectful language with them. We empower our children by empowering ourselves.
“Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.” – Robert Fulghum
You may be thinking, “I don’t know what to do.” “But I do feel worried and afraid.”
That’s okay. Let’s take baby steps here. I invite you to make the intention to empower yourself and take these simple, but powerful steps:
#1 Take care of your body. Taking care of your physical health through exercise and eating nourishing foods is to ready yourself to be empowered in this world. To neglect your body is to say that you are not worthy. You are. Take care of your own needs for enough sleep, water, and healthy movement every day. To do so is to show your children that you value yourself.
#2 Take care of your mind. Are you living in anxiety, worry, anger and other unhealthy mental states too much? We all suffer and have difficult feelings, and that’s okay. But you can take simple steps to reduce anxiety, depression, and distraction, which all dim your light in this world. Meditation is a practice of training the mind to rest in its inherent strength, stability, and clarity. A practice can be completed in as little as five minutes each day.
#3 Meet your own needs. Each one of us has needs from the basic survival sort to higher needs like connection, choice, expression, contribution, and purpose. While we put our needs to one side while our children our infants, we can’t and shouldn’t repress our needs for too long. This may mean setting boundaries in your family, and that’s okay. This is about self-worth, and our children need strong models of it. What needs haven’t you been meeting?
#4 Keep learning. We have the one wild and beautiful life. What are you called to learn? Where do you want to grow? Invest in your learning and growth, whether it’s the small price of book or the larger investment in a course or a coach. Dedicate yourself to growing stronger and more skillful. Your children will learn by your leadership (even if someone else tucks them in a few nights).
Instead of staying fearful and contracted, now is the time to use your voice and shine your light. We need the voices of conscious women now more than ever.
The instability and uncertainty of the world is a rallying cry to cultivate and tap into our own power as conscious leaders in our family and beyond.
Peace really does begin with you.
“The world will be saved by the western woman” – Dalai Lama.
It’s no longer enough to look at “Be the change you want to see in the world” as a an inspirational quote — we really do have to BE it. Embody it. Live it. To teach the next generation.
Wherever you are in the world, I’m wishing you peace.
With warmth & lovingkindness,
Hunter Clarke-Fields
Bio: Hunter Clarke-Fields, MSAE, RYT, is a mindfulness mama mentor. She coaches over-stressed moms on how to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. Hunter is a certified Parent Effectiveness Training teacher and has over 20 years of experience in yoga & mindfulness practices. She has taught thousands worldwide. Hunter is the creator of the Mindful Parenting course. Click here to learn more and get free resources.