Boxing In Belonging by Marcia Chadly

Boxing In Belonging by Marcia Chadly

Community Design, From the Village

by  | Oct 26, 2021 | Belonging, Conversations, Marcia Chadly

Having belonging and culture together as this month’s theme caught my attention. The two are related but not the same thing. Questions are popping up in my head…
  • What about not belonging, how does that relate to culture?
  • Is culture shaped by belonging or belonging shaped by culture?
  • What is a simple monthly theme, prompting so many questions? 😂
Last night I remembered a story from my life that brought me back to thinking about Belonging + Culture… When I was starting my first job as an engineer, my dad (also an engineer) took me aside and told me that I wouldn’t be taken seriously if I was wearing nail polish. At the time I had long nails that I always kept polished. I trusted his advice and stopped polishing my nails.  Because…  I wanted to belong. I wanted to fit the culture. Fast forward to this morning… I take my work seriously and all of me belongs – my engineering skills, my nail painting skills, my parenting skills, and all the rest. My last question for today…

How do we shape culture that doesn’t box in what “belongs”?

The conversation continues in Athena Village
Marcia Chadly

Marcia Chadly

vibrant. creative. ingenious. connection-loving.

Creative Type: Thinker
Creative Life Center Neighborhood
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“I value the three paths we walk in life – self, relationship, and community – and the harmony they create.” – Marcia

I am a Business Consultant for organizations and entrepreneurs using the Mighty Networks platform to host online communities and learning. I am skilled at explaining technical concepts and options in an easy to understand manner, providing clarity and confidence to my clients.

I am particularly known for helping clients translate creative ideas into strategy and action plans to build a Mighty Network. A network that fits their unique situation and leads to increased impact and growth. Specialities: Mighty Networks strategy, Mighty Networks design, Mighty Networks training, Zoom training, online technology training
Adapting to Change by Rachelle Niemann

Adapting to Change by Rachelle Niemann

From the Village

by  | Oct 7, 2021 | Collective, Rachelle Niemann

Adapting to Change

I don’t know if you felt any different energy during the full harvest moon on Monday, but I know I sure did. There was a lot of energy around me, and there was a lot of wind all day. I also cried almost all day. I can only explain it as a great release that has been needed for some time now. I was emotional all day, yet I didn’t attach anything extra to it, and I just sat with and felt my emotions. I let them just be feelings this time, and I woke up Tuesday morning (with puffy eyes and all) feeling differently. Previously, I would have attached a lot of weight to feeling sad and heavy. I would’ve wondered why I was crying and created stories around it. But I’ve learned that they can just be feelings and bodily reactions of processing and releasing, and for that I am grateful.
Change is in the air once again. As we continue to navigate these tumultuous times, it may be time to bring some intentionality forth and put attention toward where you are heading, where you want to go, and determining if the two are in alignment. This pandemic created change for so many of us, and as we anticipated going “back to normal” things changed. Our lives changed; we changed in some way. We always do. Notice how things have changed, and how you have adapted to that change. Reflect back five years ago.  What was different?  What is the same?  What do you appreciate about the last five years? This may be a good time to reset and renew intentions for the future, reassessing what’s most important to you and ensuring your actions are in alignment. Consider: What do you need to let go of? What is no longer serving you?  What do you want to renew? What do you want to continue? Something that has been showing up in many ways to me is the challenge of integrating or reintegrating desired behaviors. If you’ve let go of some routines over the last year and a half, remember that they likely will feel at least a little differently now, and that’s okay. Focus on creating small yet consistent actions to reintroduce or introduce yourself to new actions and behaviors. Remember, it’s okay to start small. They may not feel like they did before, and be aware of your expectations and if you’re allowing outdated thought patterns and perspectives to put weight on the activity. Start small and flex the muscle while you work back into it. Be open and integrate from a place of curiosity and self-kindness. Look for the possibility rather than the struggle and focus on consistency over perfection and the amount of time your spending on the behavior. Make it manageable for you. New beginnings are here. Love and care for yourself and reassess what matters most to you right now, and focus on moving toward that.
The conversation continues in Athena Village
Rachelle Niemann

Rachelle Niemann

Guide, Author, XChange Facilitator

Creative Type: Artist

compassionate. holder of space. heart-connected. calm.

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“I deeply understand how the support of a heart-centered and giving community can elevate us as individuals. When we are elevated, a ripple effect is created, and we all benefit. Creating these environments is my truest work.” – Rachelle
Creative, thoughtful, technically savvy, guide, holder of space, all about instilling inner peace and helping us all know self-love. Focused on cultivating environments to support well-being, Rachelle is a guide, author of Breaking Free from the Hustle for Worthiness and XChange facilitator. Her facilitation, writing, and workshops are created to help lean into and proactively choose well-being as a way of being. Learn More about Rachelle in the Village
Back to The Collective
Design a Life with White S.P.A.C.E.

Design a Life with White S.P.A.C.E.

Talk2Think

“white space” – the empty space between and around the essential elements of a design

A good designer knows that “white space” is critical to an elegant design.

And a good composer knows when to add silence to emphasize the beauty of their composition.

Designing a life is no different.

When you live with the right amount of white space, your life will feel like a great symphony.  With harmony, rhythm and flow in all the right places.

By adding SPACE you will find the sweet spot where ABUNDANCE + CREATIVITY + PRODUCTIVITY intersect.

What works for me is to pay attention to the essential elements in my life and to make sure that they have enough space around them. Then to truly honor those elements.

That’s it.  Just leave space around your essential bits, you’ll find your essential, authentic self will have room to emerge!  Clearing SPACE in your life for what’s essential.

The 5 basic ingredients that I’ve found are essential for a life with “white space” are:

STILLNESS | PLAY | ACTION | CONNECTION | ENERGY

STILLNESS.

Find time to be still every day. Traditional meditation, a walk in nature, whatever works for you. Whether it’s for 4 minutes or an hour. Schedule it.

The constancy of stillness… only from that place can you create your best work and your best life. — Oprah Winfrey

PLAY.

Play is not just joyful and energizing — it’s deeply connected to our development and intelligence. And a strong correlation between success and playful activity has been shown. So make time to play! To laugh. Even a forced smile can improve your mood. Smile muscles activate endorphins + immune boosting T-cells.

To thrive in our wild new world you would be well advised to play until you can’t think. — Martha Beck

ALIGNMENT.

When do you feel “in the groove?” What makes you lose track of time?

Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

CONNECTION.

Zoom, call, email, or write someone a note!  Connect.

Connection is “… the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”  ― Brené Brown

ENERGY.

Learn your own circadian rhythm.  Honor it.

During the day stretch. Stand up. Move around. DANCE. Do something to get your blood moving! (check out our Playlist!)

It’s not the number of hours we work that determines the value we create, but rather the energy we bring to whatever hours we work. Science tells us we’re at our best when we move rhythmically between spending and renewing energy. ― The Energy Project

When you honor the spaces in-and-around the essential elements in your life, you will see your authentic, essential self emerge.

What are your essential elements? It’s up to you to decide your exact ingredients and the perfect measurements for each.

 

Click to download your Living With Intention Manifesto

LivingWithIntentionManifesto.pdf

 

Red Winged Blackbird

Red Winged Blackbird

Talk2Think

A message from A Red Winged Blackbird

He reminded me to Pay Attention

A story:

 

Once upon a time there was a very sad woman sitting alone and reading.

 

It was a very bleak time in her life.

 

A red-winged blackbird had a message for her. He went to great lengths to get her attention.

 

He flew from the cattails in the river up the bank, under a tree, around a corner and swooped beneath a gabled doorway to hover and stare directly at her though the window.

 

He hovered there until, finally sensing something, the woman looked up from her book.

 

What she saw was a rather insistent looking bird hovering and staring straight at her cocking his head left, then right.

 

Startled, she sat up and asked the bird “Can I help you?” 

The bird simply continued to stare, and cocking his head from side to side. Then he blinked and swooped off.

Of course, that woman was me in 2005 – Crazy, I know!

It was a time in my life when I felt a wee bit crazy.  I was doing some emotional healing at a beautiful little hermitage in Central Minnesota called Dwelling in the Woods.  I felt the bird had been sent as a messenger.  The message, although I didn’t know it at the time, was my calling.

Flash forward a couple of years, and many red-winged blackbird encounters later (they’re always swooping my little volkswagen beetle).

Through a long and arduous journey, I eventually made the decision to become a Certified Martha Beck Life Wayfinder Coach and, to specialize in creative entrepreneurs.

It was only then that I thought to look up red-winged black birds in a book on animal totems. Here’s what it said:

Those who possess blackbird medicine sing a song that awakens people to their hidden potential and help them to find their true purpose in life.  They bring the touch of poetry, music and inspiration to all that they do.

This all happened 3 years before even a thought about coaching ever crossed my mind – I guess that red-winged black bird knew something I didn’t!

PAY ATTENTION

This story supports what I’ve always instinctively known – but somehow need to be reminded of now and then – to pay attention – to the synchronicities and serendipitous events of our lives.

“That in a creative recovery” as Julia Cameron, author of the ARTIST’S WAY says ” (we need to) take seriously the possibility that the universe just might be cooperating with our new and expanded plans.”

So, now, when I pass the many red-winged black birds we have here in Minnesota, or hear their song or see a picture of any black bird, I say a silent thank you.  And I’m reminded again to PAY ATTENTION to the reminders and the ways the universe is supporting us all in our creative and expanded plans!

 

Learn more about Athena Village here.
Community and connection are what we need – Find the style that works best for you

Community and connection are what we need – Find the style that works best for you

Community Design, Talk2Think

Community and connection are what we need – Find the style that works best for you

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