The Wonder Drug of Service

The Wonder Drug of Service
May 20, 2022

First, From the Heart

I’m so inspired by all the attention Mental Health Awareness Month is getting this year. We remember when mental health challenges were not worthy of an organization’s time or focus in the recent past. Now that many organizational cultures have normalized the conversation around mental health, there is also deeper inquiry into what supports and nurtures our wellbeing.

Gratitude to all the researchers and practitioners seeking evidence-based answers! At yesterday’s live online Global Community Compassion Gathering, Dr. Stephen Trzeciak shared insights from his latest endeavor, gleaned from over 250 research studies. The book’s title, Wonder Drug, is the punchline. Acting with compassion and being of service is the prescription for a life well-lived. You can catch a description of the event and replay here.

We are also grateful for all the wisdom traditions and teachings that offer time-tested approaches to living wholeheartedly. We hope you are connecting with the principles, practices, and tools to support your compassionate leadership journey.

Thanks to each of you for your courage, contribution, and service. Our support for each other is what makes it all possible.

With love,
Laura

Practice Matters

When Is It Too Much?

The warning signs are clear to others. I appear worn and haggard. I’m cranky and quick to lash out. Not enough sleep? Certainly bad food choices have ruled over the last few weeks. Time outside in nature has gone by the wayside. And where oh where did my meditation practice go?

I thought I was doing the “right thing.” Showing up no matter what. Being of service above and beyond. No one had to ask me for more – time, resources, blood, sweat, tears. To care. To support. To alleviate the pain and suffering of others.

I know I am here to contribute. Yet I have crossed the line into the “over” zone. Over giving. Over caring. Over sacrificing. Without noticing, I’ve left the land of loving presence. I am challenged to give what I no longer have. Now I must pause and replenish. Take time to practice. Only then can I return with renewed capacity and a full heart in service to all.

When can we practice? Always!

If you'd like to explore additional Practice Matters, you can find them here.

Research Worth Sharing

Elevation and the positive psychology of morality
by Jonathan Haidt
in C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.) Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived.
Washington DC: American Psychological Association. (pp. 275-289).

"The power of the positive moral emotions to uplift and transform people has long been known..." Compassionate leaders go first in modeling behaviors that they would like to see. Let's imagine, model, and create a world of connection, safety, and belonging. Read more about the impact of practicing positive moral emotions here. Read the research.

Upcoming Event

Transform Fear Into Joyful Living!
May 26, 2022 12:00 PM in Central Time (US and Canada)

Ancient wisdom and modern science unite in this free offering in Tibetan Medicine, from the Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Health at the University of Minnesota. Come learn how to come to terms with our fears, and in so doing allow life to become more precious each moment. Register here.

Leadership, Evolved.

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First, From the Heart

Recommended Reads

Practice Matters

Research Worth Sharing

Upcoming Event