Brave Enough To Be Bliss

Not only does life happen, but life can also be very hard for as many different reasons as there are people in this world. That is why it is particularly important for each of us to remember that as we interact with our colleagues and patients, as well as our friends and family. "Everyone has a story or a struggle that will break your heart. And if we’re really paying attention, most people have a stor y that will bring us to our knees. You would think the universal nature of struggle would make it easier for all of us to ask for help, but in a culture of scarcity and perfectionism, there can still be so much shame around reaching out, especially if we’re not raised t o understand the irreducible nature of human need. We can encourage our children to ask for help; however, if they do n’t see us reaching out for support and modeling that behavior, they will instead attach value to never needing help." Brené Brown The entire blog written by Brené Brown can be found here, https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/06/07/everyone-has-a-story/ In June, I attended the memorial service of a precious 21-year-old soul lost to suicide. Her family has created the Kendall's Kindness effort to honor her. I will leave you with these words copied from the kendallskindness.com website, "A smile in the hall, an invitation to lunch, or a quick call just to say hello. Being kind is easy, but often overlooked in our busy everyday lives, yet it makes such a difference… Hug your loved ones and friends, be kind to others and take time to be present in the moment. Take care of yourself and ask for help if you need it." I received feedback from employees and even a physician following this communication, thanking me for my willingness to share. From then on, I included a little something personal each month and continued to receive feedback from them about how they sought help, shared it with their husband or another family member, how they were attempting to improve themselves or their relationships, etc. It took maybe 15 minutes to write the email, but the decision to vulnerably share a piece of my heart transformed a previously ignored EAP newsletter into something that was changing employees ’ lives, and mine. Wishing you health, happiness and always hope, Ginger

“An environment that is not safe to disagree is not an environment focused on growth - it's an environment focused on control.” Wendi Jade

Resources ▪ What old story about yourself are you still believing? Here’s how to find it and change it | (ted.com) ▪ Amazon.com: The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book): 9781878424310: Don Miguel Ruiz: Books ▪ The power of new beginnings... (gingerbliss.life) ▪ Infinite Possibilities Healing ▪ Natalie Gore | Powerful words spoken by one of my favourite teachers. #brenebrown #belonging #healing | Instagram

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