Where Do We Go?

Hi Friends,

Moving forward. How do we do it?

No matter which side you were on, this election has left us battered and breathless.

We offer the following strategies for you and your family and encourage you to be gentle with yourselves and others.

Think: Give yourself a moment to step outside the noise of the twenty-four-hour news cycle. Ponder what this election has meant to you and to the people in your life. Widen your thoughts outward, through your community, neighborhood, city, state, country. Try, if you can to put yourself in the shoes of another.

Talk: Reach out. Share your thoughts in a respectful and open manner. Don’t forget that an important part of talking is also listening.

Write: Let the paper absorb your reaction to the election. Begin at the beginning with your expectations and describe the way the events unfolded in your life. What did you believe would happen? How did you experience the events physically and emotionally? Write about your choices, what you’ve learned, any discoveries you’ve made. Let it all out. Don’t censor. Don’t worry about whether it’s “good” writing. You are writing only for yourself.

Do: Offer your services to others. There are many volunteer opportunities all around the city. Check out www.laworks.com, www.volunteermatch.org and www.allforgood.org for ideas.

Be: You don’t need to engage in a formal meditation or mindfulness practice to spend a few minutes or more each day just being in your body. Take a walk around your neighborhood and really notice the changing of the leaves on a tree, listen to a favorite piece of music or read a poem. Perhaps try eating a meal in silence, focusing on the taste and texture of your food.

As always, we thank you for all that you bring to Girl Group. We wish you a peaceful week.

Tanya and Wesley