January Mama Message
“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines
of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."
- Martin Luther King Jr.
“The man is a success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;
who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who leaves the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it
who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had."
- Robert Louis Stevenson
Two men, two quotes, two eras in our history… yet both acknowledging that true success consists of service to others. At this moment in our history we are all taking pause and examining our rights, our responsibilities, and our destiny as individuals and as citizens of our country and the world. We focus on ourselves so that we can be whole… so that we can then reach out to others.
There is an intense trend to focus inward in the New Year… on goals to set, on accomplishments desired, on looking towards the future. Selfishness, selflessness, self care, self righteousness, self indulgence, self acceptance… the list of “self” words and phrases goes on. Yet we must also look beyond ourselves. We are a nation of rugged individuals, brought here through a range of experience and circumstance. We cry out for our freedom, celebrate our autonomy, and appreciate our gifts and blessings. We strive to be in control of our destiny, and yet we need our shared humanity for survival.
Our time here is fleeting and insignificant in the grand scheme of things, yet our life is our most precious possession. How are we going to spend this precious time we have… What is our destiny and purpose in life?
In working with families, I always stress the importance of taking care of ourselves, not just from a “self” point of view, but in service to others. Whether we have small children in our care, colleagues that we work with, or groups that we are leading, it is imperative that we are coming from a place of fullness within ourselves. I also stress the importance of assisting each other to make sure that we all get what we need. There is nothing indulgent in self care unless we are ignoring the needs of others. There is also the concern of losing ourselves in selflessness to others. Finding the balance within our lives is increasingly challenging, especially within the current paradigm.
Taking some time to prioritize our own and our families’ needs can be the most useful goal this month. Every woman I speak with is trying to juggle these needs, and we are generally hardest on ourselves. I want to invite you to be gentle with yourself and celebrate even the smallest accomplishment right now. It has been a tumultuous year and beyond… and we are drained. Our emotions have been tested to their limits, and now is the time to regroup and look forward. Reach out to your sisters right now. Listen and support them, and as we hear each other’s stories, we sustain and strengthen each other.
True healing takes forgiveness and awareness… I will reach for Forgive, a doTERRA essential oil blend, which can assist us in achieving the understanding that we are all growing and learning together. This year my goal is to listen to the stories of others with increased compassion and understanding, and to offer a platform for these stories to be shared. Whether through my work with families, our podcast, my essential oil work, or daily conversations, I hope to be able to facilitate open and honest discussions.
Listening to and supporting each other is a form of self care that consists of giving and receiving. It opens us to our shared humanity. It also takes courage to reach out to those beyond our comfortable circle, but it may be in that space where we gain the energy and insights to carry on.
In the words of poet laureate Amanda Gorman…
“ …for there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
Here’s to light in 2021!
Maria