| Hi, Do! I hope you're having a great day...here, for me, it's definitely mid-summer, and the heat is pretty fierce. I got out for a few nights camping this week - I set my tent up at Lava Point, the highest spot in the park at 7,890'. Delightful nights and mornings, and close enough for a commute home to take care of business and life.
 I have to admit, I'm feeling frustrated and sad these days watching the amount of cynicism that is rampant in our country. A lot of it is unconscious - people who would not describe themselves as hopeless are none-the-less passing on hopelessness through cynical comments.
And while it's understandable and hard to avoid, and I can certainly catch myself engaging as well - I don't want to, and I continually take it in hand, in my own life.It is certainly not who I intend to be.
This cynicism is taking a huge toll on our collective psyche, and worst of all, it's robbing our children of their right to be able to believe in their future.
Cynicism is actually a self-protection against feeling the grief, despair and seeming hopelessness of heartbreaking situations. A lot of the grief we feel is based in stories that have been handed down to us about who we are, and who we are not, as humans. It seems we've become focused on how awful we are, how little hope there is that we can actually learn to live together, get along, work as a team. Some of these stories - like the story that nature itself operates on a simple model of individualism and competition, are simply not true. Or certainly far from complete. Yes, those elements are present and critical - but the actual model in nature is much larger, much more complex and deeply life affirming.
It is time to tell new, true (tried and tested for millions of years) life-affirming stories of who we are. This spring I have been putting together a collection of images and stories that I'm using to tell a broader story of who we are an human beings. Who we are as a part of nature, fully connected and belonging in a beautiful interactive, alive system. I've published the initial collection as an e-book, which is available for download on my website. I wanted to offer you a link to it that does not require another round of opting-in, so here that is: Safe Soup A nature-based model
for how to be optimistic in your life and
vibrantly yourself in your relationships
in a way that feels great and works beautifully. You can click here to get your copy:
https://www.mcssl.com/content/154324/Safe_Soup.pdf Thanks for checking that out and passing it on! If you do pass it on, I'd love it if you give this link for people to download it: http://scoutwilkins.com
It's funny, I don't feel like life's been all that busy, but when I think about it, I've actually been doing a lot this spring that I'd like to let you know about:
In addition to this e-book, I've got videos and conversations on this topic published on my blog, such as this one at http://scoutwilkins.com/conversation-about-optimism-and-creativity/ I've been doing quite a bit of publishing on YouTube, and Id love to have you subscribe to my channel there, at https://www.youtube.com/scoutwilkins And of course, there's the workshop on offer next weekend in Hamilton, Montana, which you can read about here: http://thewhitestonecenter.com I hope that somewhere in here there are things that touch your heart and help it to open. You being here, present and listening as I have developed these ideas and found my own safety in the world has been a HUGE part of my heart opening. Thank you. May we open together.
If these ideas resonate and you would like to explore personal coaching, I would love to talk with you. These days I am offering Appreciation-Based Coaching, which you can read about here: http://scoutwilkins.com/appreciation-based-coaching/ I have been delighted and gratified at the response I get to this form of coaching. May you be well, happy and thriving! Warmly,
Scout
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