DRIVEN Newsletter Feb 1, 2022
...And in the Blink of an Eye, it's February 2022!
Is it just me, or did the days of January seem long, while the weeks just blew by?
January was simultaneously stressful, exhilarating and empowering. My self-imposed stress hijacked me while preparing for one of our DRIVEN to Wellness workshops, aptly named, “Recognize and Manage Your Relationship to Stress”. I found myself trapped in a perfectionist cycle bordering on a shame spiral.
As a recovering perfectionist, I’d forgotten about the power of this stress-based lie: “I’m not doing enough and, what I have to offer, everyone knows and understands”. I dug deep into my toolbox to manage stress; in the end, my clients and over 400 of their colleagues found great value in the session.
My exhilaration comes in the form of something I’ve subtracted from my life. As the amazingly talented Story Activist Mary Alice Arthur says, “Well-traveled people know that it makes sense only to carry with you what is useful and important. The rest is baggage”. So, I’ve left social media in the dust! Going forward, when you see a LinkedIn post from me, it’s a sentiment that is resonating with me, for me, by me. Ahhh! I feel lighter already, and have just today put together a fun and playful LinkedIn post to spark reflection in others.
And, speaking of going forward, I’m anticipating Mary Alice Arthur’s 65 Alive, taking place from February 1-5. Consider joining in on these five sessions devoted to the power of story-making and story-shaping, too! Each day, Mary Alice will host a new crew of guests. The themes are:
• Story as activism
• Letting the wolf in
• What is work now?
• Women & Men & Power
• The spirit of story: How the past fuels the future
Sign up HERE!
I’m also preparing for the next round of work with an organization playing all-in on culture-building. I feel like a chess master as we work to coordinate 350 people across 6 time zones who have been divided into 16 squads, each working on a self-determined priority in an initiative called Co-Create Culture. Phew! If that’s a lot to get your head around, here’s some context. During the December kick-off round of this 9-month initiative, each squad brainstormed and shaped a priority to make work more meaningful. The February squad meetings will add dimension to the process that also allows employees to experience networking, leadership development, inclusion, co-creation, and trust-building.
It feels expansive to eliminate what no longer aligns with my self-designed life. I invite you to ask yourself what you can subtract from your life? What do you assume is necessary but is neither important nor useful?
Cheers!
-Deborah Goldstein
Transform Your Workplace.
Grant Thornton has invited DRIVEN founder Deborah Goldstein to be a panelist in a discussion on Black Mental Matters, inspired by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The discussion will cover important issues such as responding to microaggressions, building and maintaining psychological safety in the workplace, and the stigma of mental health in the Black community plus how to change attitudes. Keep an eye on your inbox for more details about registering.
Join This Day, Just Begun!
On February 1st, Deborah Goldstein will have discussed Amanda Gorman’s stunning “New Day’s Lyric” with her Racial Justice Study Circle. If you haven’t seen the poem recited, watch it here and consider your first reactions. How did it make you feel? Does anything in the poem surprise you? Share your thoughts, and Deborah will soon share some details of what bubbled up during the study circle discussion.
Your Black History Month Resources
One year ago, DRIVEN provided a “lagniappe” on our blog page with links to numerous media highlights related to Black identity and diversity, including books, movies, podcasts, interviews, debates and more. All of them are highly inspiring and relevant a year later and will continue to educate us all, for generations to come, on the trials and advancements of Black Americans. Link to the resources page HERE and celebrate Black History Month with perspective.
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