I have to admit that it’s been *really* hard to focus this past week on business, because, well… business as usual in the U.S., unfortunately.
- The murder of George Floyd, and subsequent violent police reaction to the protesters demanding justice, and how the protests are escalating.
- The all-too-common threat toward Central Park birder Christian Cooper.
- The passing of ACT-UP founder Larry Kramer.
- The continued impact of the pandemic, including unemployment claims in the U.S. topping 40 million people, out of a labor pool of 160,000,000.
I’m not one to feel depressed, normally. My emotions, tears, anger, laughter, whatever is in my heart, tend to flow pretty readily. Yet the weight of all of this is something I feel, palpably, and it was very hard to focus on anything but these events and movements.
If you’re struggling to know how to engage with your business in this context, I feel you. Two things.
First, I think we need to make space for the legitimate needs of our culture. We are being asked to contribute towards something critical to all of our health, around facing up to the immense damage that a combination of white supremacy, sexism, and capitalism have done.
So, especially if you identify as white and are in the United States, and don’t know what to do, I want to give you some resources in facing what’s going on.
Educational Resources:
I’m a big believer that knowing history will help you understand the present moment much better. There are MANY books. Here are two of them:
The Half Has Never Been Told: Slavery and the making of American Capitalism, by Edward Baptist
White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson
Leesa Renee Hall, whom I know personally, and who does amazing work in helping white folks, among others, uncover biases.http://leesareneehall.com
Rachel Rodgers, who held a Facebook live about how problematic Marie Forleo’s response was, and the lessons to be taken from it. Watch the video: https://www.facebook.com/rachrodgersesq/videos/10157161743191881/
Bystander Intervention:
When we witness things happen, if we’re not prepared to intervene, it’s really easy to freeze and allow the incident to pass by uninterrupted. Being trained, knowing what to do, makes you so much more effective.
Here’s bystander intervention training that comes highly recommended, and they have virtual trainings.
https://www.ihollaback.org/bystander-resources/
Beyond 101: The Inclusive Life Accelerator
I went to Nicole’s Inclusive Life Accelerator live in D.C. this past fall, and it was amazing. “Amazing” is an awfully short word to contain that complex, nuanced, profound, engaged, healing experience. She’s holding a virtual one coming up:
https://www.nicolelee.org/inclusive-life-accelerator
Even if you can’t make it, subscribe to her email list.
Now that you’ve honored your heart by engaging…
It becomes more possible to do the work the business requires. Believe me, the small things you need to do for your business in these times matter a lot. Your business matters. One of the maddening things about shelter-in-place is how devastating it’s been for small businesses, and how the big companies have profited.
Your small business matters, the work you do matters. Don’t abandon it. Big changes are made up of many people taking small steps. Your business is part of the shifting of the economy toward something way more life-affirming.
Don’t judge your impact by your personal impact, but rather by the impact of the large movement you’re apart of.
The best way I know how to engage in these moments is something I wrote about earlier this year, about “entering the world” of the project. It’s about not needing to be productive immediately.
I’ll point you to it here: https://heartofbusiness.com/2020/enter-the-world-of-dinner-to-get-stuff-done/
Whew… I hope this nourished you. I hope your heart feels seen. I hope that you and all you care for are safe, healthy, provided for.
We all need each other so desperately, so profoundly.
With love,
Mark Silver, M.Div.
Heart of Business, Inc.
Every act of business can be an act of love.
The Heart of Your Business starts June 30.
The sheer number of things that a business needs to be successful, and trying to do them all at once, is a huge obstacle to getting there. It also leaves you overwhelmed, working too hard, and struggling to find time for other things in your life.
If you really understood the topography of your business, and what it takes to be successful, and how to prioritize things, then it means you don’t have to do everything at once, that many things can wait. That you can focus on what’s important now, and trust that.
That leaves you with more free time, with time to care for your heart, to engage with your community, to be with your loved ones.
That’s just one aspect of The Heart of Your Business. There’s so much healing, and clarity, and nitty-gritty in it. Please join us.
And, you set the price. Don’t avoid getting help just because you may be facing difficult a financial situation. We’re all needed in this moment, and I don’t want you missing out.
