We are no strangers to change in the year 2020. Time and time again, we have been challenged to rise up, to shift the way we work, live and socialize, and to question institutions that don't serve all of us. In some ways, we long for things to go back the way they were. In other ways, we know that returning to what "used to be" isn't possible. In a very real way, we know that things must never look the same in order for us to build a stronger, healthier and more inclusive society. So how to do we make sense of this inner conflict? This longing to return to "normal" coupled with this intense need to do better than before? Our writers in this month's issue offer incredible insight. We are on the cusp of some major changes with the upcoming election, and we all have a duty to protect the health, the rights and the futures of our communities. We have an obligation to keep our eyes open, to involve ourselves and to resist the urge to hide under the covers. It is time to tune ourselves in, roll our sleeves up, and be prepared to settle in to this discomfort that will naturally be a part in our committing to a better world. At OutGrowth, we constantly discuss how embracing discomfort is the path to growth. We believe and live this value through every program we design. Change is never easy, but the more we can live in that space of discomfort, the more prepared we will be to tackle anything and everything that comes our way. Happy reading. Vote. Wear a mask. Be the change. Grow out with us. |
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The Sun Beam Founder of The 3rd, Laura Bacon Upwards Floating With the Ebbs and Flows of Change by Registered Nurse and Writer/Blogger, Vonita Vaughan |
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OutGrowth Today Our Monthly Blogger Spotlight + OutGrowth's Top Tip for November The En Root Scoop Embracing (and Being) the Change Our Top Ted Talk, Workbook and Book |
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As COVID hit, I was planning on signing a lease for a 3000 sq ft space to bring my dream of a WOC-focused co-working space to reality. Then ya girl got hit. The changes kept coming and coming. Doors felt like they were closing, signaling that perhaps I had ridden this entrepreneurship train as far as it would go. I’m hard headed, so I put my game face on and began embracing all this change by focusing on serving the needs of my community. I developed an online series, and in just over five months, I held 30 sessions, and served over 300 women and 50 businesses. That experience led me to a larger vision that I am in the process of manifesting in a revolutionary concept that serves the community while also acting as a platform for WOC entrepreneurs. I have some tips born of this experience that I’d love to share. Here it goes: Revisit your mission. Whether it’s for you or your business, returning to the governing core is one of the first moves I made. I thought I was done without this co-working space. “The 3rd IS a co-working space...period.” I stopped listening to that voice in my head and went back to my mission. When I did, the word community became my focal point. “What can I do, from home, while everyone else is at their homes, that will facilitate community?” Wellmeetups were the solution; hour long webinars for the community by the community. They brought women together to learn, share, and build. My mission was my guide to my problem solving and creativity. Marinate in the funk. The 3rd was originally named The Well. As I was riding high on our ability to pivot and serve the needs of the community, I got news that the name needed to change. This was not a “revisit the mission” kind of change. This called for something else. It called for a funk. I let myself not just go there, but stay there for a bit. My brain gave me a million crazy scenarios. I steeped in all of them. I needed a good, old- fashioned cry. I sunk deep into it. I became one with my couch and my remote. I marinated in the funk. It’s ok to be disappointed and hurt. It’s ok for that to affect your motivation and productivity. I find that when I fight it, it hurts so much more, lasts so much longer, and keeps me the same. When I lean into it and embrace it, the other side is, more often than not, bright, and filled with possibilities. |
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#communityovereverything
I’m a people person. I’m a Sagittarius. Most people would probably classify me as an extrovert. But, as I was building I thought, foolishly, that I could and would build it alone. I’m not a group project kind of gal. I like efficiency...and I had a deep fear of The 3rd not being enough. When I pushed myself to grow in that direction, I found immediate results. That’s a whole other post in itself, so I’ll just stick to as it relates to change. When the changes come, and oh do they come, it sure does feel better with a squad. Like-minded, mission-aligned folks bring a cushion for any little falls. They bring ideas that can lead to innovation. They laugh you through the hard changes. Embracing change alone feels like giving yourself a hug. Boo. Embracing it with a tribe makes it the most wild growth rollercoaster that has you throwing up a bit, then running to get right back on. Want to engage and learn more about this revolutionary concept The 3rd is building? Email me. Let’s talk. laura@the3rd.org We’re running a capital campaign. Drop us the money for your next coffee if you can. We appreciate it. We’re working on big things! Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram (@the3rdinc) and Facebook (@the3rdinc)! Laura Bacon is the founder of The 3rd, a nonprofit organization that supports women of color entrepreneurs through access, education, and community. She is also the director of Maude, a community building consulting firm. She is a native to Columbia, MD and is invested in justice, kindness, and the power of sisterhood. |
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When I envision my ideal self pivoting with change, pictures of me floating in calm, Caribbean Seas come to mind. As the sun glistens and glows, I have a sense of peace as the buoyancy of lapping waves supports me. Sounds incredible, right? I wish I could say that this is always how I deal with change. However, it's the ideal that I strive towards for my well-being. Back in the day, I was never a big fan of change. Being a very concrete thinker, I always wanted everything to go according to plan. My reaction to change would be more like tempestuous tidal waves than calm waters, being swept away by large currents of overwhelm and drowning in fears of the unknown. As I grew into myself via nursing and travel, I found myself placed in more situations that shifted to extremes at the drop of a dime. In terms of life or death, you only have split seconds to make crucial decisions. With travel, things don't always go according to your itinerary. When things go wrong, you have the option to either dwell in anger and disappointment for the remainder of your vacation or recognize the opportunity to discover something new. Experiencing those opposites enhanced my ability to navigate between welcomed and unwelcomed change. Events that impact your life both positively and negatively come with a spectrum of feelings. Being honest and present with whatever emotions emerge helps me flow with any challenges that I face. Going back to the analogy of floating, when you are stiff as a board, you sink. When you breathe in and release the tension in your muscles and mind, you flow with the waves. Yes, splashes of circumstances may douse you in the face while you're floating. Obstacles should not only be expected but welcomed during the process of taking your dreams to the next level. |
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It's usually a great sign that you are on the right path. It's the universe's way of testing you to make sure you're ready for the journey ahead. If you need to step out of the water to catch your breath, that's OK too. Acknowledging that you may be drowning in overwhelm by reaching out for a lifeline is better than being swept away by those currents and giving up. Taking a break from the ebbs and flows of change allows time for intentional stillness. Be upfront with your fears, procrastination, and grief. Treat them more like friends you hold by the hand, rather than enemies to fight. Practices like meditation, journaling, and prayer during your time of stillness help you get more in touch with your feelings and allow your intuition to speak. Talking with a positive friend, family member, or coach during that break gives you both reflection and feedback opportunities. The most important thing is to trust your gut the first time it speaks to you. It's never wrong. So lay back, breathe, and flow with those waves of change. Vonita Vaughan is the founder and editor of “Soul in Love with Travel,” a travel and wellness blog focused on encouraging caregivers to take travel breaks. As a registered nurse for 10 years, she has experience in the areas of Maternal-Child Health, Psychiatry, Hospice, and Utilization Management. Originally from Baltimore, MD, Vonita passionately advocates for caregivers by emphasizing the importance of self-love, self-care, and mental wellness. |
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| | Monthly Blogger Spotlight Exploring the Changing Landscape by Maggie Appel-Schumacher 'Find supporters of your cause: Friends, colleagues, mentors, counselors - there will always be people who are inspired by your re-imagined life and want to support you in that goal. Identify those people and keep them close to you, as they will help you reach it!' Maggie is an International Education enthusiast that has experience working in educational non-profits and university settings in the US and Abroad. Passionate about enabling opportunities for people to explore new cultures and gain confidence/ independence through new opportunities. Maggie was born and raised in Germany and has lived in the United States for a decade, currently resides in New York City. | | |
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| | OutGrowth's Top Tip On Change: Sit With It At OutGrowth, we thrive on change. Our experiential programming is all about doing education differently, and seeking new ways to think, learn and live. We believe that it is through seeking change that we grow into our best selves. But the reality is that the growth we actively seek is much easier than growth we are challenged with, when unexpected circumstances and events call on us to rise up. This year is all about the unexpected, and we are all being challenged to grow our capacity for resilience, for action in the face of the unknown, for mental/emotional coping. It would be easy for us to write about how we think that when faced with change, the simple answer is to embrace it. But the reality of change is much more complex, and so it follows that our response should be also. It's true, resisting change isn't productive. But before we are truly ready to embrace it, how can we allow ourselves to sit with it? Mourning the loss of the familiar is normal. Fear of the future is expected. So for now, before we dive into the next wave of change, how about we just give ourselves grace, and a bit of space to properly let go of the old, so that we can take intentional steps toward the inevitable new. | | |
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'Who says change needs to be hard? Organizational change expert Jim Hemerling thinks adapting your business in today's constantly-evolving world can be invigorating instead of exhausting. He outlines five imperatives, centered around putting people first, for turning company reorganization into an empowering, energizing task for all.' | | |
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'Whether you're unemployed, in transition or looking to completely change the direction of your career, inspirational speaker and author Adam Markel will help you do just that through his book, 'Pivot: The Art and Science of Reinventing Your Career and Life.' In the book, Markel asks readers: "What would you do in your life if you knew you could not fail?" Then, Markel helps lay out a roadmap to help you achieve your dreams without putting your finances or future at risk.' | | |
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'The Power of Letting Go brings together a number of key principles that come up for anyone who is on the journey of self-enquiry and development. At some point, the choice becomes clear, whether to hold on or let go.' | | |
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