“If you don’t examine your life experiences,
they have no value to you.”
- Rick Warren, author, The Purpose Driven Life
The Autumn Equinox is on its way this Saturday and a new season means new possibilities. It is an opportunity to shift gears, make new commitments and to reinvigirate your life and practices. This fall will be a personal new chapter for me as I venture off to engage in passion projects including my writing, expanding my practice through community real estate development and engaging international opportunities to connect New Orleans globally after spending six years designing, developing and implementing the well considered, place based residency program in the seventh ward of New Orleans- I am very proud of that work and even more grateful to the team of people who allowed me to lead them and the community who trusted me to lead with integrity and love- thank you!
As many of you know Radical Self Care became a practice of doing something for myself everyday, not just when I felt low energy or was in desperate need of care. I challenged myself to think about my needs each day and to my surprise, I was excited when I saw that Compass Point put together a formal way to acknowledge black women in leadership through their new program. I have also been interested in looking at trends in the field and changes in leadership and want to thank the following thought leaders for their contributions to arts and culture including Okwui Enwezor, of whom has inspired my curatorial practice. And.... two top contributors to the southern arts and cultural world including Veronique La Melle and Neil Barclay - thank you for working tirelessly to inspire a new generation of thought leadership. As you make your seasonal transition, here are a few tips to keep you grounded and move your passion to the next level.
Flow with and know your rhythm or create one
Develop a supportive community and reciprocal exchange system
Embrace change- learn to be flexible and adaptable while standing in your values
Never underestimate the power of beauty and its ability to change the way you feel- surround yourself with beauty and create it daily
Show grace, gratitude and authenticity in real time. If you see someone do something that stands out- tell them.
Plan for a rainy day but live in the now
Don't be afraid to be wrong- you will be, accept that and learn from it
Radical self care allows for you to care for the mind, body and spirit daily, never underestimate the need for daily care.
There are times to be strategic, stealthy even and other times to be publicly courageous and unfiltered, learn which is needed for which situations
When fighting for systemic change (transitions) know that it may come after you're gone. As the Native American saying goes, plan for seven generations ahead
..... And as a lagniappe because I'm from New Orleans, and we like giving you a lil something extra..... like my Pop Hamilton says, "the only thing you can count on is change."
lisa dent