Gathering Together in Difficult Times
Gathering Together in Difficult Times
This is for you if you're feeling rocked by the recent US election results - or, frankly, any life turbulence.
If you're happy or neutral about Trump's win, you probably won't resonate with this.
But for many of us (including me), the recent historic moment registered in a painful and seismic way, as though an axis tilted or a trajectory shifted.
It seems to me that we’re living in times of chronic uncertainty and ambiguous loss, and we need to foster our ability to be adaptable more than ever.
When a shock or trauma occurs (at the collective or individual level), we need support to move forward purposefully. We require nurturing conditions to metabolize our emotions and stabilize our nervous systems, so that we don't get stuck in grief, rage, fear or hopelessness.
We're not built to weather these storms emotionally on our own.
No doubt many of you have been reaching out to friends and family for solidarity and connection over the past few weeks, or turning to social media that you relate to.
But if you want more space to process what is happening in our world - and how painful or shocking experiences are landing in your psyche and body - please join me on Nov 27th or Dec 4th (2024) for a Community Support Circle.
Responding to Collective Crises
When a collective crisis occurs (and, make no mistake, that is how I view the Nov 4th election), we must protect and care for ourselves and each other.
To handle a shock, we need to:
CONTAIN what is happening - get grounded and soothe our distress
INTERPRET what is happening - make meaning of our reality, so that we can…
MOVE - ideally, consciously and creatively
In Community Support Circles, I'll offer space for stillness, reflection and sharing to help us do this - together.
Listen, there's no rush. Take the time you need to digest this latest global shock wave - and internally prepare for Trump to become president in January. Recover in your own way, with resources that are right for you.
But if I can help you navigate this historic moment, join me at a virtual Community Support Circle. We need to protect our energy, tending to where we expend, replenish and invest it.
In a conference I attended on adaptation hosted by therapist Esther Perel, she expressed: "collective trauma requires collective resilience." I truly believe that part of how we stay connected to the best of ourselves and our humanity during these complex and difficult times is that we nurture community.
We come together. We accompany one another - especially during painful chapters.
Different Challenges & Varied Coping Patterns
Please keep in mind that you don't have to be on your knees to merit support... and you also might notice that you feel numb when stressed.
Since the election, some of my clients expressed feeling quietly heavy or a sense of languishing.
When we face chronic uncertainty or challenges, doesn’t it make sense that we may find ways to turn off the reactive discomfort? Underneath ‘blah’ is often unresolved emotion, waiting for attention, expression and care.
While the upcoming circles will offer support around our reactions to the recent election and all it may mean for our future, what they’re really designed to do is help us to get grounded when we're struggling. Period.
Maybe you're navigating: illness, stressful caregiving, a tough chapter at work or home - or maybe you're heartbroken by other suffering in our world, beyond American politics in this charged moment.
If you want to feel more sturdy and supported - whatever is going on for you - please join me soon.
When times are hard, we need extra support to tolerate stress. We need each other to increase our capacity to access calm, strength and resourcefulness.
In Community Support Circles, we'll explore how the archetypal energies of The Meditator, The Artist, and The Warrior can help us engage life with more sturdiness and joy. (Here's the podcast that inspired my thoughtfulness about these themes).
When we tend to ourselves, each other and our world with curiosity and compassion, so much is possible. Even when things are really hard.
Hope to see you soon.
P.S. If you’re curious about how 1:1 coaching might help you navigate a challenging chapter, please set up a free 60-minute consult with me. I’d love to help you feel resourced and keep your hand on the rudder of your life, especially when the seas are stormy. XO
Nicola Holmes is a Change & Transition Coach who helps people turn their potent questions, dreams and goals into inspired action. With warmth and wisdom, she’ll guide you to untangle constraints and cultivate courage to create a more aligned and joyful life. She has a BASc in Human Development, an MEd in Adult Learning and spent two decades working in the non-profit sector. Along with coaching for 17 years, she’s a mama to two spirited kids and supported by Buddhism. Having recently experienced Long-Covid and a move, she brings empathy to others exploring how they’ve changed and who they’re becoming in turbulent times. Check out Nicola at @nicolaholmescoach or join the email party for encouragement to fuel the changes you want.