“I have always tried... to counter the forces of deeply embedded systemic power structures, the ruthless abuse of that power, and the pull to regression to the benefit of some at the expense of others. Those forces are strong. We are stronger. Never forget that.” HumanityCompassionPowerStrengthBalanceAbuseResilienceOppressionRepressionScotus Fail Author:Shellen Lubin
“When all else fails, go away completely, however long feels necessary.” HonestyBalancePreparationOpennessVacationRetreatEscapeNecessityWhen All Else Fails Author:Shellen Lubin
“There is power in continuing to work to strive to serve to love to do good to clean up from bad to rest to question to try to find balance even when the purpose is unclear, even when the value is murky, even when you can't see the path forward and there's no end in sight. There is power in effort. There is power in persistence. There is power in Continuing on.” LoveWorkBalanceStriveValuePersistenceRestQuestionServeContinue On Author:Shellen Lubin
“We need to demand that people help carry the load, who have not historically held even a modicum of their share of the weight, and carry it for those who historically have carried the load for all of us. We need to care, extend effort, cherish those who have not been fully appreciated. Don't you want to be one of the ones to help carry their load? Don't you want someone to help you carry your load?” CareHumanityCompassionBalanceDemandEmpathyValueCherishHelpCarry Your Load Author:Shellen Lubin
“Everything has its own pace its own timing. True of working, studying, learning. True of illness, sorrow, grief. True of change, of transformation. True of conflict. True of peace. You can't change the pace.” MindHeartBodyDestinyBalanceLivingStressTimingSelf CarePace Yourself Author:Shellen Lubin
“The end never justifies the means because every means is its own end.” MindHeartBodyBalanceStressJustificationSelf CarePresencePace Yourself Author:Shellen Lubin
“Everything has its own pace its own timing. True of working, studying, learning. True of illness, sorrow, grief. True of change, of transformation. True of conflict. True of peace. You can't change the pace without changing its nature, changing the experience. And the experience is its own end. The end never justifies the means because every means is its own end. It's not just about you, your natural pace, it's about what you're doing what's being done butterfly effects over miles and years. The river will not be pushed. The rain will not cease until it has finished pouring down. The sun will not rise before dawn. This is where we are.” LifeDestinyBalanceExperienceStressTimingSelf CareInevitabilityInterconnectednessPace Yourself Author:Shellen Lubin
“People do tend to burrow in for winter holidays but then burrowing can be as damaging (implosion, avoidance) as it can be cozy (buzzword: self-care) maybe one maybe t'other maybe some of both.” BalanceStressWinterDamageSelf CareDualityAvoidanceHolidaysTis The Season Author:Shellen Lubin
“It isn't necessarily easy. It isn't necessarily fun. But sometimes it's all you can do. Wait. Gracefully. Wait. With patience. Wait. Without making yourself and everyone else miserable and edgy while you do.” FunWaitingRelationshipsGraceBalanceLetting GoPatienceBoundariesSustainabilityWaiting With Patience Author:Shellen Lubin
“Sometimes all you can do is wait. Sometimes you have to just keep your distance, let other people do what they have to do, figure things out for themselves. Sometimes all you can do is let things play out the way they need to.” WaitingRelationshipsAcceptanceBalanceDisciplineLetting GoDistanceBoundariesPreparationWaiting With Patience Author:Shellen Lubin
“In our own variation of the KonMari method of cleaning out (focus on what you want to keep, let the rest go with gratitude), we have created our own rules of weeding out from all we have accumulated (of ours and others) over our various lives and lifetimes. They are: 1. Focus on what to keep (instead of what not to keep). 2. Is it growing mold? (Was it once fresh and yummy, but is no longer?) 3. Let it go with gratitude (whether giving it away, selling it, or throwing it out). 4. You can always take a picture (if you want to remember it). 5. Do we want our kids to have to go through it (after we're gone)? It makes a difference, thinking about it this way.” LifeMovingFocusBalanceGratitudeLetting GoLifetimeReleaseMoving OnMoving Part One Author:Shellen Lubin
“When all else fails, try and figure out what's to be gained or learned if this was the way it absolutely needed to happen. When all else fails, accept that this is the way it is. When all else fails, walk away.” LearningAcceptanceBalancePreparationOpennessClosureGainWhen All Else Fails Author:Shellen Lubin
“There is a tricky balance inside a culture, a community, a family— inside each one of us with our relationship with ourselves—a tricky balance between holding forgiveness and holding accountability.” CultureCommunityFamilyBalanceForgivenessAccountabilityFuture Forgiveness Author:Shellen Lubin
“When all else fails, find a child to figure it out.” ChildrenBalanceSimplicityPreparationInnocenceOpennessChildWhen All Else Fails Author:Shellen Lubin
“Setting boundaries is easy... Holding boundaries is what's hard. But then, over time, something miraculous happens. You set the boundary, you do what you need to do, and you immediately feel lighter, freer, less burdened-- not every time, not with every person-- but with some people every time-- and with every person sometimes-- and a new habit forms of doing it in a way that works better for you and not making yourself suffer for that. I love feeling that I've made a good decision for myself, for the situation, for the long-range outcome.” LoveRelationshipsVisionBalanceBoundariesPreparationDecisionsMiraclesHolding Boundaries Author:Shellen Lubin
“When all else fails, laugh at the quandary. When all else fails, laugh at yourself. When all else fails, love as is.” LoveFaithPerspectiveBalanceLaughterPreparationOpennessWhen All Else FailsQuandary Author:Shellen Lubin
“Change happens. Loss happens. With or without your input. Afraid you’ll fall, you’ll fail, You’ll flail, you’ll falter. The more you fall, the sooner you learn How to recover, repair, rebuild. The more you flail Or falter, the more you get How to regain equilibrium. The more you fail, the more you see Success demands—requires— Failure. Make a move. Now. Or now. Take a breath. Catch a breeze. Like riding a bicycle Your legs going round and round Will build strength Gain balance Find a way. Forward. Beyond thought. Beyond instruction. The internal systems Never forget. You just have to Make a move.” SuccessFallChangeStrengthMovementFailureBalanceRecoveryBreathMake A Move Author:Shellen Lubin
“When all else fails, shake up the system. When all else fails, shake up your system-- stretch, run, dance. When all else fails, sing an anthem to the trees, the ground, the distant view.” RunningBalanceDancePreparationOpennessDisruptionSystemSingWhen All Else Fails Author:Shellen Lubin
“It's a delicious paradox, a contradictory co-existing reality, to love unconditionally but stay separated enough to see clearly at least sometimes.” LoveRealityMovingSpaceVisionBalanceClarityParadoxStaying Separated Author:Shellen Lubin
“I sit now, as I have before, with the question of balance, balance between hanging on (planning, setting goals and expectations) and letting go (complete presence, in the moment, no attachment to any one way). Do they have to be in contradiction? Yes. Can they be contradictory co-existing realities? Yes, yes, definitely. But only only only when we balance them through fullness, allowing them to co-exist, letting the plans and goals in deeply, but not clutching them for dear life, and allowing the results of the process to be what they are, as they continue to affect the plans and goals, and us... And so begin again again again hold on again let go again again again all at the same time.” RealityBalanceGoalsContradictionPresenceRenewalBeginningPlanLetting Go Again Author:Shellen Lubin
“Fast. Good. Cheap. Big. Any three and it's exploitation. All four and it's destroying someone somewhere, maybe even you.” RealityBalanceDestructionGoodExploitationSelf DestructionBigFastCheapInterdependence 4 All 4 Ever Author:Shellen Lubin
“We cannot get anywhere without hope and yet we cannot get anywhere on hope alone.” RealityFaithHopeBalanceContradictionTightrope Dance Author:Shellen Lubin
“When the world is so fraught and full of fire-- hearts and minds and countries burning up burning down-- going in may be the escape urge-- as if it's no longer there-- but it's all still there all the time-- reading news or not-- outside looking at seasonal lights store window displays children's cherry-cheeked faces or not-- even when heads are buried in pillows. Take a break to breathe. The frenzy and furor continue. Take a break to weep. The exquisite beauty is still there. All continues on and will be there upon return.” WarPeaceBalanceConflictStressReleaseSelf CareEscapeHolidaysTis The Season Author:Shellen Lubin
“Apathy. Indifference. Carelessness. (Care-less-ness.) Standing by. Doing nothing. That could be the death of us each and surely the death of us all.” LifeDeathBalanceResiliencePreparationIndifferenceApathyCarelessPrepareHandle With Care Author:Shellen Lubin