I'm
Lindsay , and it's time to gather at the well . We're on a mission to microdose wellness , create human-centered systems and retain our greatest asset our people . We believe it's time for podcasts that teach moving beyond thought leadership and towards change leadership . Join us and our friends at we Are For Good as we model the way with concrete examples from the field and gain tangible tools , because it's possible to build adult work cultures . We don't need to heal from .
Let's get into it . Welcome back to a special episode with the Teaching Well and we Are For Good .
Speaker 1At Gather at the Well , we are centering the concept of holding fast , staying steady when you need it the most . It goes beyond the nice thought of navigating uncertainty to more of the practical realities . What are some strategies that can keep me embodied inside of my inner knowing and resilient in these challenging times ? Before we jump into content , I'm hoping to get you a little bit more grounded . I don't know about you , but sometimes it feels like the rug is being pulled from under me every day , and I don't even have carpet in my house , but I feel like I could fall at any moment and that's a somatic state , right ? Feeling like so much is moving and things are so uncertain . But let's ground a little bit and if you can't access an inner reserve of fortitude , remember that we have tools around us that can support you . Might take a moment , as we get settled in for this episode , to search around you . Maybe you have a weighted blanket . I highly recommend lap weighted blankets . I got my team three pounders . They're a tiny square that you can put on your lap , but you might also find a heavy book near you . If you're driving and your purse has too many snacks in it , go ahead and set that on your lap . We want to create the sensation of a little bit of weight right in your middle space . You can place it on your belly or on the top of your thighs and as you get comfortable stacking your vertebrae , adjusting in , you might close your eyes , lower your gaze or stare off into the horizon .
Speaker 1If you're behind the wheel , just anchoring in three deep breaths here , audible exhales , audible exhales , seeing if you can lengthen each breath that follows the next and as you resume a regular cadence for your breath , work really zooming in on the portion of your body that has additional pressure or weight , noticing the sensation of stillness , of almost tethering your legs to the seat , distributing the weight across , creating more balance and stability , seeing if you can visualize pulling some of that stability up or down or out . So if it's on your thighs , you might imagine the grounding cascading over your knees and down to your feet , further pushing them into the ground . Or perhaps you're able to source up , slowing your chest , imagining the weight is creating heavy arm sensation , maybe even pushing the palms of your hands into the chair . You're here in this moment . You're holding fast , maybe even pushing the palms of your hands into the chair . You're here in this moment . You're holding fast . Stay with us . Another deep breath here . Big exhale , we are here . It's time to jump
in .
Speaker 1So what does it mean to hold fast ? Things are rapidly changing . Every day we're logging into social media . We're watching the news . A colleague , a friend or your nervous bird parent is hitting you up and sharing more bad news , more change , more people impacted and it is a lot . We can't change that . It just is .
Speaker 1But when you hold steady and you're able to do what's right . But when you hold steady and you're able to do what's right , there's a power in being steadfast . In sports , it might be going back to the basics , as my husband says honing in on your form . It's moving the initiative to the finish line . Spiritually it might be staying strong in faith even when trials arise .
Speaker 1I like to think of myself as unmovable around my morals , my why , my passions , my purpose . That doesn't mean that I'm resistant to feedback or accountability or development , but it means that I am unmovable on the core principles that guide me every day in life . It's staying disciplined even with so many temptations . Recently I've been studying concepts of procrastination , doom , screwling and perfectionism , and so much of the framing creates shame and almost a negative form of self-awareness that makes us feel like we're broken , we're doing something wrong , we're not enough , we're the problem . But really I've been reflecting and reframing that all of these behaviors are interruptions to your socio-emotional processing and focus . They're behavior cues that let you know you're feeling dysregulated and trying to recenter . They restrict you from feeling the full array of emotions , the discomfort and pain that often accompany uncertainty or chaos . But for me , holding fast somatically is the warm caress of critical hope soothing my nervous system . To me , holding fast and centering that desire says inwardly it's okay , you've got this , you know what to do , keep going Completely .
Speaker 1Holding fast means revisiting your mission and not compromising on practices or traditions or rituals that you know . Cultivate joy or connection for your staff . Don't abandon what works . It means seeking feedback opportunities on whether your values are living , your policies are consistent and your outcomes are measurable . Sometimes it's doing a tactical exercise . We call it keep , stop , start . Sometimes we have to drop work lines . It's not feasible , we don't have it . It's not yielding the success , the output is too high , the cost is too great . We're going to hold fast to what we know is working and making the greatest impact , to what we know is working and making the greatest impact .
When I think back to some of the more anxiety-provoking moments in college , it's taking a test and not knowing until you receive the grade if you bombed it or if you beasted . Sometimes , in that middle space , it can feel like rehearsing a worst case scenario over and over again in your head before it's even happened . And for me , across my professional life , it was not succumbing to the gaslighting or micromanagement of a workplace abuser . Right , hold fast in the face of folks who maybe perceived me as a threat , for whom I wasn't their ministry , for whom they thought , you know , we can't control her . I just saw this thing on LinkedIn . This concept of from pet to threat and all of that is a distraction away from the good work , the good trouble , your strongest purpose .
Speaker 1Last year at the Teaching Well , and this is some tea . It's loose leaf , organic , of course , but was a challenging year , not because we weren't scaling successfully , making really meaningful partnerships , growing closer as a team , but because it was the first year that we received no new funders . Shout out to our philanthropic partners , because 100% of our funders have renewed for the last two years , but we actually got no new funders . If you're in a nonprofit or if you're in philanthropy , even if you're in a school that's repeatedly applied for grants and not got them , it is a blow . It can really put you in a place of desperation and it can shake your foundation . Are we as dope as we think ? And I don't mean that in a ego centered way . I just know that I have the most phenomenal team and the results we're getting are measurable . So it was really disheartening when we found ourselves time and time again getting so close and not actually getting that .
Speaker 1Yes , that was potentially a moment where I could have decided to scrap everything , redefine our program lines right , throw everything out , reinvent the wheel and innovation is important . Right , throw everything out , reinvent the wheel , and innovation is important , but in moments of uncertainty , holding steadfast to who you are really knowing your brand , accepting your lane and thriving inside of it , is critical . So , instead to hold fast , what we did last year was we decided to continue to implement and refine the key programs that we knew were central to our mission . We doubled down on stewarding those who had already joined the movement as supporters , as clients , as funders , as donors . I didn't stop developing my team because I knew that the next opportunity that would come because they always come would require us to skill up , to hone our strategies , to ensure we were confident enough in composting any imposter syndrome to rise when the invitation came . We leaned towards coalitions and community networking , because we knew that the next phase requires like-minded warriors by your side . The truth is , you've always made a way , you always persevere and we need to act like we know it .
Speaker 1So let's take a little moment for an additional somatic . Just in case my share about our funder situation got you sweating , we're going to play with a little bit of bilateral stimulation , which is an awesome way to anchor you in moments of unrest . To do this at a very simple level . You're looking to take your hands or your feet and move them in a rhythm accessing both the left and right side of the body . To do this , you might put your hands on your thighs , or you might decide to leverage your feet , this time lifting them and placing them down one side at a time . I love the mariposa practice , which essentially crosses your arms in front of your body , placing your palms on both of your upper arms and just tapping one side . So join me , you might close your eyes again if it feels good , or concentrate on an image or an item in your space that brings you joy , slowly beginning to tap , breathing long enough to tap each side and exhaling even longer , seeing if you can get three or four taps in with your out-breath , and you might even increase now to your in-breath taking four and your out-breath moving to six . You might say to yourself , or just listen to my voice saying hold fast , stay steady , don't self-abandon and don't jump outside of your lane . This is the time when consistency matters . Rotate your shoulders back and drop them from your ears , and let's dive in a little bit further when I think about creating more balanced stability and creating a collective source of resilience , not just that individual level .
Speaker 1I think a lot about the systems and structures that ensure that the team stays aligned . We've all been in that situation where you get into a meeting and a teammate is deeply dysregulated . They might come in agitated , drop down into the seat , making a bunch of noise , smacking their notebook or computer down on the table , huffing and puffing and maybe even in tears , and we have compassion for that person and also their mood . Their vibe is palpable . Or maybe you primarily meet in Zoom and you still can see someone fluttering their camera on and off . They're clearly multitasking and scrambling to get organized . That's just at the individual level , demonstrations of dysregulation , of overwhelm , of really being uncentered .
Speaker 1So what do you do to create the conditions for your team to actually stay together , stay focused , especially during
periods of rapid change ? I want to offer you a little bit of a framework based on the calendar year weekly , monthly , quarterly and annual invitations . And this is just what we do in the teaching world . It doesn't mean you need to do it , it doesn't mean it's right , it's what works for us . So weekly and y'all have heard me talk about this before every Monday morning we start with a weekly sync , 10 am , all four directors come together we make sure we are aligned , calibrated , that we are clear on the priorities of the week of the month , that all of us are not siloed and that if there's interdependence which there always is or overlap in program streams , that we're clear and we can collaborate with ease and purpose . And then , to bookend the week , on Fridays , there is an alignment email that's sent to the entire team .
Speaker 1In it it recaps celebrations , things to be mindful of . It has a portion that looks ahead to the next week and reminds folks if there are teammates that are going to be off the floor or if there are additional support needs . It also shares transparently the internal PD feedback from that week . It lifts the veil . It lets everyone know we're moving in unison . We're on track of every month in internal PD . That's where we transparently share about our budget , our sales , innovations , projects and development , and also org team updates and anything else that's really significant for the team to be able to digest . It keeps us aligned and they know what the directors are holding . It lifts the veil and lets them consent into being a part of the solution , not romanticizing the problem or taking a passive seat and hoping the directors figure it out . We can't be upset as leaders if we don't invite folks towards problem solving towards problem solving . We also , on the monthly level , do soup sink , where all supervisors in the org come together and make sure that we are calibrated Quarterly . If you follow me on LinkedIn , you already know what's up . Directors are in person for 48 hours every quarter without fail . We don't go more than three months without getting all four directors in the same space to do strategic planning , collaboration , scaling work and to really just make sure that anything that has been stagnant in the last three months we're able to disrupt , get some positive momentum and push forward . And then , at the annual level , of course , we do strategic plans and board retreats .
Speaker 1I really want to speak to this because when I got here at the teaching well , and even before in other roles , in schools and districts , there can be so much pressure to have a three or five or 10 year strategic plan . If that works for you dope , I think even in truth I was chasing that concept oh , by year five , I'll have a five year . I think even in truth I was chasing that concept oh , by year five , I'll have a five year . And what I've realized is actually things are not the same year over year . I don't know what type of dystopian world we are in right now , but it didn't start in January . For me , it felt that way starting in 2020 . The COVID-19 pandemic and the dual pandemic of systemic racism coming to a head and boiling over fundamentally changed the way that we operate professionally , personally and as providers . And so the effort , the lift , the push , the pressure , the perfectionism of establishing a multi-year plan again , if it works for you , bless that , but for me , what I'm finding is a really solid , rigorous annual strategic plan helps us to remain adaptive and responsive without being so rigid that we aren't able to duck , move , weave and stay nimble in the face of change .
Speaker 1As a final little push here I want to say it can be challenging . I just named a bunch of meeting structures . So if you're feeling overwhelmed or where to start , I would say dial into a central communication opportunity that occurs on a more regular cadence . Maybe it's where your staff gathers , but it's where your staff gathers at their well , at your org's well . Build in predictable , sustainable cadence of invitations towards unity . These are activities that can be useful and integrated into your meeting openings and closings . Think of it as your lesson plan for a team's socio-emotional learning activity .
Speaker 1These moments can look like revisiting a key resource related to your values or mission , or catalyzing culture with an inspirational experience that celebrates their contributions and reminds them of their ultimate why . It's your job as a leader and it's your job as a teammate to advocate for space to connect , for space to breathe together , for space to re-anchor in your values , your mission and your vision , and that should be in a more regular space . If you do nothing else , take a look at your meetings . Are you just jumping in , is it business as usual , or are you creating authentic opportunities for connection and humanity ? Let's take an additional somatic break , just a pause .
Speaker 1This one's called a gaze stabilization and in moments of uncertainty , in times of rapid , rapid change , this is a practice you can use to really clear your vision , to enhance balance , coordination and to support yourself with feeling focused and attuned to the next step . To do this , you might get comfortable in your seat or , if you'd like to stand , I welcome that as well . To do this , you're going to keep your eyes open and you're going to be looking in three directions . Now you don't want to do this too quickly because that will cause a dizzy spell . But you might gaze over to the right , find an object to stare at . I'm going to layer in an additional inhale with a rising shoulder Exhale , drop the shoulders . Next I want you to gaze in front
of you . Find an object . Object , a color or a texture that captures your attention . Again , inhale rise shoulders , exhale , drop shoulders . And finally you can look to the left , identify an object , take a moment to gaze and take in the details , deep breath . Shoulders rise , exhale , shoulders drop .
Speaker 1You can pause this recording as many times as you need and repeat right , center , left or , if you want to be fancy , flip it and go in the other direction . But just in moments where you feel there's too much going on , or for me , when I'm feeling called to doom scroll , I might instead take in all that's around me , the beauty , the memories , the sensations , and allow my nervous system to recenter . This practice allows you to recenter your inner ear . So if you are suffering from somatic overwhelm , nausea or dizziness , it allows you to gaze with intention , slowing down each moment and sending that balanced energy from the inner ear all the way through your nervous system to hold fast .
Speaker 1There's so much noise around us and what we do not need is more thought leadership , more ideas , more feedback or more advice . Sometimes we have five , six , seven coaches with one principle . It's too much . The key is to look inside and figure out how you can access your own inner knowing . So , of course , I recommend strategies like journaling , goal setting or creating intentions daily , returning to them when you feel uncertain of your priorities . You already externalized them .
Speaker 1Stay steady . You might want to get into the work . What I mean by this is when I was an administrator and I was responding to behavior all day long or navigating parents who were upset , working to coach some of the teachers that were still growing in their classroom management or instructional practices running around , I just gave up on heels at a certain point . All my heels were shredded on the concrete and I wore sneakers . I would get into the work
when I realized I felt dysregulated by returning to a kindergarten classroom . It's like herding cats , but you can't go wrong with tiny humans that are filled with joy , positive outlooks and ridiculous sayings . So find the thing that brings you joy in the work . If it's visiting the program team or meeting with a board member , that just rides for you . Connect with someone or something , or observe and immerse yourself in what will remind you of your ultimate purpose .
Speaker 1Of course , we recommend somatics , reflection , meditation , prayer . You need to be with you . So those are some of the ways that we can quiet the noise , but there are moments of self-care that are going to be needed and , if you know me and if you know our organization , we advocate for collective care just as much as self-care , but both are needed and important . We love our somatics and healing modalities . Get in your body and find effective ways to self and co-regulate with others .
Speaker 1You need to be really mindful of the company you keep y'all If you're constantly surrounding yourself with folks who vent , folks who are highly anxious about the budget or the news , that constantly are checking their phone and sharing updates with you like a sports broadcaster that wasn't invited to the party . Really be mindful of reciprocal relationships , because energy transfers and this is an unsexy truth . But leaders don't be surprised when you see a rise in personnel issues . When the world feels out of control . Folks are dysregulated . You're not crazy , you are seeing it . You may be in that state as well , and it's normal for folks to revert to survival behaviors that don't always trend towards the collective in pro-social ways .
Speaker 1Make sure you're scheduling to allow for responsive actions inside your org and with your client work . If you're back to back , you will not be able to take those interventions seriously or sustainably . But ultimately , don't get in your bunkers just yet . Fear drives us towards isolation when we really need to lean towards each other . A few affirmations that might support you in these times . I can hold fast . We will stay steady , I am resilient . My inner wisdom is powerful . My inner wisdom is powerful .
Speaker 1I want to speak to the busy leader who feels the weight of their shoulders , or the staff member who sees their leader burning out , who rides for them and who knows that if the leader goes down , the team will be stressed In the next week . Really , I mean , open up your planner , open up that outlook calendar . In the next week , I want you to find three ways to tend to self one somatic , one self care and one social . So hold fast with yourself and hold fast with others . This might look like actually calendaring a 15 minute walk next week on a day that you see is packed
for self-care . It could look like you finally releasing some of those hoarded massage coupons . Go ahead and pull that gift card out and use it , friend .
Speaker 1And for the social , make sure that you're finding folks that are aligned , that just bring you joy . That doesn't have to be hard , where you don't have to hold space for them , right , but it is just reciprocal and good . You need it , you deserve it . If you're like me , you might also hoard favor asking . I want to wait for that special occasion to pay for a sitter or ask my family to watch my kids , but the special time is now .
Speaker 1It's been a couple of months that have felt like years Ask for help , state what's needed and then and this is probably more for me than you don't waste it . It's the worst when I lay down for a nap and I doom scroll . I come out of the room an hour and a half later and my family's like , do you feel rested ? And I'm like , oh , so be disciplined with your restoration . So be disciplined with your restoration . As our closing critical hope .
Speaker 1I want to remind you that holding fast doesn't mean freezing . It means showing up as the change leader that you are . A leader with longevity leverages their resilience amidst chaos . Your ancestors overcame enormous obstacles and look where you've gotten . You're a gift already . If you accomplished nothing else . You've already made a difference , so imagine what's possible . There's me tapping into critical hope . Check out that other episode . Treat yourself accordingly that you know you are doing the best you can and that you are getting positive results . When we stand in our values and move with compassionate consistency , we actualize our missions . So hold fast , friends , stay steady . We've got this . I look forward to coming back to gather at the Well soon . All right , y'all . Thanks for coming to play at Gather at the Well , the podcast that teaches . If you like this conversation , come visit us online at theteachingwellorg and hit us up on our socials . Remember to visit the podcast page to download a couple of useful tools to get your life and heal up your work .