Do you ever get overwhelmed by the darkness in the world?

😞 Do you ever feel hopeless…scared about where we’re headed…helpless in your ability to affect change…or just feel like, “What’s it all for?”

I get it.

Between the daily mass shootings in our schools and public gathering places…

…the unjust war in Ukraine that’s killed thousands of people, displaced millions, and resulted in unspeakable war crimes, especially against women…

…the increase in brazen displays of racism, anti-semitism, misogyny, and general bigotry – most frighteningly in our legislative bodies…

…the far right/fascist movements rising in democracies around the world, including the United States…

💔 …and so many other heart-breaking trends and events, the feeling of utter despair can be hard to shake.

So what do we do?

❓ What do we do when it feels like there’s nothing we can do to change any of that?

After spending several years trying to deal with that feeling of despair by spewing rage…getting into pointless Facebook fights…and just generally stewing in a cesspool of anger, I finally understood what it means when people say…

☠️ …”Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

I had to find another way or I was going to destroy myself. And that’s been a slow evolution.

For a long time, the darkness not only seemed undefeatable to me, but also seemed to be gaining ground everywhere I looked…

😩 …and what could I, as one individual, do about that?

Looking back, I’m not sure why it took me so long to answer that question, because it’s already been answered by so many of the world’s greatest leaders.

And it finally sunk in with me.

❓ How do you beat the darkness?

👉 By bringing the light.

Darkness can’t survive in the face of light. But just like a single candle can’t light up your whole house, a few individuals bringing the light isn’t going to defeat the darkness in the world.

It’s going to take all of us.

We all have to show up and bring our light to the world.

So how do we do that?

In my mind, it comes down to this:

🔥 By finding and living our purpose.

Why are you here? What difference do you want to make? How do you want to change your immediate world or the world at large?

*It all matters*.

We often think of purpose as some grand, paradigm-shifting ambition that’s only meant for the bravest and most noble among us. People like Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, and Mother Teresa.

And yes, those are remarkable people who each carried a purpose that ultimately changed the world…

…but that doesn’t mean that’s the only kind of purpose that brings light to the world.

👩‍👧Your purpose can be to raise a smart, ethical, and thoughtful human being and release them into the world to create their own ripple effects of goodness.

❤️ Your purpose can be to spread care and kindness in your neighborhood by hosting gatherings that create a feeling of community…making a pot of soup for a neighbor who’s sick…and inviting someone to lunch who you suspect might be feeling lonely.

🙏 Your purpose can be to be a good steward of your body, mind, and soul if you’re facing a significant illness, and learn how to love yourself more deeply in the process.

🤓 Your purpose might be in your business or career…

…the health coach who dreams of a system where people feel well-informed and empowered, instead of confused and overwhelmed…

…the marketing director who imagines a world where ads make people feel uplifted and energized, rather than insecure and less worthy…

…or the massage clinic owner who’s out to create a more peaceful world by helping the people in her community relax and restore.

There are as many ways to live out a purpose as there are people in the world.

⭐️ But here’s what’s at the heart of all of them:

1️⃣ A purpose allows us to use the best of who we are.

And…

2️⃣ It adds light to the world.

👉 And that’s how we overcome the darkness.

If you’re a woman who’s ready to bring more of her light to the world…

…if you’re ready to be bolder in bringing your purpose forward and taking it from something that lives in your heart to a reality that lives in the world…

…then come join me in my new free MeetUp group, Bolder Women.

🌎 While “Bolder” is a play on Boulder – the city where I live – my dream is for this group to have far-reaching effects that extend well beyond the city limits of Boulder, CO.

For this reason, I’m hosting both in-person and online meetings and I’m kicking off both next week.

🔥 If this sounds like your jam, come check out all the details here ===>

https://www.meetup.com/bolder-women

Join me and let’s create a tide that lifts all of our boats!