Setting The Foundation For World Change With Love & Resilience

by Elisa | Dec 13, 2018 | Uncategorized

Believing in others is one of the single most powerful ways you can use your influence for good. Why? Because world change can only come from resilience built upon a foundation of unconditional love. Read on to see how this works. When Worth Is Tied to Work I...

How Politics Pushed Me To Only Buy Ethically Sourced Clothes

by Elisa | Nov 6, 2018 | Seeking Justice, Socially Conscious Brands, United States

It might be hard to believe, but it has been two years since our last presidential election. Americans were diced and divided into sides as impenetrable as the Berlin Wall and the only thing we could agree on was that the game of politics in the United States had...

GPS For Success: Redefining What Winning At Life Means To You

by Elisa | Nov 4, 2018 | Anthropology Psychology Sociology, Fully Alive, Identity, Life Purpose, Live Intentionally, Personal Growth, Stuff of the Heart

Why Should You Define Success? Not everyone considers success the same. Although there are common themes that define success for most people, there are still variations in what individuals, families, and cultures value. For some, it might be owning a home, having a...

Three Ways To Care For Yourself As a Support Person, Sponsor or Friend

by Elisa | Oct 25, 2018 | Art of Advocacy, Ways to Make a Difference

If you are a support person, sponsor or friend to someone who needs continual help, it means you need help too! This week I posted Out of the Darkness: Pain, Suicide Prevention, and Supporting Someone Who is Suicidal. Maybe there is a person in your life that is...

Out of the Darkness: Pain, Prevention, and Supporting Someone Who is Suicidal

by Elisa | Oct 25, 2018 | Art of Advocacy, Being World Changers, Create Awareness, Hard Conversations, Identity, Stuff of the Heart

Over the past couple years, someone I mentor almost killed themselves multiple times. True, I've known of others who've committed suicide, been friends (both knowingly and unknowingly) with people who were suicidal, and I've shouldered the grief of another impacted...

24-34: How Much Will You Change For Good In a Decade?

by Elisa | Sep 23, 2018 | Anthropology Psychology Sociology, Art of Advocacy, Being World Changers, Identity

This week I turned 34, but I keep saying I turned 24. The truth is, I don't really feel much different. I mostly feel exactly the same, even though I do see change for good in my life over this decade. Now I realize I am not the sagest person out there, and I know...

The Simple Secret to Changing the World: Love Small; Love Big

by Elisa | Sep 1, 2018 | Being World Changers

Sometimes finding our best role to change the world feels overwhelming. But a friend told me that the next step I gave--love small; love big--while speaking last week really helped him feel like he could move past this feeling of overwhelm and move forward....

Kindness Quest: A Roadtrip of Random Acts of Kindness

by Elisa | Jul 26, 2018 | Adventure, Art of Advocacy, Being World Changers, Children-in-Need, Community, Create Awareness, Family & Relationships, Giving Back, United States

Road trips are both a regular and vibrant part of my life. Although I would often prefer to travel the world and do humanitarian work or support far-away missions, in this season with young kids my wanderlust is usually sadiated through trips across the country. This...

Freedom and the Fourth: With Gratitude to Bring More

by Elisa | Jul 4, 2018 | Anthropology Psychology Sociology, Create Awareness, Seeking Justice, United States

We might not have utopia, but we do have freedom. It is a nice thing to have. My ancestors were welcomed into the United States, although they might have been hated for their Irishness, or whatever was considered deplorable in the last one hundred and two hundred...

Adventure

Swamp Wisdom: An Ecclesiastes on Human Rights

Ever heard of ancient King Solomon? He was said to be the wisest of them all as he philosophized...

Busy Moms, Community, Family & Relationships, Raising Kids

Identity Crisis #3467 – My Messy Beautiful

The other day, my daughter was excitedly expressing her admiration of the teachers and helpers at her school. I usually resist the temptation to to ask my kids what they want to be when they grow up because at some point in my...

Anthropology Psychology Sociology, Mental Health, Recovery, Safe Spaces

Understanding Terms for Poor Nations vs. Rich Nations

Terms of Poverty Whether in public political addresses or in pleas from non-profits, we have all heard some of these terms thrown around at some point or another. But just because we can infer their general meaning, I...