This is Life’s Work

This is Life’s Work

In the past few weeks, all of us at SWIM have been wavering between emotions. Emotions ranging the gamut from fear and sadness to hope and excitement for the future. In this week where we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Inauguration of the 46th president of the United State of America, Joe Biden, hope and excitement are rising to the top. However, there is a lot of work ahead. 

Our clients are on the front lines of addressing some of the most pressing issues in our society. Issues like systemic racism, economic inequality, hunger and others that existed well before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s time and still exist today. These are challenges that can only be faced through adaptive shifts in the way we believe the world around us can work. That kind of work can’t be done by one person in one lifetime, but we all can do the work to make steps in the right direction. 

Over the past few months, I made a new friend named Sharina Sallis. Sharina has partnered with See What I Mean as a SWIM Collaborator, and is a champion for issues like economic inclusion in our community. She knows what it means to be working on some really tough problems that need actions now, but every meeting I have been in with her she sets the stage by using the phrase, “This is life’s work.” 

“This is life’s work.” A simple phrase that helps to shift a mindset about the importance of the work at hand. The work is extremely important. In fact, it is so important that you will likely dedicate a lifetime to getting it done. It won’t get done today, or tomorrow, it is life’s work. That could be a depressing sentiment, or it could be a call for us to take a deep breath and give it our best.

When Sharina says it, it helps me take a deep breath.

So today, let’s take a deep breath, look at the issues in front of us, and think about the changes we all have to make to move closer towards a more unified and equitable world. 

At SWIM we believe in slowing down the process and looking for the adaptive changes we need to make to move forward. It helps us to learn all we need to learn, and be inclusive of all the voices who could be impacted by our work. If you are interested in working with us you can schedule a consultation below.

Author: Jordan Vernoy