Fierce Tip of the Week: Lean into the Pain

This past Friday in the United States there was, yet another, horrific act of violence. The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, where 26 human lives were lost, with 20 of them belonging to 1st graders, has left our country feeling like quite raw.

Personally, I’ve retreated these past two days, and I know several others who’ve done the same. We’ve barely read the news stories, avoided all social media, and even have gone so far as to refuse to discuss the topic with friends and family – simply because we just can’t process what has happened.

And, we can’t continue to avoid what is unavoidable.

This week’s fierce tip is to lean into the pain of this catastrophe. Perhaps if we embrace the horror and allow ourselves to grieve, to honor every life, to recognize what has been lost, this incident can be a true paradigm shift for our country.

For the families of the victims, they have no choice – they have to do this. They cannot retreat because everywhere around them are reminders of the ones they’ve lost. This is their new reality.

We as a nation owe it to the victims, their families, and ourselves to join them in their pain and not run away or divert the conversation.

So, in addition to being thankful for the ones you love and hugging them a little tighter, make sure to not shut down your pain, your anger, or your questioning. Instead, truly embrace all of the different pieces that make up what you feel and don’t feel.

This week allow yourself to be affected.  Until we do this, we will not be ready to have the needed conversations to make sure this unimaginable tragedy never repeats itself.