Five things Friday roundup: A Matter of Pride

Photo by Alex Jackman from unsplash.org. Photo by Alex Jackman from unsplash.org.

1. B+ is fine

The other day I was in a Zoom meeting with my cohort for a women in leadership program I am a part of. We talked about how difficult things have been with the pandemic, holding multiple roles, and life in general. Our leader told us that we need to have more grace with ourselves, and that “B+ is good enough. B+ spirituality, B+ parenting, B+ sermons, B+ leading. It’s fine.” The point is not to promote mediocrity, but to allow ourselves space to let go of the need to out-achieve ourselves at every pass. There will be times when we can give 100%, and other times where we’ll give 89%. Some days, it may even be 50%. This is ok. As human beings and not human doings, our goal is to live authentic lives, not perfect lives. God is totally ok with a B+, and so I hope this can free us a bit, too. Have pride in the work you do!
 

2. Pride

June is Pride month, and a great movie to watch with folks in your life (older teens and up) is the movie Pride. A group of LGBTQ young adults look outside of themselves to help another marginalized group: Welsh miners on strike. At first, this community doesn’t want their help, but after developing a relationship, they see the humanity in each other and work toward change, both for the miners and the LGBTQ community. To see the trailer, click here
 

3. Safe Zone Training 

This month I’ve led a Safe Zone training at Goshen College and found the Safe Zone Project to be an excellent resource for both facilitators and those who want to know more about the LGBTQ community. The material is printable, free, low-tech, and fun. You are welcome to adapt it for you group or organization, and there are many resources beyond just the training found on their site. Check it out!
 

4. Mindfulness 

As I’ve heard from other folks, especially pastors, we’re feeling as if we’ve been crawling out of a hole and are struggling to do it all. The pandemic was a source of collective trauma the world over and many of us had to radically change our lives. Now that it seems we are turning a corner with Covid, we are re-entering society, our workplace, and our families and friend groups. One way to give yourself space, time to process, and a chance to unwind is through mindfulness. If this concept is new to you, I encourage you to check out apps such as Headspace and Calm to see if this practice is right for you. Much of it involves focusing on our breath or intention and simply “noticing” and letting go of other thoughts we may have. If the state of things is making you anxious, this is worth a try. Have pride in self care!
 

5. Super easy white chicken chili 

I am trying to untangle myself from diet culture that used to be a huge part of my life. It’s been a slow process, and I’m still working on it. However, one holdover I have from my days of carefully obsessing over every calorie is this white chicken chili. Regardless of how many “points” (to use Weight Watchers parlance) this soup is, it’s downright delicious and easy to make. Have pride in your cooking abilities!

Joanne Gallardo

Joanne Gallardo is conference minister of Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA in Goshen, Indiana. Originally from northwest Ohio, Joanne Read More

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