Gratitude Slam LIVE! By Michael Ian Cedar Michael Ian Cedar

Want to join me live? Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/GratitudeSlam/ and slam down some Gratitude!

Want to join me live? Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/GratitudeSlam/ and slam down some Gratitude!

Want to join me live? Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/GratitudeSlam/ and slam down some Gratitude!

Want to join me live? Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/GratitudeSlam/ and slam down some Gratitude!

Want to join me live? Go to https://www.facebook.com/groups/GratitudeSlam/ and slam down some Gratitude!

Yesterday was a tough day for living life on your terms. The Roe v. Wade leak caught the country off guard, unleashing strong feelings as it called into question values so many of us hold – about the justice system and a woman’s right to choose.

The news hit me when I was in the elevator on the way up to my apartment, where I found myself pushing down my sadness and anger by distracting myself with dinner preparations -- until the knife nicking my finger pulled me back to reality.

Between my cutting board full of peppers and onions, and my pile of negative emotions, I had the sense of cognitive fatigue.

I took that as a wake-up call to ask myself two questions:

1) What am I trying to control that’s uncontrollable?

2) What can I control that would serve me and the people around me?

I concluded that I can speak to my communities and continue to relate my core message that it’s okay to feel your feelings. I can listen to people around me, to help them be present and help them articulate their values, so that they can move towards a life on their terms.

Once I started asking, “What influence, skillset, mindset do I have that can help?” I felt the exhaustion lift. The anger, sadness, disappointment, and disgust are still flowing through me, but I now feel motivated to show up to serve the people around me in the way I best know how.

That’s what I want to support you to do for yourself – because living life on our terms means to show up and be present with whatever our genius may be, and to influence what we can influence. For you, that could be activism, teaching, volunteering, or making art – whatever you know how to do to send out that vision into the world.

This is a tumultuous time in our community, our country, and our world. My hope is that we all continue to articulate our values and hold space for one another as we continue to evolve.