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What Is DoYouMind.life?
DoYouMind.life is about, well, life. It’s about the struggles and the joys we find every single day, regardless of our location, beliefs, or skin tone. Even as news headlines try to convince us otherwise, there is far more that unites us than divides us, as we see when we talk with one another about things like time, creativity, and voice.
First, this site about mindfulness. As diluted as that word may have become, I feel that living with intention and integrity is more important now than ever. At a time when the world feels as if it’s poised at a great crossroads, the direction of our families, communities, and nations will depend upon individuals who dare to live from their deepest purpose and authenticity.
We’ve been taught that it’s somehow not OK to expect that our most basic needs can be met or ideas can be heard without our apologizing, minimizing, or seeking permission of others.
Underneath that is an acknowledgment of how we, as women, often move through the world. How often have you heard another woman (or perhaps yourself) say, “Do you mind if I get a bite to eat?” or “Do you mind if I run to the bathroom?” In a meeting, have you ever heard (or said), “This is just a thought, but…” or “Do you mind if I make a suggestion?” We do that! We’ve been taught that it’s somehow not OK to expect that our most basic needs can be met or ideas can be heard without our apologizing, minimizing, or seeking permission of others.
Each month, DoYouMind.life will explore a topic that is universal, and I’ll share some of my particular experiences. We’ll play with the topic in ways that are intended to invite further conversation, both in our online community and in readers’ real lives.
My intention for DoYouMind.life is that it will become a positive place where a community is formed, thoughtful dialogue is shared, and ideas may flourish. It is a place where you can bring your whole self—permission granted!
The Cairn
When I first conceptualized DoYouMind.life, the image I saw that symbolized all I want to do is a cairn—a stack of rocks or pebbles left by others to say, “Welcome. I, too, have walked this path. You are not alone.”
It’s reassuring to know that others have been on the same path we are on. Their markers let us know that we are not alone. As women, this is what we do best—encourage and empower each other through life’s challenges. And so, as we pass, we add our pebble to the formation as reassurance to those who follow after us.
The particular stones in this cairn are of significance to me. Diverse in shape, size, texture and color, they represent the diversity of the women who have accompanied me on my life’s journey. Like the women they represent, the stones are polished smooth by time and experience, and they are strong. They balance in harmony with one another.
The top pebble is a small bit of greenstone (jade) that I picked up during a powerful yet turbulent period of my life. I carried that pebble with me for more than a year; I had it with me as I pulled the rip cord and was hurled out over the Royal Gorge, terrified at first, and then laughing as I realized that I was flying. And I had it with me the day I launched DoYouMind.life—another terrifying yet exhilarating experience.
The bottom stone, the foundation of my cairn, was given to me by my teacher the first time I worked with her. She had asked me, “What do you know?” and I had responded, “I know I am strong enough” to embark on the journey that was calling to me. Later that day, she silently pressed this stone into my hand, looking deeply into my eyes and smiling; I turned it over, and saw that it read “Strength.”
You are strong enough, Dear Reader, and others have been there before you. May you find inspiration here. May you find encouragement. And may you find community. Welcome!
