Conscious Connections from the Conscious Capitalism Conference
Each time our team gathered over those three days to drink in the wisdom of the guest teachers in a darkened auditorium that was brimful with 850+ participants, we found ourselves spread out among the rows. On occasion, we’d get to sit next to one another for sessions, but for the most part we learned together but as individuals . . . each one of our experiences as unique an expression as our fingerprints.
From belly-laughing at keynote speakers to playful curiosity during the practicums to everything in between, once this spring’s Conscious Capitalism Conference in Dallas, TX, wrapped, we came together to digest our takeaways.
And since learning happens best in connection, we hope to share these moments here so that we can all learn and grow and expand. These reflections from our team of artists, creators, and business mavens share with you what impacted us most and offer you a window into our full and happy hearts.
We had the opportunity to attend Dr. Eva Selhub’s practicum "Wellness: The Bridge to a Conscious Business," and I loved the focus on self-care as a way for leaders to support the organization’s goal of being fitter and more resilient. Too often, stress becomes a way of life—the norm for us both personally and professionally—and we live in a constant state of reactivity to stress and stressors. As humans, our bodies are not meant to live in this constant aroused state of fight or flight—it simply isn’t healthy, and it certainly isn’t sustainable. Dr. Selhub shared how key it is that we learn to restore infrastructure, regulate stress, and increase positive emotions and trust!
How do we do this?
Stopping the cycle of stress and overwhelm entails:
- pausing and shifting out of a negative emotional state;
- learning to objectively observe a situation, our feelings, and our beliefs to get more information;
- reprogramming those negative assumptions, habits, and beliefs; and
- restoring our infrastructure and outlets of relief, such as sleep, support, exercise, nutrition, etc.—those things that we all know we need to do and yet make excuses for not doing all the time.
This is our favorite takeaway—a question we will carry with us and apply across the board when making these shifts and restoring my infrastructure: “Is this fueling me?”
We stood at a high-top table at The Fig, where lunch was being served, and looked around the room: everywhere, we saw so many people whom we loved. There were many more than we would have time to even say hello to. We felt our chests brighten with both expansion and an aching heart pain. Conscious Capitalism has become a home, a soul family reunion, a place where our purpose is invited to play. A gift. We missed so many of these people, and we wouldn’t be able to tell enough of them how much they meant to us.
One of our favorite moments was when Michelle Kinder was on stage. She shared three lessons learned from the children they serve, and the first was “Settle Your Glitter.” She shook up a snow globe to exemplify how it’s impossible to find clarity when we are stirred up as human beings. The children learn to breathe to settle their glitter.
That lesson left us bubbly with joy. We found our smiles widening to 100 percent. Michelle offered us the most simple and loving metaphor.
“The woke need to leave room for the waking.” We took to heart Deval Patrick’s warning that “sanctimony is a funny kind of poison” and that an integral part of our journey to consciousness is making room for others at various stages on the path. We feel a renewed sense of purpose in working to support each other in getting to the same place we all want to get to.
As we sat in Kristen Hadeed’s talk, we looked to either side and caught sight of each other—the leaders we work with every day—and it struck us just how lucky we are to work where, how, and with whom we do. Kristen’s talk emphasized that “leaders do not clip wings,” and we are keenly aware that the leaders we work with are deliberate about letting us all stretch our wings and fly. As a result, the culture at work has cultivated a warm sense of loyalty—one that encourages us to shine as brightly as we can. It was an incredible lightbulb moment that we won’t soon forget.
While there were many memorable moments and nuggets of wisdom shared over the course of the event, the one thing that still brings a smile to our faces is “Team Grape Expectations” and our quest to make PB&J sandwiches with WhichWich for people in need. Together, we were willing to roll up our sleeves and take a “no-holds-barred” approach to making over five hundred sandwiches, and we made them with love. Not only did we complete the task assigned as each of us settled into our roles, but we shared wonderful conversation, we danced, we sang, and we cheered. While we scooped, spread, combined, and packaged those sandwiches around that long table, we connected, and that was a nutrient unto itself. As people who love to get in and work with our hands, it was a natural fit. We just hadn’t expected to feed such a connection with our fellow Conscious Capitalists while doing so.