March 2023

Dear Friends,

First off, I just want to say I really miss you! It's been so long since we've gathered. That is about to change... I hope!

Join me and Anne tonight (more info below) on our Zoom call at 5:30pm MST with two renowned thinkers talking about a critical issue that has the potential to shift some pretty distressing statistics I wrote about in my Aspen Times Column last week.

I was really struck by an article that came out last month by the CDC talking about teen girls and risk factors such as suicide, sexual abuse, depression, etc. The gist of the article is basically that things are bad and are getting worse. If you have teen girls, I imagine you know this.

I am a mom of two almost two-year-olds and reading the stats made me feel scared and shocked. How can this be? It’s not totally surprising looking at the culture we live in. Even here in Aspen where we feel somewhat insulated from violence we’ve had THREE lockdowns at our schools for credible threats this school year. Three times this year kids have been hovering silently in the dark in corners waiting for the threat of an active shooter to be dismissed. Holy Trauma to their little bodies and brains.

Adding gun violence and climate anxiety to the age old teenager issues with fitting in, belonging, body image, etc (exacerbated greatly in this era by social media) and it’s not surprising to read these statistics. In my column this month for The Aspen Times I talk about all this as well as a beautiful reminder of what is TRUE that is surrounding us all the time in this magical place we call home. I hope you’ll take time to read the article and share.

We have a few great opportunities for coming together this week. Creating opportunities for connection, belonging and wellbeing are our jam here at Lead with Love. Please join us for our last “Awakened Society Initiative” Zoom session TONIGHT 5:30-7pm MST with Dr. Lisa Miller from Columbia University and Dr. Steven Rockefeller Dean of Middlebury College on Spiritual Democracy in our Schools. If you are an administrator, teacher, parent or student you’ll want to tune into this and then stay tuned for an opportunity to go deeper with our “Awakened Schools Initiative”. This material is one antidote to these incredibly distressing statistics about our teens' mental health. It’s going to take all of us getting involved and paying close attention to turn the tide.

Later this week, you have the opportunity to join us in-person at our weekly Thursday Satsang with Heather and Nicholas from The Aspen Chapel. It's a lovely, heartfelt gathering for everybody.

Click HERE for my Aspen Times article. Click HERE for info on the Zoom session tonight. And click HERE for info on our Thursday Satsang. And if you want more inspiration, click HERE for info on The Wisdom from the Top of the World Speaker Series at Aspen Chapel. These things are meant to uplift, inspire, connect and engage us all.

Thank you for being a part of our community!

Love,

Gina