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6 questions to ask before you volunteer abroad- how to decide if it is right for you

by Daisy Rosales | Aug 17, 2015 | 0 comments

daisysrosales

It was a year when the mountains we already hoped

It was a year when the mountains we already hoped to scale became even taller, and more treacherous. But the things we’ve always stood for remain good and true. Generous open-heartedness. Compassionate healing. Humble curiosity. Unconditional love. Unstoppable hope. Here’s to another year guided by what we hold most dear. Happy 2021! 🕯🏔

Scenes from the weekend: A cascade of maple leaf h

Scenes from the weekend: A cascade of maple leaf hands outstretched on thanksgiving. Finding ampleness and generosity by the ocean. Kitten love. Grateful for 12 years of friendship with Aaron.

I wish I had more answers as we prepare to enter 2021. Instead I have endless questions and a set of convictions, and it will have to be enough.

What are you most hoping for this session?🌲

“Solitude eventually offers a quiet gift of grac

“Solitude eventually offers a quiet gift of grace, a gift that comes whenever we are able to face ourselves honestly: the gift of acceptance, of compassion, for who we are as we are. ... Beyond the pain of self-discovery there is a love that does not condemn us but calls us to itself.” — Parker Palmer

Lately it’s been easy to find myself feeling alone, overwhelmed by uncertainty, and feeling immensely inadequate. And my natural inclination is to add to the plate: more meetings, more contacts, more promises, more impact.

But instead, this past chaotic month has forced me to ask myself what is enough. It’s a self examination that requires pondering— a pause of thoughtful inquiry that doesn’t come easily when we are dampening our insecurities with more. I don’t need to tell you how long my days are or how many people we are working to support. I need to confess that staying honest with my own humanness and self awareness has been hard.

I’ve turned to the wisdom of forests that have stood for centuries, watching empires rise and fall. Introspection reminds me that our eternal hope is not easily forged and therefore cannot be easily destroyed. 🌲

The moment before the world shut down, the beautif

The moment before the world shut down, the beautiful town of Bukhara welcomed us with open arms I’ll never forget. Looking back on this trip, I’m reminded that things are true even if I can’t see them. Partnering with global teams can be so challenging when we can’t share a cup of tea, a breath of air, or a walk through the neighborhood. But it doesn’t mean our collaboration isn’t real.

I sometimes spend all day working in the same spot at our dining table, wondering if we’ve built something that matters, that makes a difference. It’s through the subtleties that I’m reminded we really have moved forward: the extended invitation, the tearful moment, the softening of face muscles that were tight at the beginning of a call. It all matters. Don’t give up. ✨

Remembering RBG has meant more than recognizing wh

Remembering RBG has meant more than recognizing what I now take for granted: commanding equal pay for my work, pursuing a meaningful profession while becoming a parent if I so choose, knowing single dads (yes!) receive support if they become sole caretakers. 🌊

Her life also reminds me and encourages me in my conviction that our life purpose goes beyond me & mine vs you & yours. Beyond just taking care of my family, important as that is. Beyond defending myself, as much as I need to do that too. 💫

We have a calling to fight for, love, enable, restore, encourage, and accompany others. It’s this daily choice that makes it possible for future generations to wake up to a reality that today scrapes the boundaries of impossible. 💗

This is 30! Entering a new decade in the midst of

This is 30! Entering a new decade in the midst of a pandemic, ravaging fires, social unrest and an uneasy democracy. I’m redefining what it means to honor our days and years with what matters. ✨

Can we access gratitude at a time like this?
Can we love others at a time like this?
Can we hold onto hope as we work toward human flourishing at a time like this?🌊

I want my 30s to say a wholehearted yes. Sending you love from a fullness I can’t explain and peace that surpasses my understanding. 💗

California is on fire (again? still?) and no, I am

California is on fire (again? still?) and no, I am not currently at the beach. This photo simply reminds me to work on that inner retreat— the place where restoration happens no matter where we are physically, anchored in our breath and the peace that has been given to us. It takes discipline to create that restorative space. It takes deep-rooted hope to return to it and experience joy. 🌊
What will you do (or not do) to rest and be found by rest this weekend?

When was the last time you experienced restoration

When was the last time you experienced restoration? Lately I’ve been feeling like a wrung-out towel and falling prey to thought patterns that serve neither me nor our mission. It’s hard to stay encouraged when our mindset is productivity defined by hitting external milestones, delivering products, and getting recognized. 🤑

But the truth I’ve been learning is this: none of the work we do has any meaning or integrity if we refuse to look up from the grindstone. In fact, it is also work to take the view from the balcony. It is also work to reflect on where we really want to go with all this. And it is definitely work to do the learning and self-reformation that this deep alignment requires. 🦋

Friends, let’s not discount the work that — in the short term, remains unseen— but in the long term, makes all the difference. Seek restoration. ♥️

Your reminder not to let uncertainty destroy your

Your reminder not to let uncertainty destroy your vision for the future. 🌊 Recently people have been inviting me to articulate my vision for @startbrio as its cofounder and ED. We’ve also been working on a personal vision for life after Aaron’s postdoctoral fellowship this year, and more broadly what this next decade will hold. 🗓

And the truth is this: I either find myself deflecting the question with “who even knows what next month will hold?”... or trying to articulate a small shadow of my vision— dwarfed by the confines and constraints I currently feel. ☔️

We are inundated with reasons to grieve daily. But that grief doesn’t have to come at the cost of courageous imagination. I don’t know all the ways in which this year has held you back, but I do know this— we have a future existence that is not just “under these circumstances”, but under the wings of a god who is making us whole. 🦋

Grief: yes. Playing small and scared: no.

Meet the newest member of our family! 🐱 In just

Meet the newest member of our family! 🐱 In just a few days, Ezra has already brought us enough smiles and cuddles for the rest of the year. He chirps and trills to say hi, follows us around, and absolutely loves to be petted. I didn’t used to understand why people adore their pets so much but I think I’ve seen the light. See more of him at @ezra_siberian_cat (where I follow other cats because that’s kind of how I am now).

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Disclaimer: Simplicity Relished is a for profit blog. Any company that I collaborate with is chosen by me and chosen because they fit the theme and readership of my blog. Copyright: If you see something you like here, please be encouraged to share it along with a link back to my site. All of the images and content here, unless otherwise noted or linked, is my own original work.

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