10 Life Practices

Joy and I developed this list of life practices about 15 years ago. They have been the core of our work ever since.

Centering
Live from the center of our authentic self through  personal and spiritual practices including prayer, meditation, and reading scriptures.s

Awareness
Learn who we are as unique individuals in relationship with others, examining our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Empathy
Listen with compassion and generosity, cultivating awareness of what it might be like to be the other person.

Assertiveness
Engage others with confidence and respect.

Emotional maturity
Speak and act appropriately in all situations, being aware of our feelings and choosing helpful responses.

Connecting
Develop an ability to see the interdependence of all things and to live with an attitude of cooperation, seeking mutual benefit in what we do.

Story-telling
Learn to listen and tell our stories so we develop a shared narrative that enables us to transform our world.

Reframing
Speak out of our own values and perspectives, offering alternative ways of seeing the world.

Creative imagination
Expand our ability to see the world from different perspectives, creating new perspectives for old problems.

Nonviolent engagement
Choose the way of love rather than fear, responding to threats with creative confidence in the future.