Welcome to the first week of 40 Days of Positive Actions and Thoughts!
On Wednesday, everyone in our BCC community was invited to take this pledge:
I make a commitment to strive for positivity in my life for the next 40 days.
I will practice being kind to others as well as to myself.
We begin our positive actions with taking care of ourselves and making sure that we are safe. I once heard that people training to become Buddhist monks spend the first year of their training learning how to be compassionate with themselves. In order to care for others effectively, we must first care for ourselves.
Where are you in making yourself a priority? How do you care for yourself as a whole person – physically, emotionally, socially, spiritually, intellectually?
How can you practice being kind to yourself?
In terms of our BCC core values, safety is first. Safety is our mindset at all times and in all situations. We work in a trauma-informed way to prepare our environment, ourselves and others. What can you do this day to help yourself and others be safe?
You can act on increasing your safety and the safety of others wherever you are. Each one of us impacts the overall environment and we can contribute positively to the safety of our BCC community.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- check around for items that might be a threat to someone’s safety such as a sharp item discarded on the sidewalk
- deepen trust in your therapeutic relationships
- introduce yourself to a visitor or a staff/youth you do not know
- plan for an emergency
- help a child or young person to talk about how they can contract for safety for themselves
“At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.” -Jodi Rell
Thank you for taking a moment to reflect with me on positivity, particularly in terms of self-care and safety.
For those of you who would like some religious resources, read on for selected scripture verses in the Judeo-Christian traditions.
The most ancient God is a place of safety; the eternal arms are a support. Deuteronomy 33:27
My God is my rock, in whom I find protection. God is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. God is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. 2 Samuel 22:3
I will lie down and fall asleep in peace because you alone, God, let me live in safety. Psalm 4:8
The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. God is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2
No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. Psalm 16:9
God’s name is a place of protection – good people can run there and be safe. Proverbs 18:10
You can go to God Most High to hide. You can go to God All-Powerful for protection. I say to God, “You are my place of safety, my fortress. My God, I trust in you.” Psalm 91:1-2
As appropriate, I encourage to discuss images of God that help us feel safe and secure in our relationship with God. The scriptures give us many starting points for discussion.
May we work together with God’s blessing to increase our sense of safety as individuals and as a community. May we be kind to ourselves and then extend that kindness to others.