Our second cafe was a huge success on April 26, 2011 featuring Sabina Matos, recently elected Providence Council woman, the work she does at New Roots, and her story about how and why she ran for Councilwoman in a ward with a 27 year veteran...and to do so 2 consecutive elections, to finally win in 2010!  We explored key themes in how Sabina was able to lead in her own way, raise a family, and find a way to maintain her soul while in a controversial political race.

Key lessons from Sabina's story:

• Taking up the call for civic engagement
• Going from the behind the scenes to"being in the scene"
• Mobilizing support from all around and trusting it
• Identifying and knowing deeply who you are even if others see you as someone else
• Staying on the point: Why more women need to be at the table
• Importantly, we uncovered the practice of "rugged resilience"

Below are our the participants notes and the key practices we wanted to work on next in our leadership practice. Please feel free to add your comments!  Also, the attendees indicated with color dots which leadership lesson would be their first practice to take on (green dot) and second practice (red dot). 

Key lessons, practices or ideas to bring forward

Cafe conversation 1: How to strengthen our voice to get past labeling self or others labeling me (1 green, 1 red)

• How to continue to do this!Step out of the box, not just push out on the walls…get out of stuck.  Concept of labels and fighting…it allows the label and fight keeps it going…to stop focus on fighting it.
  •  Listen to self your heart, not ego (1 red)
  • Women…communicate!...articulate…best to be silent—listen
  •  No answer
  • Divert negativity
• Goal is to get past drama it leads to: negativity, labeling and addition!
• Rugged resilience (1 green)
  • Can do it all—but not at once (1 red)
  • Allow for imperfection either in others or myself
• Communication – “I want to build on that person’s point”…right or wrong
  • Constantly thinking where someone’s ego is, and that I don’t lead by ego
  • Let go of Ego or our own and others (1 green)
• Drama – no facts, process…waste time being emotional

Cafe conversation 2: Decision-making – how do you process sides, impacts, values, controversy
How to be confident with decision

• Mistakes happen and one learns more about from failure.
• Allow yourself and others to be imperfect/wrong (3 green)
• At that moment it was the best decision to make (1 red, 1 green).  Ask:  Is this based on fear or what I value – love – place of purity. Realize decisions are dynamic not static…ok to change
• Influencing your decision: drawing on the wisdom of others who have been there.
  • Take your advise under consideration, but I make my own decision.
• Timing is everything: “shit or get off the pot” (or importantly if you don't someone will make the decision for you)
• Read the 4 agreements and the 4 noble truths, or the book that Sabina recommended:  The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
  • How to allow for space to make decisions…calendar, respect
  • Taking time is seen as wishy-washy…
  • Try to live by these
• Influencing your decision. You’re second guessing your decision.Sometimes being tough is misunderstood…how to be tough and feel good about it.

Cafe conversation 3: How do I take a physical limitation and carry on – taking care of my body and self, my work, and being compassionate and vulnerable:

• Communication/network for help with your goals?
• Live one day at the time. Rely on your support system, don’t be afraid to ask for help (2 red dots)
• Strategy – inform others, group motivate!
• Being aware of your own self limiting beliefs so you don’t let them take power over you. Listen to your surroundings (1 red).
  • From Sabina Matos:   some may feel we have to show we are strong…when we are ready for help.
• Perspective from others that she was ambitious when she had trust.
• My Concern – it is limiting to call limitations, what they are: limitations. Experiences empower, inform…so it is best to accept a current reality and get the help, and support I need with a limitation... don't ignore it.

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Plan to join our Soul at Work and reap the benefits

In 2012 Soul at Work is offering membership options to get you connected to new resources, leverage the network, and toot your horn in leading in your own way!

Membership with Soul at Work gets you into a community of women leading in their own way, resources, and support to continue to lead.  The Soul at Work initiative is about bringing forward real practices as best practices for women leaders. No matter what or where your work place, you have a leadership platform and perspective.  Leading with Soul is about bringing forward the very best in yourself and in others, to make change that matters, as well as embrace new partnerships and effective ways of being to be successful in life. 

Soul at Work has 3 different ways you can join in, and each are customized to make your involvement more satisfying:

Free online, Pay as you attend or join as a Champion member  See below for benefits and fees.

Why join?

Who is joining?

So many demands on time, money and energy...that we yearn for simpler times.  At the same time we want to contribute, long to connect with like minded women, and use our time wisely to leverage our resources.  This is the time to join up, contribute to the initiative, and make life easier for you by taking advantage of our new programs. 1) Access to new content 2) Discounts to our events or attend without fees 3) Be featured in our member spotlight 4) Join with a fried and be an Angle member 5) Shared member listing for members only Sign up today, invest in yourself (and Soul) by connecting, supporting, and collaborating with other women who are making change in the world.  Click here to sign up

Women from many  disciplines are joining: Business Higher Education Community Development Stay-at-home mompreneurers Health and Wellness Advertising and Media Information Technology Public Schools Management Consulting Human Services Foundations Local and State Governments Activists Arts and Culture and more...

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What are the Soul at Work memberships?

The Soul at Work “Free” membership package is designed for anyone who is passionate about Soul at Work’s mission- for women leading in their own way- and wants to be a part of our movement. Soul at Work is designed for a woman looking to deepen their leadership practice on all levels in life.  Not just about leading at “work”, this is about leading with more Soul where ever you are—about being creative and having the space and time to do so. We target many disciplines and types of organizations. Register here!

The Soul at Work “Champion” membership package is designed to give you special discounts to our events and products as well as connecting with our program. In addition, this package offers you a “membership spotlight” on our website in which you show case your story.  12 month membership is $96, Purchase here!

	Free	Champion
Bi-monthly e-newsletter with tips, "next practices," and short case studies on women leading in their own terms
Our Soul at Work logo to display on your personal website, blog, or social media website that indicates you are in our network and a Soul at Work believer
Free access to our monthly Agora Meet ups (third Friday of the month, 7:45 am - 9:30am)
Opportunity to be featured in our “Members Spotlight” section on our site
50% off our Cafes,  Leadership Circles and other events (value $55 - $110).

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To Purchase:

Please select from the our options: Paypal or mail in a check or contact us: 401/351-7110 or email mgonzalez(at)newcommons.com

Free:  Sign up here

Champion:$96/ year

Wednesday, December 8, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

This is our last Soul at Work gathering for the year. Bring your spouses, kids, partners, friends for a fun evening with the Soul at Work community. We'll have food and drinks (and a coloring/ card making station for the kids!) plus more. (Tickets are a donation to Edesia, LLC.)

Oh by the way, we'll showcase our year and success of Soul at Work and what we are planning for 2011--we promise we'll only need your keen attention for about 10 minutes, the rest of the time is to celebrate!

Please RSVP below so we can order food for enough people by clicking on the Paypal below (preferred donation method) and you'll be confirmed. Remember your RSVP is a holiday donation to Edesia, LLC of $25, $50 or $100: 

Donations:

Option 1: $25.00 Option 2: $50.00 Option 3: $100.00

Or mail us your check payable to "Edesia"C/O New Commons, 545 Pawtucket Ave, Mail box 116, Pawtucket, RI 02860 or Call us 401/351-7110 Why we are supporting Edesia: We are aiming for $1,000, to support the mission of this social venture organization. As a whole we can make a difference as Edesai makes a difference in nourishing children under the age of 5 suffering from malnutrition. The product is turnkey: kids don't have to have invasive intervention--moms can easily and safely give this product to their children to "treat" them of malnutrition. And yes wouldn't it be great to prevent it, but right now nearly 6 million children under 5 die of malnutrition every year, that is one child every 5 seconds.

This is a solution at the extreme end of the poverty continuum, and Edesia is very aware of this as they aim to build factories in countries hardest hit by malnutrition so folks can make a living and create a future, rather than reacting to a current reality. Not perfect elimination of malnutrition and poverty but a start in the right direction.

Join us to to support this active solution that will become the tipping point for more systemic solutions to malnutrition...it starts with one child at a time.

Our first Cafe of 2011 yielded new practices and truths about leading in our own way.  Navyn's story illustrated how a question could create a journey and how merging all that you are interested in can create a company that makes a difference.  We'll post the seeds from her Cafe on site and of course on facebook, so join us.

 Tuesday, March 1, 2011  for our first Cafe of the year featuring Navyn Salem of Edesia from 5:30 - 8:00 pm.  Register here.

You've seen her and Edesia in NY Times Magazine, NewsWeek and FastCompany, Providence Business News 2010 Women to Watch, Providence Phoenix and winning the 40 under 40 awards, and recently with the PBN Innovation Awards.

Join us in 2011 to hear Navyn's  story as to how she started this organization, went to the "top" to get answers, and is responding to the controversy she stirred with this Social Enterprise. 

The Soul at Work network of women leading in their own terms is aiming to donate at least $1,000 to Edesia, so join us and contribute today! We have already contributed $500.  We have pledged $10 of your registration fee to this cause or you can donate directly! 

Register online for the Cafe here

Non-members:  $35

Contributing members: $25

Angel members:  no charge

 

Meeting the nutritional needs of young children today is essential if we want to ensure the success of generations to come. Unfortunately, many communities are unable to provide their children with the nutrition they need.

Every donated dollar takes Edesia one step closer to providing the necessary nutritional supplements during periods of crisis. One step closer to promoting research that increases distribution and use of ready-to-use foods. One step closer to supporting the growing network of factories that produce these foods in the developing world, closer to the need.

Take a moment today to make a difference in a child’s life.  They need your support.

$50.00 treats one child suffering from the worst cases of malnutrition.
$100.00 meets the nutritional needs of five children under the age of two.
$500.00 keeps twenty children from falling deeper into malnutrition.
$1,000.00 prevents malnutrition for fifty children under the age of two.

Edesia is a non-profit organization dedicated to the production and development of Plumpy'nut and other RUFs used to fight malnutrition in the developing world.

Click  to redirect to Edesia paypal

Or

Send a Check to (please write SAW in the memo):

Edesia
88 Royal Little Drive
Providence, RI 02904  USA

Connect Online

Join Edesia’s online community on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. You will get updates about Edesia, our events, outgoing shipments, ongoing research, and global nutrition issues.

Our goal is to reach 1,000 friends to "like" Edesia.
Help us to spread the word and like Edesia on Facebook.

Our goal is to reach 500 followers of @edesiallc.
Help us to spread the word and follow Edesia on Twitter.