Your Magenta Monday Magic.
I know I’m stating the obvious, but it really feels as if the world has gone crazy. It’s only halfway through the first month of 2025 as I write this and we’ve already read reports of a brazen, midday assassination (and the ensuing manhunt), two separate terrorist attacks, in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and uncontrollable fires raging in Los Angeles, my neighbor to the north.
That’s just when we consider this country. News from further abroad is no better.
On Monday I came across an Instagram post picturing an Afghani woman peeking out from her burka. The caption told of the Taliban’s latest efforts to further ‘erase’ women by prohibiting them from being seen…in their own homes.
They now must board up or wall off any public-facing window so men passing by cannot see or be ‘tempted’ by them. "Seeing women working in kitchens, in courtyards, or collecting water from wells can lead to obscene acts," read a decree posted by government figure Zabihullah Mujahid on social media platform X.
Looking at that photo I cried, not only for the Afghani women who have lost so much, but for women around the world who are systematically being erased – either overtly or through death by a thousand cuts. It was a deep, soul-wrenching sob, and honestly, it caught me by surprise.
In the pleading, dark eyes peeking out from behind that burka, I saw every woman, past or present, who has ever felt invisible or unseen in even the smallest of ways.
“I see you,” I whispered to her.
In earlier years, the sheer weight of all this news would have sent me into a dark spiral of negativity. Thankfully, that’s not the case today.
It’s taken some time, but at 58, I have finally learned that getting grounded is the surest way to keep myself from being drawn into the vortex of whatever crisis is happening around me. I knew one thing for sure when I found that I’d spent several days in tears last week.
I knew it was time to renew my commitment to cultivating and protecting my peace—to prioritize inner peace and wellness in my daily life.
I’ve always felt other people’s pain deeply – almost to the point of despair. For a long time, I believed that only by feeling their pain along with them could I ever hope to help. I also felt guilty asking myself ‘Who am I to feel joy when so many people are suffering?’
All of this leaves me unable to help not only those who are strangers to me, but I am not available to those who might need me in my immediate circle of friends and family.
It’s taken a lot of practice to feel empathy while remaining centered; to cry freely without being paralyzed by the pain I felt for others.
Now, I still cry, but I don’t let myself become a bloody mess. I cry, and when the tears stop, I ask myself what comes next.
Sometimes that involves taking action, and doing something like donating time or money, or even reaching out with my words to raise awareness about an issue.
More often than not, though, it involves taking steps to cultivate and protect my own peace. I take care of myself so I can take care of the people around me. Prioritizing inner peace and wellness allows me to be a better support system for those in need.
I have abandoned the belief that hard feelings must be rushed through or that I must quickly muscle through whatever discomfort comes my way. Peace comes with time and requires intention.
Monday Mindshift
It’s the 1° shift that makes the biggest difference over time.
To me, cultivating peace involves doing certain things on a regular basis, and then leaning further into them when I need a little extra TLC.
To ensure nothing interferes with those practices, I put structures in place that are designed to protect my peace.
The first is a collection of smaller actions, while the second forms a larger framework. Both help me build a peaceful life, whatever goes on around me.
How to cultivate my peace:
By taking care of my mind and body—meditation, daily exercise, and rest to support inner peace and wellness
Through connection with others – friends and community members
By tapping my artistic side – painting, writing, drawing, listening to music. Having a solo dance party
With creature comforts – lighting candles, drinking tea from my favorite mug, nestling in my favorite chair to read, watching a rom-com
By connecting with nature – going for a walk or sitting in the yard birdwatching
By unplugging from the news, letting myself cry, practicing gratitude, and donating my time or money
By practicing gratitude regularly, shifting my mindset toward inner peace and wellness
How I protect my peace:
Setting boundaries
Asking for what I need
Living in alignment with my values
Practicing self-compassion
Spending time with the people who lift me up
Prioritizing myself
Following a daily routine
Take a minute to think about what could make up your lists, and whether you need to take action to practice them more regularly.
If you have a ways to go – be gentle with yourself. Instead, put down your phone for a minute, and make better use of the time you aren’t scrolling; identify one action you can take today to get yourself back into alignment with building your own peace.
Living BRIGHTer is...
B - Be Brave
R - Cultivate Relationships
I - Live with Intention
G - Practice Gratitude
H - Prioritize Health
T - Live your Truth
What is Magenta?
The color magenta is one of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life. Magenta helps to create harmony and balance in every aspect of life; physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
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