10 Things I Learned from Martha Beck

"Do you choose your socialization or do you choose your essence?" I attended Martha Beck's Navigating the Storm weekend program at 1440 Multiversity, and the famed life coach peppered her three-day workshop with thought-provoking questions like this one. As she spoke, you could imagine the realization-explosions of the mind making invisible sparking clouds over the heads of the students. As Martha spoke and interacted with program participants, it's likely that many folks found themselves thinking thoughts like this (because they were certainly in my mind!):

• Am I living out my true essence?
• Why did I make these choices? Did trauma or socialization drive me to these decisions?
• Where else am I uncomfortable in my life? What can I do about that?

Navigating the Storm with Martha Beck was like a series of "aha!" moments designed to help you get still, pay attention to the uncomfortable parts of yourself, and figure out why they were there. Then, with this foundation, you could potentially create other ways of reacting to (and being in) various life situations. Martha was a sure, steady, and loving hand in this process as she helped program members deal with their emerging socialization- and trauma-induced concerns. I can't provide a complete list of all the amazing things she said over the weekend (we'd be here for days), but here are 10 Things I Learned from Martha Beck:

• "A storm arises to show us where we need to pay attention."
• "There's something that goes very wrong inside us when there is an injustice that we accept."
• "Our trauma and socialization divide us from our truth."
• "The soul loves experience and it's not afraid to suffer."
• "The places in you … that are not in harmony with your essential self, they become very uncomfortable."
• "Nothing will start a hurricane faster than saying to your angry self, ‘No, no, no. You must be nice.'"
• "You can't change what happened, but you can change what it meant. You can change what it means."
• "We're all wireless communication devices, just like our phones."
• "When you figure out: I actually can't fix another person."
• "You will find that the one thing stronger than the storm inside you is the calm inside you."

  Martha Beck will be returning to 1440 Multiversity to teach Navigating the Storm: Finding Peace and Purpose in Uncertain Times February 7 – 9, 2020. Lisbeth Darsh is the Digital Marketing Manager at 1440 Multiversity, as well as the author of six books and the popular fitness/inspiration blog Words With Lisbeth. A former executive at CrossFit Inc, she has also been a fitness coach/gym owner, an English professor, and a military officer, with degrees from Vassar Cullege (BA) and California State University at Dominguez Hills (MA). You can usually find Lisbeth with a book or barbell in hand, looking to lift spirits and weights.