“in an ideal scenario of radical interdependence, we would take from the planet what we needed to sustain ourselves, and care for and protect the place and life forms of home. we would take from each other what we needed, what we lacked, and offer to each other from our abundance. its a lovely idea and i am slightly obsessed with cultivating it…”
-adrienne maree brown
I SO feel adrienne here… I’m also slightly obsessed with how we can cultivate more interdependence.
Interdependence is a way of relating that is reciprocal, discerning, nurturing, and accountable…
And it’s one of the central values of my business and my personal life.
When it comes to building culture and leaving a legacy for future generations, I know that interdependence is an essential lens.
Each of us has a unique contribution to bring to the world, and we shouldn’t expect ourselves to do all that work alone.
Because we learn through our relationships.
When we forget that we are deeply connected to the world around us, we can easily slip into a hyper-independent, hyper-consumerist, and hyper-imperialist mindset.
And it’s this hyper-independent attitude that is at the root of so much destruction.
Separation and independence are myths that protect the status quo, and keep us from building a more radical and inclusive culture.
Building radical culture that actually serves the people and the planet requires us to get grounded in our relationship with one another and our connection to the Earth, so we can organize a movement that is committed to impacting change.
So what can we do to cultivate more interdependence?
Here are 4 practices that can help us integrate more interdependence into our life, so we can get to work building a more radical culture now.
- Allow your brilliance to be seen
When you make your brilliance visible you create opportunities for consensual collaboration and community care. This creates more space for you to grow with your community and make the impact that only you can create. - Name your Boundaries
Setting clear boundaries helps you understand where your responsibilities end… and someone else’s begins. Also, clear boundaries will keep you accountable to the people you’re building culture with so you can continue to stay aligned with the vision of the movement. - Do What you Say You’d Do
As you build community around your vision, people will begin to count on you. Whenever possible, do what you said you’d do. This means being discerning with your energy, honoring your promises, and apologizing when your inability to do what you said you’d do negatively impacts other people.
Note – Life happens. I’m not talking about beating yourself up for having a personal crisis and having to change plans. I’m talking about the pattern of over promising, under-delivering, and skirting responsibility. It’s a bad habit, and hard to kick, but it’s worth it. - Ask and Receive
Being interdependent isn’t always about giving. It’s also about knowing when you need help and knowing how to ask for it. And then allowing yourself to receive it. You can learn when to ask by learning to listen to your body, and you can increase your ability to receive by practicing gratitude for what you already have.
Alright.. Let’s pause for a moment… Before we go further I want to ask you to pick a number 1-4. Got it? Okay. Remember that number we will come back to that in a little bit.
Onward…
If we commit to these four practices, we can build more interdependence in our communities.
If we practice more interdependence, we will create more healing, connection, and radical culture.
And I’m here for it.
Okay so remember when I asked you to pick a number?
I invite you to reflect on the description that corresponds with your number.
Observe how you feel reading the description. Notice how you relate to the practice through the lens of interdependence.
- What comes up for you?
- Is there space there for you to grow?
- How can you deepen your practice in this area?
If you feel like sharing, you can reply and share your reflections with me. Either way, I’m grateful to be practicing interdependence together. .
Love + Liberation
Lauren Elizabeth