You belong here. Together, we are igniting a global community movement, our path well-worn by steps of inspired vision and action…each making mighty contributions to those impacted by our world’s great challenges, whether in our backyards or distant lands. Join us. 

Our Changemaker Series ran from September 20th to the 23rd. Over 4 days, we hosted 10 events, including video calls, a facebook live interview, and in-person gatherings throughout Denver, each featuring extraordinary and everyday changemakers.

At each event, we read this piece by Margaret Wheatley – it is our hope for you this day, too:

“I believe we can change the world if we start listening to one another again. Simple, honest, human conversation. Not mediation, negotiation, problem-solving, debate, or public meetings. Simple, truthful conversation where we each have a chance to speak, we each feel heard, and we each listen well…Human conversation is the most ancient and easiest way to cultivate the conditions for change – personal change, community and organizational change, planetary change. If we can sit together and talk about what’s important to us, we begin to come alive.”

My friend, our great intention is that you take in these stories, videos, poetry, and nudges to inspired action…and come alive, more than ever.

Here’s the thing: when you take in someone else’s story, it has a way of igniting and awakening something in you. You see yourself and the world with new eyes and take a step closer to making that courageous leap of your own.

A big focus of this Changemaker Series was on human trafficking and other issues in the world that can feel overwhelming. But, this series wasn’t about causes. No, here at Seeds of Exchange, we are about people – our friends – who work every day to make a difference in the lives of those they serve with love. Although “changemaking” may sound trendy to some and burdensome to others, our intention is that these nudges towards inspired action feels like a gift to you, like an exhale of relief with a few ways YOU can make a difference in the face of epic challenges in the world. Explore and play with these simple ideas to serve and give, in ways that feel good to you.

Whether you see yourself as a changemaker or feel yourself to be barely hanging on without having a clue of where you’re going or how to make it through this day, welcome. Whether human trafficking and other great injustices in our world are your warrior cry or these realities terrify you, welcome. Together, we will navigate these dark and challenging places, shining a light and doing our part as a community. This is why we focus on local and global struggles through the lens of story, beauty, and hope. We are committed to sitting together, talking, listening, responding with inspired action, and DOing great things.

Your inspired action doesn’t need to feel or look big. The small and simple can be mighty – and when offered and done as a collective, they are certainly not little. A treasured sister-friend, my Aunt Deby, was part of one of our Changemaker Series video calls and wisely shared this:

SIMPLY. Simply include 1 other. Simply show up. Simply with a view to take a small action. I tend to always think I have to do the big thing. Committing to a small action helps me to listen and act more WHOLEheartedly. -Deby Berkimer

In these pages and in the days to come, we beckon you to say yes to living the life you were born to live, build your tribe, and fiercely commit to the well-being of those near and far. We have created this Inspired Action Resource to ignite your path with your own inspired changemaking.

Pause.

I invite you to take a breath.
Another one…deeper still.
Now, friends, full of breath and pause,
before we do anything, say anything more,
offer hope, inspiration, nudges to step or leap with inspired action,
here and now, take another deep breath.

Idle here for a moment longer.
Hold off on the to do’s, the what if’s.

Welcome, my friend, to this place of pause, of sojourn. Don’t rush by this part. It’s so good and so important. If you have time, consider pouring yourself a glass of something cool and refreshing or warm and cozy, to make the moment all the sweeter.

Soul questions | Excavate. Discover. Be real – be you.

• What greatly matters to you in life right here and now? Do you have a foggy or clear sense of your pervading purpose, something the fuels your EVERYday life?
• What is your greatest need today – a good night’s sleep, a walk at sunset, a plan to start tomorrow morning in a way that will fuel your day, a conversation with someone you love and trust about what’s really going on in your life?

Connect + Commit.

For more some powerFULL connections and invitations to INspired commitment, let’s adventure a bit together in our Inspired Action Resource | Changemaker Series.