After my husband died suddenly and tragically from a very rare illness eight weeks after giving birth to my second child, I realized I had to set out on a new path. A path that I would forever claim as mine and mine alone — and for which there was no precedent or roadmap in my own personal life. After much soul-searching and reflection on the lessons I had learned something became very clear to me.
The most resilient ones among us have perfected the art of recovery from disruption. The art of recovery from disruption is the premise of my book Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons To Help You Find Purpose, Prosperity and Happiness. These individuals know what is to be faced with an urgent moment in history and set the direction of progress in their own lives as well as for humanity writ large. With the recent killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, and the riots taking place globally, the art of recovery from disruption — and how we get through tough times — by using the holistic wealth framework is more timely than ever before.
What Is The Holistic Wealth Mindset?
In my book Holistic Wealth, I define the Holistic Wealth Mindset as follows:
A person who approaches life with a holistic wealth mind-set doesn't fear taking measured risks. The holistic wealth mind-set does not erect fake constraints as barriers to success. People with this mind-set are adept at recognizing fake versus real constraints, and they have mastered the art of recovery from disruption. They don't compare themselves with others — and they face crisis with dignity and grit. They view setbacks as only temporary — not a permanent constraint. They embrace a holistic wealth mind-set that comprises not only financial savvy and independence but also elements like a life purpose and mission, spiritual connection, and a generous demeanor — all of which leads to a greater sense of wholeness and resilience in times of difficulty, as well as to happiness and joy. At a basic level, they integrate the aspects of holistic wealth in key aspects of their lives, including their finances, physical health, emotional and spiritual wealth, and wealth in their relationships with others, as well as contributions to humanity.
As I state in Holistic Wealth:
Many famous women went against the expectations of others to chart a new path forward, to set the direction of progress in their lives and for humanity: women such as Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, Arianna Huffington, Shonda Rhimes, Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai. Some of these women fought against the odds to achieve their goals while enduring life-threatening oppression.
Here Are Four Women That Embody The Holistic Wealth Mindset.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah has long advocated for using your platform for good and to serve the voiceless. She epitomizes the holistic wealth mindset in using your platform for good and using it for the advancement of humanity. With the Black Lives Matter protests and the calls for justice and unity I can't help but think about this paragraph from Holistic Wealth that outlines a commencement speech that Oprah gave in 2018:
In May 2018, Oprah addressed the students of the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism. Oprah focused on the importance of speaking out against hatred and deceit — appealing to graduates to get the important things right — a colossal task facing today's journalists. She appealed to the graduates to spread the truth and impart wisdom and justice through journalism, declaring: "You will become the new editorial gatekeepers, an ambitious army of truth seekers, who will arm yourselves with the intelligence, the insight, and the facts necessary to strike down deceit."
Having a platform is a powerful thing. I see too many things wrong in today's world with misuse and abuse of platforms. Getting the important things right means advancing humanity instead of pushing selfish goals.
Michelle Obama
Michele Obama recently outlined in her "Dear Class of 2020 address" that the protests triggered by the May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody are a "direct result of decades of unaddressed, prejudice and inequality." As a result, she called on all of us to "go beyond hashtags" in addressing these inequities that serve to tear the very fabric of our societies apart. Michelle Obama is a holistically wealthy thinker. She knows that activism requires more than just words; it requires a get up and go mentality in the face of tremendous odds.
As I state in Holistic Wealth:
March forward into history and claim your spot. Do as Michelle Obama did with her historic moment as the first African-American First Lady and shine in your moment. There is room for all of us in this wide big universe, and we can all have our own slice of the pie because we are all different and have an individual path in life that is tied to our specific talents and purpose.
Rosa Parks
In a lecture in my course at Harvard University, professor Marshall Ganz, architect of the Obama presidential field campaign, used the Montgomery bus boycott to illustrate how Rosa Parks's refusal to sit in one section of the bus sparked a movement where people with no financial resources or economic power worked to overthrow segregation laws. Your network is power and wealth, and tapping into the resources of your network can help you achieve your goals.
Rosa parks channeled the holistic wealth mindset by taking measured risks and being able to identify fake versus real constraints. She also used resourcefulness and relationships to chart a way forward for humanity. The Montgomery bus boycott lasted 382 days and did not end until the Supreme Court declared that the Alabama and Montgomery laws that segregate buses were unconstitutional.
Malala Yousafzi
In 2014 Malala became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Even though she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan in 2012, she didn't let her circumstances define her path forward. She used her setback for good and perfected the art of recovery from major disruption by speaking out about the importance of education for girls and women's rights.
These four women are all holistically wealthy thinkers and trailblazers. In an era of COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter, its time for a whole new generation of holistically wealthy thinkers to rise up and take up the mantle to make the world a better place.
These individuals know what is to be faced with an urgent moment in history and set the direction of progress in their own lives as well as for humanity writ large.
This article contains excerpts from Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons To Help You Find Purpose, Prosperity and Happiness. No part of this article may be republished without the Authors permissions. Copyright @ Keisha Blair.
WRITTEN BY
Keisha Blair