Keeping Your Heart

Why is it important to Keep Our Hearts Engaged?

Once we’ve decided to truly engage, sometimes we become weary or fearful and we pull away or allow our hearts to become calloused. In this section, we look at ways to engage in life-giving and supportive experiences that allow us to maintain a compassionate mindset.

keepingyourheart

How to engage in life-giving & supportive practices to maintain compassionate mindset & soften our hearts #keepyourheart #renaemdupuis #resiliency

I so enjoyed presenting on Compassion Fatigue toda

I so enjoyed presenting on Compassion Fatigue today - This week is going to be fun!

I think this is a SoCal version of a "snow day" -

I think this is a SoCal version of a "snow day" - we can all take the day off, right?

(Also, I am originally from Montana, so I know what it is to dig out a 5 ft snow bank at your front door - calm down Northern friends)

I am grateful for warmth and shelter today.

This is the face of a person who was so ready to d

This is the face of a person who was so ready to do the thing today, but whose body betrayed her.

I am reflecting on the fact that 20 (heck, maybe even 10) years ago, I would have just pushed through the pain and made it happen.

It's not that I am less strong today, it's that I am much stronger. I am strong enough in my sense of what my heart, mind, body, and soul need. When my body gives me a FULL STOP, I need to listen.

That takes courage. My default programming is "make it happen" and "don't wuss out" - and that's what I am doing. If I choose longevity and health over the short-term win of completing the task that would cost me in recovery time, peace of mind, and connection to my body, that *is* making it happen.

I am making me happen and not choosing the short-term win over the long-term success.

Take care of yourself, everyone.

Listen to your body.

Access your internal wisdom.

Soundtrack: Boots and cats and boots and cats and

Soundtrack: Boots and cats and boots and cats and boots and cats.

I just saw this on one of my groups and I immediat

I just saw this on one of my groups and I immediately knew that some of us needed to take a moment to grace ourselves in this start to 2024.

Take a breath, friends!

While I know this isn't cold for many of you in ot

While I know this isn't cold for many of you in other spaces and places, coming into my office today and realizing it was going to be a chilly time was a shock to my system!

A little surprise or shock is a good thing when you are in a growth season.

But not so much when you are in a survival phase.

I am grateful that today I am in the former and that this wasn't another barrier to felt safety.

AND....

It prompts me to hold compassion for the millions of people around me that are seeking safety in their spaces and places.

Be gentle and kind to those around you.
Be gentle and kind to yourself.
Be gentle and kind.

#CompassionateMindset #feltsafety #traumahealing

Instagram post 18115203148341575

Instagram post 18115203148341575

This is my filter for EVERYTHING today....

This is my filter for EVERYTHING today....

Having a fabulous birthday lunch with Casey K. Cla

Having a fabulous birthday lunch with Casey K. Clark !

So grateful for the people who sponsored this lovely day so we can just BE and breathe in a place of Joy! Thank you!

#notfifty #DecemberBirthday #JoyJoyJoy

Here's my question. As a ND person myself (late di

Here's my question. As a ND person myself (late diagnosis ADHD) seeing that Soooooooo many of my peers are finding the same is true for them, at what point do we get to say that the baseline for typical has moved and, therefore, the expectations in all environments needs to as well?

I don't need "accommodations" - I need people to understand that spaces and places must increase their capacity for diverse brain adaptations and realize that some standards are based on fear of the "other."

Um, I owe you an apology, I think... November 9-1

Um, I owe you an apology, I think...

November 9-11, something cool is happening and I think I didn't tell you!

The Becoming TraumaWise Summit is a free online event for people who actually give a care and want to keep caring - if this is you (and I think it is) please head to www.traumawise.com/summit to get your free ticket!

#becomingtraumawisesummit #traumawise #traumainformed #compassionfatigue #caregiverburnout #freesummit

How do I do it all? Well, I don't. I don't do

How do I do it all?

Well, I don't.

I don't do 50% of what I want to do on any given day. I am coming to terms with that.

But one thing I do every day is to spend about an hour writing, reflecting, caring for myself, and praying.

It is a lot of time. I could do a lot of other things with that hour. That time, however, is my protest against busyness in my business.

I want to live with intention. I want to be aligned with my purpose. I want to learn, grow, heal, and engage.

Which means this is one of over a dozen pages of journalling and reflection I complete every day.

It doesn't mean it will work for you. But you do need practices that will work for you so you can sustain.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I'll send you the link for a little thing I am doing next month (don't worry, it is free) to help you build that out in your life.

You are an awesome you and the world needs your awesomeness.

Coming SOON! On July 26th, we'll release our FIRS

Coming SOON!

On July 26th, we'll release our FIRST YouTube video and open access to our 30 Days of Self Care Experience for August!

Subscribe now to the channel to get the notification of the event premiere - we can't wait!
youtube.com/@renaemdupuis?sub_confirmation=1

Thanks, phone, for the automatic beauty filter on

Thanks, phone, for the automatic beauty filter on selfies.

Next time, please fix my hair.

#everystinkingpic

But for real, tho. You are an awesome you....

But for real, tho.

You are an awesome you....

So incredibly poignant at the moment. #iaminproc

So incredibly poignant at the moment.

#iaminprocess #soareyou

Sooooooo...yup.

Sooooooo...yup.

If you know, you know.

If you know, you know.

One of the best Christmases I have had in years! H

One of the best Christmases I have had in years! Here's to another year of healing, growth, and thriving with my family, friends, and team!

No. To answer your question, it isn't too early.

No. To answer your question, it isn't too early.

#makingupforlastyear

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Hello there! Did you have a moment in the last w

Hello there!

Did you have a moment in the last week where you thought to yourself that you just can't please everyone?

If this is you, I would like to encourage you to look at your job description.

I promise you that nowhere (not even in the fine print) in the job description of your authentic and amazing self is listed the responsibility of being everything to everyone.

The next time you feel this expectation being placed on your lovely shoulders, I would like you to speak to your manager.

That's right. Go march yourself right up to that mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and tell yourself that you are not to act outside of the parameters of your position. Then give yourself a performance improvement plan that requires you to take a break and do something nice for yourself.

That's your permission slip, friend!

#youareworthit #thetruthofyou #replenishyourheartmindbodysoul

The most sustainable things we can do require tiny

The most sustainable things we can do require tiny little steps forward so that our systems and selves can adapt to change in a healthy way.

This means that things take TIME.

It also means that waiting until the time is "perfect" might shorten your timeline so much that the new environment or circumstance that you are trying to create will experience such a shock that it will see your changes as a threat...and respond accordingly.

Healthy change is a long game that starts with one small step.

If you start now and then keep stepping forward, just think of all of the new things you will have learned and the ways you will have grown 365 days from now!

You've got this, you amazing YOU!

#thetruthofyou #onesmallstep #wellnessjourney #youareworthit

Hey you! Take a snapshot - this one is for you!

Hey you!

Take a snapshot - this one is for you!

#thetruthofyou

I can remember this very clear moment in April of

I can remember this very clear moment in April of 2022 when I realized that I had been trying to resuscitate relationships and environments that actually didn't want me to.

It led to a painful (but necessary) season of grieving the loss of what I had dreamed would be, combined with the realization that I would need to leave those situations, even after years of investment. It wasn't something I had planned for, nor did I want it.

But what happened to create that pivotal moment in April 2022 might surprise you.

A handful of people had been on the periphery of my life over the years, and in the months prior to that moment, they had started to almost "emerge" and come into clear focus in front of me. As they gently, lovingly, and firmly reflected true things about me TO me, I looked up and realized that these were the people who were FOR me.

They had been there all this time, but my trauma couldn't let me see them until they moved closer in proximity and then it all became clear.

And I decided I needed to stop chasing people and places that had not chosen me.
I needed to stop accepting messages that I was broken, damaged, and unworthy of care.
I needed to embrace what was life-giving and true.

If no one in your life has told you today, please hear me:
You are not broken.
You are not damaged.
You are worthy of care.

This is #thetruthofyou

Listen, friend. I'm a middle-aged lady who has do

Listen, friend.

I'm a middle-aged lady who has done a lot and knows a lot and I am here to say....

I don't have it all figured out yet.

-- AND --

That's perfectly okay.

If you need a permission slip to give yourself some grace and space, here it is, you awesome person!

#thetruthofyou #thepause

"Bloom" is my 2024 word of the year, and during th

"Bloom" is my 2024 word of the year, and during the first three months of this year, I kept saying to myself, "Huh. This doesn't quite feel like blooming at the moment."

It wasn't that things were terrible, even though there were moments that *were* terrible; it was that I didn't feel that things were moving forward.

I felt like a tight little bud waiting for everything to get warm enough for me to start to open up. And it felt like the winter season was going on FOREVER!

About three weeks ago, something amazing happened...I haven't quite figured out exactly what it was, yet, but what I felt for the first time in forever was that I could feel myself start to look around and realize I could start to take up more space.

So I did.

Each day, I can see another spot where I can begin to expand, to breathe more deeply, to let myself unfurl just a little bit more. I don't want to miss the beauty of the process, so I'm going to stay in this waiting and open posture, ready to find that next spot where I am showing up a little more as myself.

If you have been waiting for your thaw, I encourage you to extend grace and love to yourself. This process takes time - and you are worth it!

#thetruthofyou #youareworthit

Your best contribution to this world is to bring y

Your best contribution to this world is to bring your healthy and authentic self into relationship with others.

You are not your job.
You are not your productivity.
You are not your last staff review.

Yes, we all have challenges and things that get in the way of our amazing selves shining through, so we have healing to do.

- AND -

You ARE an amazing you.

#thetruthofyou

Sometimes we think that change is a big moment tha

Sometimes we think that change is a big moment that moves everything around. The truth is that those big moments are hard to sustain because our systems will do everything they can to pull us back into stasis and what "was."

Effective change takes moment after moment of movement and intention. Most importantly, it needs to be in love instead of fear - fear will form coping strategies, not healthy transformation.

You are worth the time and effort that it takes for a sustainable and healthy transformation.

#thetruthofyou

Hey friend. Hustle culture will kill all the impor

Hey friend. Hustle culture will kill all the important things in your life.

I promise you that rest is going to have more of an impact on your problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking than pushing through.

You are worth the time it takes to pause.

#thepause #thetruthofyou

The healing journey takes time. Be #compassionate

The healing journey takes time. Be #compassionate with yourself and celebrate each time you see any movement - it's part of your process and you are worth the attention!

#thetruthofyou

You don't have to look or feel like anyone else -

You don't have to look or feel like anyone else - because that is not who you were meant to be. You are an amazing you! #thetruthofyou

Instagram post 17898910616897601

Instagram post 17898910616897601

Sometimes, what is getting in our way is a history

Sometimes, what is getting in our way is a history that equates appearing perfect with safety and love.

If historical patterns from childhood set up a belief system that "messy" or "imperfect" would result in indifference or rejection from a primary attachment figure, not only does that impact thoughts, but also the nervous system.

Rejection from the entity that is supposed to care for you and keep you safe = death.

It seems like an oversimplification, but it is the reason that any system that demands compliance over authenticity results in death - either physical, mental, relational, or spiritual.

Compliance is a control strategy.

Those who rely on compliance and force to maintain status quo at the cost of another person's humanity are responding to their own fear response.

If that is what you experienced, please hold this truth - it was never about you, it wasn't your fault, and you are worthy of being seen, heard, and valued.

#youareworthy #complexptsd #seenheardandvalued #unconditionalpositiveregard

While I know this isn't cold for many of you in ot

While I know this isn't cold for many of you in other spaces and places, coming into my office today and realizing it was going to be a chilly time was a shock to my system!

A little surprise or shock is a good thing when you are in a growth season.

But not so much when you are in a survival phase.

I am grateful that today I am in the former and that this wasn't another barrier to felt safety.

AND....

It prompts me to hold compassion for the millions of people around me that are seeking safety in their spaces and places.

Be gentle and kind to those around you.
Be gentle and kind to yourself.
Be gentle and kind.

#CompassionateMindset #feltsafety #traumahealing

You don't have to feel disconnected from yourself

You don't have to feel disconnected from yourself and others anymore! #traumahealing

Um. Oooops. Please forgive and please join us!

Um. Oooops.

Please forgive and please join us!

www.traumawise.com/becomingtraumawisesummit

Registration is OPEN! Get your FREE ticket to thi

Registration is OPEN!

Get your FREE ticket to this event that will bring you hope, community, and practical tools to help you sustain being an awesome human who cares.

Visit traumawise.com/summit (link in bio) and join us!

#becomingtraumawisesummit #justgiveacare #freesummit #caregivers #traumainformed

You cannot give what you don't have! In a world t

You cannot give what you don't have!

In a world that's constantly on the move, it's easy to forget the importance of taking care of ourselves. But here's a gentle reminder: rest and self-care are not selfish, they are essential!

As Eleanor Brown beautifully said, "When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow." By prioritizing our own well-being, we can tap into a source of abundance that enables us to give more to others.

Self-care isn't just about indulging in bubble baths or treating yourself to a spa day (although those things are wonderful too!). It's about giving yourself permission to pause, to nourish your mind, body, and soul. It's about recognizing your limits and setting boundaries. It's about cultivating a state of balance and inner peace that flows into all aspects of your life.

So, today, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on how you can replenish your spirit. Maybe it's going for a walk in nature, curling up with a good book, or simply practicing mindfulness. Whatever it may be, honor yourself by making time for what fills your cup - you are worth it!

Remember, by caring for yourself, you are not being selfish - you are nurturing the foundation that allows you to authentically serve and support others with love and compassion.

#SelfCareMatters #WellnessJourney #ReplenishYourHeartMindBodySoul

I'm having a bit of a moment, y'all It's not dro

I'm having a bit of a moment, y'all

It's not dropping until November, but here is a sneak peek at my current cover and the link (in bio) to pre-purchase at a 50% discount to get a signed Author's Copy directly from me when they are printed! (I may have had to edit out about 15 exclamation points...)

https://justgiveacare.renaemdupuis.com/just-give-a-care-pre-sale/

#traumawise #justgiveacare #burnoutprevention #compassion #compassionfatigue

You cannot give what you don't have! In a world t

You cannot give what you don't have!

In a world that's constantly on the move, it's easy to forget the importance of taking care of ourselves. But here's a gentle reminder: rest and self-care are not selfish, they are essential!

As Eleanor Brown beautifully said, "When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow." By prioritizing our own well-being, we can tap into a source of abundance that enables us to give more to others.

Self-care isn't just about indulging in bubble baths or treating yourself to a spa day (although those things are wonderful too!). It's about giving yourself permission to pause, to nourish your mind, body, and soul. It's about recognizing your limits and setting boundaries. It's about cultivating a state of balance and inner peace that flows into all aspects of your life.

So, today, I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on how you can replenish your spirit. Maybe it's going for a walk in nature, curling up with a good book, or simply practicing mindfulness. Whatever it may be, honor yourself by making time for what fills your cup - you are worth it!

Remember, by caring for yourself, you are not being selfish - you are nurturing the foundation that allows you to authentically serve and support others with love and compassion.

#SelfCareMatters #WellnessJourney #ReplenishYourHeartMindBodySoul

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