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Yes, it can get spicy at Not I But We; survivors of trafficking have a long list of survival tactics from fighting, to stealing, to addiction that don’t just go away because they’ve been rescued. To be staff here, you must be convinced that people are not their behavior.In addition, we're convinced we must all rewire our nervous systems with love for the sake of ourselves, those in our lives, and for the good of the world we all share. It may be a lofty dream for the world, but it’s a very attainable one for you and I.
Most of us know trauma can reshape brains, causing us to constantly, painfully scan our environments for dangers and threats. But can a season of prolonged stress do that? Experts say yes.Â
We figured the best way to create a trauma-informed workplace and to help our survivor artisans was for the staff to do the learning and commit to daily practices of nervous system regulation and emotional intelligence.Â
In this blog post, you learn how we do it at Not I But We.
Where does your mind go when you are not fully present? Well, that’s the point of mindfulness: It wakes us up to the fact that we live in a constant stream of thoughts which shapes our mood.Â
Mindfulness isn’t about stopping your thoughts; it’s about cultivating a wise relationship with them. This begins with training your awareness to notice when it’s not in the present and returning to where your life is actually happening: this moment.
We know how powerful returning to the basics of wellbeing can be: breath and nature. The breathe bracelet is designed to remind you that the most basic building block of inner peace is always within your reach: your breath.
At Not I But We, we acknowledge that life is hard and unfair, and for some (like the woman who made your bracelet) it is so much harder than most. But, we also stubbornly point out that life is ridiculously beautiful at the same time. The practice of gratefulness is a powerful tool for training our awareness to acknowledge that even in the midst of pain there is still something to be grateful for.
At Not I But We, we teach that we all must rewire our nervous systems toward Love, and not just the survivors of human trafficking. The calm bracelets are a practical tool remind us to do mindful practices such as a sensory inventory.