MOVERS AND SHAKERS

MOVERS & SHAKERS

O L I V I A

Get to know people who are making a difference in their careers and changing the world!

H O W E L L

OLIVIA HOWELL

The Solon, Ohio native had a delayed start to her Illinois track career after her freshman season was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic last spring. The bar has been set awfully high moving forward after a pair of Big Ten titles — one indoor, one outdoor — and All-American honors this season. Howell was named the 2021 Big Ten athlete of the year as well!

(ALFIE) A. CHATMAN-WALTER

Currently, Ms. Chatman-Walter serves as senior manager of diversity, equity, inclusion and opportunity within the People and Culture Department at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. In this role, Ms. Chatman-Walter provides broad leadership among employees and senior leadership on issues related to equity, diversity, and inclusion and designs and teaches the Bank’s D&I leadership development curriculum attended by employees at all levels of the Bank.

MYKOL BROOKS

In 2015 Mykol Brooks became a star quarterback for Richmond High school. He also served on then Congresswoman Marcia Fudge’s student advisory council. He is now a commissioned officer in the US Navy. His first assignment is to train new freshman at the Academy on sailing skills, after which he will command his own crew on the USS Lake Champlain in San Diego, California.

ABBAS HILL

Abbas Hill, born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, is a student affairs professional dedicated to enhancing the student experience within the college environment through student development and education. Abbas earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Management / Information Systems from The University of Akron and earned his Master of Science in Education / Human Services Counseling from Purdue University. He plans to start his doctoral program in Educational Leadership at New England College in January 2022.

Finding Answers in Today’s World

Finding your inner spirit might be the best option for surviving in today’s complicated, complex world.

Written by DAVID CHRISTEL

David has been ghostwriting books for well-known people since 1995. He is also the author of Married Men Coming Out: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming the Man You Were Born to Be.

re we going to hell in a handbasket? It sure A feels like it. Our country is enmeshed in a tsunami of conflict, cancel culture, power struggles, environmental issues, and violence. Oh, and the pandemic. Life is a mess right now as the usual paradigms by which we live and operate shift and force us to recalibrate our existence and reassess our sense of reality. How are we to get through this? There are a lot of answers to that question, but there is one avenue that transcends them all: spirituality. That may not be the answer you were looking for, but let’s drill down into this subject as it really is at the heart of what’s missing in our world. First and foremost, spirituality is all about your direct and unique connection to the universe, God, Divine Spirit, or All-that-Is — however you want to term it. It’s as close as your heartbeat, as deep and expansive as eternity. It is your interconnectedness to all of life, the matrix of all being. Okay, so what? Considering the amount of stress, anxiety, hurt, and destructiveness we’ve been immersed in for seemingly ages, we appear to be stuck on a hamster wheel endlessly

reliving the same ol’ issues. It really is time to get off that cycle and create something better for ourselves. As Einstein said, “Insanity — doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” That’s humanity in a “nut”shell.

The second thing about spirituality is that it has only one purpose in mind: you discovering your true self. That means it’s non-denominational, doesn’t require an intermediator, has no dogma to follow, and doesn’t require you to follow someone else’s definition or vision of spirituality or religion. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to go about revealing who you truly are, some that you may already be familiar with. • Meditation: a practice where you use a technique — such as focusing your mind on a particular object, thought, or activity — to train your attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. In this state, you’re more receptive to seeking answers outside your usual thinking and behavioral

expectations, not being attached to any outcomes, remaining neutral, and leaving your ego out of the picture. This kind of thinking probably sounds airy-fairy and is going to go up against many of your existing beliefs. But that’s the beauty of spirituality in that it only enhances your current understandings, as well as broadens them. Importantly, you don’t have to sequester yourself in some remote mountaintop cave and divorce yourself from humanity in order to practice any of these methods.

They can be done anywhere and at any time. What’s useful is to pick a time of day when you won’t be interrupted by anything or anyone. Sit in a comfortable chair or lie down on your bed, take a few deep breaths, and let your body completely relax. Then practice one of these methods for about twenty minutes each time and see what you discover. There are many other spiritual modalities you can check out such as crystals, chakras, automatic writing, channeling, Reiki, energy work, chanting, vision quests, Tarot, numerology, the enneagram, yoga, Tai Chi, breath work, past life regression, dream journaling, etc. All lead to you discovering more about who you truly are, your real self. The important thing to remember is to not consider any of these as the end all and be all. They are all simply avenues to

patterns. • Mindfulness: becoming more aware of where you are and what you’re thinking and feeling in the present, moment by moment. This is not being hypervigilant, but more about keeping your focus in the now, not the past or future. It’s really listening to those around you and not being distracted, paying attention to the world around you instead of blocking things out. Try this when you’re out in nature and see what happens for you. Then try it in other life situations.

• Contemplation: similar to meditation, the object is to quiet your mind and then listen and not direct your thinking, ask questions, petition, or pray — just listen to your inner voice, the universe, God, Divine Spirit, or All-that-Is. Our world is so full of distractions, as well as others impinging on our space.

So, quieting the mind of all that and then tuning into the infinite is where you’ll find inspiration and guidance that’s right just for you and no one else. • Oneness: a 24/7 practice wherein you recognize the Divine within everyone and all things and you seek to add the highest value in all circumstances at all times for all of humanity and the environment — unconditionally. This is a whole new level of loving, serving, and giving 100 percent of the time and in every aspect of your life. The most important part is doing all of this unconditionally. That means not wanting anything in return, having no

self-discovery because the quest to know your true self is an ongoing process. Just when you think you know something, the universe, God, Divine Spirit, or All-that-Is will reveal yet another level for you to explore. In the process, you’ll get the chance to re-evaluate your beliefs and values, your wants and needs, the principles and conventions by which you live, and the meaning and purpose of your life experiences. Essentially, life is all your about perceptions, the meaning you give your perceptions, and the actions you take. Imagine how different your understanding and actions will be when seen through the lens of spirituality.

Figuring out the “why” at the core of all that is the journey, the greatest and most fulfilling journey you’ll ever undertake. It is where the greatest treasure lies — it’s all within you. Give spirituality a chance and allow yourself to truly blossom and become a greater version of who you know yourself to be. Don’t be afraid, know that you’re not alone, and let your true self shine!●

Reconnect with your inner spirit to find more balance and consistency in life.

Written by Chris Bryant, DNP, MSN-PH, RN Rameck Hunt, MD, FACP