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Purpose: Realigning Your Focus
Golden advice for self care, advocacy, allyship, and activism for good.
Laura Paisley Beck
April 02, 2025
Table of Contents
What’s Your Purpose?
Have you noticed the reason behind a lot of messages filling your phone and sliding into your social feeds? What dominates your attention is fed by your action/reaction. Sometimes we use the term “manifest” when what we focus on fuels our field vision. I don’t want to get woo woo here — let’s just agree that when you double-down on your intentions and purpose, you make sh*t happen. So what are you focusing on? Are you looking in the direction you want to go?
For me, I do find myself pivoting and fine-tuning my focus to be as me as I can be, while making my life count. The more I amplify other people’s impactful stories, the more that solidifies my purpose. My purpose is to celebrate LGBTQ+ voices, driving creativity, progress, and equitable opportunities. It’s happening.
It’s by no accident that I have ten more beautiful, talented, inspirational guests lined up for my new ✨Be the Glitter ✨ podcast. Radiant rebels wasted no time to get on the schedule. These stories and words of wisdom must be shared so this gorgeous inspiration ripples out wide.
In addition to this, I keep working on this incredible book. Yes, it’s an Interchangeable Action Novel© but it’s going to be nothing like Licensed to Sell. We’re turning the IAN on it’s head, amplifying the voices, diving deeper into emotional intelligence, submerging the reader into real life experiences with intensified textures, and challenging ourselves to provide more happy endings than sad, because they are possible if we just keep supporting each other.
Madison Public Library showcased these incredible books in the Too Good section. I love what I do! Reading good books and attempting to write them too? OK. Feeling better.
Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It
ReEnvision When was the last time you revisited your mission statement? Looked at your Vision statement? Focus on purpose. Where you need/want to go, why, and how. | ReAlign Your Team Who aligns with your Mission and Vision? If it’s not the people around you, it’s time to find the connections and resources that will support your mission. | RePurpose & Realize Double-down on purpose. Be brave enough to show up as your true self, owning up to mistakes, and moving forward with intention. |
It’s time to remind the world what true humanity looks like, and why it’s important. Let’s turn your purpose into power!
✨ Glitter Spotlight: Advice From Your Aunty Erica ✨
As of writing this I still get goosebumps thinking of the conversation I had with my latest podcast guest, Eric Vogel, author of Advice From Your Trans Aunty.
In our Be the Glitter podcast recording, she speaks about creative resilience. She also offers advice to those who seek to be advocates for their trans friend, the trans community, or any marginalized group.
How to Be An Advocate
Understand there’s a difference for being your friend’s advocate, and being an advocate for an entire group of people.
Advocacy is personal for the people you know. Ask how to be theirs.
For a group of marginalized people, get educated. Who do you know from that community? What facts do you need to know? Who can you read?
Stand behind, or with, who you’re advocating for, not in front.
Self Care for Activism | Journal Prompts
Erica spoke of how essential it is to take good care of yourself before you go taking care of others. Easier said than done, right?
Journal prompt: Think of the last time you felt helpless, worn down, depleted of hope. You probably gave more than you received. You put yourself and your mission on the back burner and burnout shut you down.
✨ Write it all out. What happened? How did that feel? Bring in all the other senses: taste, smell, sight, sound, intuition. Who did it impact? Let the typing or handwriting get all sloppy and spastic. It’s OK. Just get it out.
✨ Now rewrite that story as a self love story. Give that version of yourself everything they need to be fully loved, safe, nourished, comforted, energized… Let the writing slow down, fill with intention and care. Treat yourself! You deserve it.
Send me a message telling me how this exercise worked for you.
Language Corner: Inclusive Communication Tips
This week's communication focus: Be Kind, Reword.
✨ Lorissa R. Bañuelos, the Community Engagement Strategist for the City of Madison’s Common Council, said in the AMA “Power of Difference: Creating Inclusive Marketing” event, that they no longer use the word, “stakeholder”.
Did you know?
During colonialism, settlers would literally drive stakes into the ground to claim ownership of land that was often already inhabited by Indigenous people.
✨ Alternatives to consider: interested parties, collaborators, rights holders, partners.
We (OPEN Madison) had a supremely successful Trans Day of Visibility event at Giant Jones Brewery, Saturday, March 28th. Artists, service providers, and many other trans-friendly vendors created safe space for trans people and allies to connect and celebrate. THE Trans Painter donated a sweet bag of goodies for a raffle prize everyone was jonesing for.
Community Building with Vicki Kenyon
Madison folks may know Vicki Kenyon, a Dane County rockstar real estate agent who hosts Queery on WORT Radio, and has a big event coming up to amplify LGBTQ & BIPOC voices. Her entire MO is building safe and inclusive community.
We had an amazing talk on Be the Glitter. Check it out!
Courageous Connections
Another challenge, should you choose, is to find the courage to ask someone from a marginalized community what they need, instead of assuming anything. Offer safe space to hear them out, actively listen, and seek understanding. It’s only then that we can truly empower those whose power is threatened.
Perhaps you know someone who needs to get connected with me?
Sending you lots of love,
Laura