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Every now and then, something pops up on my social media feed that elicits a pause—a refreshing pause, a pause that’s less about thinking critically or being ‘deep,’ and more about basking in the beauty of humanity, empathy, love, and what it means to #LiveInclusively.  

That pause happened earlier this week, when the tweet below showed up on my Twitter feed.  

 

The video, as shown above, is a recording of a 2018 Jordan Football Association Final Women’s League game. In the video, a player suddenly kneels to fix, what appears to be, her hijab mid-play after it comes close to falling off. Several members of the opposing team then formed a circle around her to give her privacy while she adjusted her hijab before the game resumed. What a powerful gesture of kindness, empathy, love, and inclusion.  

While the video is a year old, it was widely shared on social media this week and is indicative of the lasting impact we, as individuals, can have when we choose kindness, love, and inclusion in our daily interactions. Maybe it’s not on the football (or soccer) field, but in your office, at the grocery store, at your neighborhood playground, or at your next team meeting—wherever it is, in whichever way, you have the opportunity to choose love, empathy, inclusion.  

Maybe it's not on the soccer field, but at the grocery store or at your next team meeting—wherever it is, in whichever way, you have the opportunity to choose love, empathy, inclusion. Click To Tweet

In our sessions (and on our website), we share our Commitment to Live Inclusively®. I wrote this at the top of 2017 as a way to affirm the behaviors and mind shifts we should strive toward in our quest for equity, inclusion, and justice. How can you #LiveInclusively this week? 

A Commitment to Live Inclusively®

I commit to be intentional in living inclusively. 

I commit to spending more time getting to know myself and understanding my culture. It is in understanding myself, that I am better positioned to understand others. I will acknowledge that I don’t know what I don’t know, but I will not use what is unconscious as an excuse. 

I will be intentional in exposing myself to difference. If I don’t know, I will ask. If I am asked, I will assume positive intent. Most importantly, I will accept my responsibility in increasing my own knowledge and understanding. 

I commit to speaking up and speaking out, even when I am not directly impacted, for there is no such thing as neutrality in the quest for equity, justice, and inclusion. 

I will strive to accept, and not just tolerate; respect, even if I don’t agree; and be curious, not judgmental. I commit to pausing and listening. I will be empathetic to the experiences and perspectives of my “others.” I will use my privilege positively, and get comfortable with my own discomfort. 

I commit to knowing, getting, and doing better than I did yesterday—keeping in mind my commitment to live inclusively is a journey, not a destination.