The world is overwhelming right now. When I look around at my different circles — work, friends, family — everyone I know is dealing with significant stressors. Health issues, aging parents, kids’ college tuition, and financial uncertainty, whether it’s increasing prices or shrinking portfolios. The anxiety is real and universal. And all this before opening up our phones and checking the headlines of the day. It feels like the world is on fire.
In times like these, it’s more important than ever to take a step back and reflect on how we’re caring for ourselves and each other.
Remembering Self-Care
At our recent Miller Center Advisory Board retreat, graciously hosted by Jeff and Karen Miller at their beautiful home, we gathered with our board members, social entrepreneurs from our Advisory Council, and Santa Clara University administrators, faculty, and students. It was a chance to reconnect, reset, and share the moment.
To break the ice and start on a thoughtful note, I handed out index cards and asked everyone to write down two coping strategies, one on each card. What uplifts you during these tough times? Then, in a twist on musical chairs (no eliminations!), we moved around the garden, quickly exchanged cards, and kept going until we had each collected a handful of new ideas.
The themes that surfaced were grounding and familiar: walking in nature, exercising, traveling, meditating, playing guitar, and drinking wine with friends. Simple acts, shared wisdom, and a reminder that we all need — and deserve — small rituals of care and connection.
Finding Gratitude and Joy
A couple of weeks later, at our staff retreat at Villa Maria del Mar in Santa Cruz, we returned to these themes from a different angle. Set against the stunning coastal backdrop, we kicked off with another reflective activity. I set out an assortment of everyday objects — a tennis ball, a stapler, a pack of instant hot chocolate, and more — and asked each person to choose one that resonated with them. Then, I invited them to reflect:
What are you grateful for? Where do you find joy? How might you say “yes” more often? Can you assume positive intent?
Their responses were as varied as they were heartfelt. Some were serious, some were silly, and all were thoughtful. That collective sense of presence and playfulness helped elevate our energy and start the day.
Reconnecting to Our Why
Our final exercise was perhaps the most profound. Led by our colleagues Linda Gentry and Stacey Sauber, and based on an activity from Tony Cortese, Director of Ignatian Spirituality at Santa Clara University, we explored the question: What is the why behind your what?
Why are you at Miller Center?
After taking time to reflect — including walks along the beach — each person shared their “why” in 60 seconds, with a 10-second grace period “landing”. The stories were as unique as the people sharing them, but some common threads emerged: a deep sense of purpose and a profound appreciation for this community. People spoke of being called to this work, drawn to bold ideas and brave hearts, and sustained by the relationships we’ve built with each other and with the social enterprises we support.
Holding On to What Matters
We walked away from both retreats with a sense of clarity and connection. We are, without a doubt, in this together. We are guided by purpose and held up by community.
As we bring that energy into our work at Miller Center, it reminds us why we’re here: to stand beside social enterprise leaders tackling the world’s toughest challenges. To support their bold solutions to poverty. And to keep showing up — for them, for each other, and for the future we’re working toward.
And we’re not going anywhere!
