Sometimes in order to be inclusive, you have to include self-care. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I’m a single mother, raising my teenage son alone, for the last seven years. He has had a sleep disorder called Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder. His internal clock is opposite most everyone else. He’s under the care of a sleep specialist, and has to follow a very specific regiment to correct his body clock.

I’m working on several consulting projects, having to meet deadlines, and my dishwasher broke down. Our dog had fleas and started chewing on himself and

I just spent the last two weeks in bed with the flu, and was waking up in the middle of the night with intense sinus headaches.

When I was invited to attend a spiritual salon or sengha, Friday evening with a few other people, I hesitated for a moment before accepting. I almost cancelled at the last minute thinking of everything I had to do, but I didn’t want to back out of a commitment. It was the best decision I had made in a long time.

I got to sit with some amazing people, share great food, engage in spiritual dialogue, and meditate with Salliji, an 81-year-old yoga and meditation master.

We all shared a bit about our backgrounds, how we had come to our spiritual paths and feeling balanced in our lives.

As soon as I walked in the door, some of my stress lifted and as the, evening continued, I felt more at peace with myself, able to be present with others and a renewed feeling of life exuberance.

It caused me to reflect on diversity, inclusion and connection, and how when I am calm, and present I can be more empathetic to others in my personal and business world. I am more conscious about listening to diverse ideas, and opinions, less judgmental, and better able to bring people together.

Whether you are a leader in your business, community, or home, the more you deal with your stress level, the more you’ll reduce the stress level in your environment and the better your relationships will be.