“Our bodies have a form of knowledge that is different from our cognitive brains. This knowledge is typically experienced as a felt sense of constriction or expansion, pain or ease, energy or numbness. Often this knowledge is stored in our bodies as wordless stories about what is safe and what is dangerous.” -Resmaa Menaken

I wrote the following reflection eight years ago. I am sharing it today in honor of my paternal grandfather who passed from this life to the next on March 31, 2021.

Why do women stay too long in spaces that do not value our presence and contributions?  Why do we give some of our best ideas and energy to people and organizations that continually mistreat us? Are these aspects that we should expect to be a part of our work lives?