‘Culture of Care’ interview feature for Max Effort magazine, November 2021.

Snippet:

When you think about it—I mean catch a breath, pause and really think about it—the past 18 months are hard to swallow. We most likely never fathomed the notion that in our lifetime we’d be afforded so many moments of introspection; so many windows of time to take a good hard look in the mirror.

That sentence might stop you in your tracks for a second and remind you of exactly where we’re at. You might even laugh because the reality of looking so deeply inwards and not necessarily because of your own choosing can be a tricky one to navigate. As the world continues to change around us (read: as we lean deeper into and find comfort in not-knowing things) our systems for care are shifting too—exactly as they should be.

In a recent meditation session guided by you-guessed-it, Deepak Chopra, (S/O Spotify), I heard a set of words that I’ve heard in various iterations before, yet for some reason they finally hit. In his buttery voice, Chopra whispered something along the lines, “Do less, accomplish more. Do nothing, be everything.” Take another breath. Read that line over and let your mind be blown; it’s not too far from what we’ve been thinking of this past year about intentionally slowing down.

If we’re looking specifically at the ladder theory—climbing your way to the top of ultimate happiness—it’s become painfully apparent that the journey is no longer singular or insular. The concept of taking care of our individual selves in order to better care for others including the world we inhabit is starting to feel and look like the new normal. As with all cycles, harkening back to tribal instincts and focusing on collective needs is not a new idea. When it comes to persuasion of new truths, the proof really is in the pudding and nothing says proof like those living and breathing IT. I chatted to four community-builders: Laura Mueller-Soppart, Sandy Ley, Justin Bazdarich and Austin Smith about their thoughts on care, everyday rituals, and the contributions they’re making in their circles, present and future.

Operating with Intention

“When I'm intentional with my time and my actions [that’s] when I know I'm taking care of myself,” says Laura Mueller-Soppart, real estate developer and founder of Built Interest. “And to be honest, I'm not talking about a morning meditation routine. I'm talking about micro decisions from checking my notifications to reading one more chapter in my book to calling my Abuela. Making choices rather than just flying on autopilot is my kind of self care.”

Laura’s career has steadily seen her on a path to unlocking ways to build better cities for all humans: “Traditionally, the built environment was confined to brick and mortar, however, our world online is also a built environment. It needs to be designed better and it needs to be more inclusive.” And inclusivity starts at the community level.

For Laura, a mindful approach surrounding her interactions is how she takes care of those around her. “I am working on asking people more questions. I want to know how others think, where they're coming from, and what they need. As I've gotten older I don't want to just put myself in their shoes, I just want to straight up talk to them about their own shoes and the walk they're on.”