Learn about the foundation on which Let’s Choose Love was built. Why this movement, why now, and invitation to you to join us on this journey.
Manifesto
by Wendy B. White
I envision a world where love rules. Where people can boldly cross the lines that divide us and come together to envision a new world and a new way of being that works for all.
We turn on the news and the barrage of stories overwhelms: pandemic, climate change, war, political posturing, unemployment, escalating divides, fake news … and the list goes on. The challenges appear so insurmountable that it is easy to feel like there is nothing you can do to change the course.
I believe it is possible.
If we choose to break through our fear and come together to put forth new visions, new paradigms and new solutions that are inspired by love and fuel passionate action, we can make the difference.
It is not easy to shake off the fear that grips, and have the courage to discover our own voice, gift and unique role we each can play in bringing forth more peace, joy and love. The journey begins with yourself, your family, your community and then radiates out.
Everyone has a place and a role to fill. This is an invitation for you to figure out yours.
Let’s Choose Love is committed to:
Inclusivity – Everyone is welcome. It does not matter your religion, political affiliation, economic status, age, race, geography, sexual orientation, gender identity or any of the other belief systems that divide us. All that matters is that with every decision, every action, we commit to choose love as our guide.
Individuality – We each have a path, purpose and role to fill in this work. It begins with having the courage to break through societal norms and expectations and go deep within yourself to heal and be able to listen to your own wisdom and guidance and to act on what you discover.
Interconnectedness – Separateness is an illusion. We are all one and everything we do has an impact. It is important that we become more conscious of how our actions and decisions as individuals and as a country has consequences globally. We are committed to better understanding and acting on this truth.
Community – Not one of us has the answer. If anyone says they have the absolute truth, run. In community we will inspire and learn and work together to reimagine and build the future, one person, and one step, at a time.
Cultivating peace, joy, appreciation, passion and love in the world is our goal.
Movement
by Wendy B. White
Why did I start this movement, why now, and what is the call to action?
We are at a very unique point in history where everything around us, and around the world, is changing. COVID 19 will impact us all. It does not matter if you are out in the jungles of Peru or in the cities of New York, Paris or Moscow, the ramifications of this time we are living in are only just being revealed, things are shifting all around us. One thing is certain, the world we left behind will not be the same when we re-enter.
This gives us an amazing opportunity to contemplate and become more intentional about how we want to reshape ourselves, our place and our contribution.
Let’s Choose Love is a social movement that provides a forum for sharing ideas, resources, new philosophies and stories that I hope will challenge, stretch and inspire us to expand our thinking and possibilities. Albert Einstein said “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” I also like to say that if we cannot envision it, we cannot create it.
Most of us are so focused on all that is wrong around us, and within us, that it can become all that we see. Let’s Choose Love is a challenge for us to envision and focus on what we want to create. If we want more love, joy, peace and passion within ourselves and the world, what does that look like and what is our first step in bringing it to light?
This is your invitation to join me on the journey!
My Story
by Wendy B. White
I was a college baby, born in the middle of the February 1960 blizzard in Oswego, New York. I would say that was an appropriate entry into the world, because I tend to have high energy, stir things up, and like to make an impact. When my parents graduated with their teaching degrees, they headed to Long Island. I spent my childhood in the idyllic suburban village of Smithtown, where my family went to church on Sunday and kids gathered nightly to play flashlight tag.
Growing up, I was greatly impacted by the anti-Vietnam war protests, civil rights movements and the free-spirited hippy era. I was pretty little at the time, so could only watch from my T.V. screen. However, these events shaped a lot of my values and knowledge that it is possible to use your life to make a positive difference in the world. At age 11, I took that knowledge and organized the neighborhood kids, and formed the “Action Club,” of which I was the president. We held carnivals for Muscular Dystrophy, staged variety shows for C.A.R.E and cleaned up the woods by the house in an effort to save the environment. You can say that I started my “Let’s Choose Love” training pretty early in my life.
Slippery Rock State University was where I went to school and graduated with a degree in “Recreation and Leisure.” The school later realized that this was probably not the best name for a serious education degree so changed it to a B.S in Parks and Recreation Administration. I was all set to join the Peace Corp when I graduated, until my Junior year when my boyfriend at the time asked me to marry him. Believing that if you did not get engaged during college, your hopes for ever getting married and having children dropped drastically after you graduated, I took the ring and burned my Peace Corp application. During our lives, we will always come to different forks in the road, that was one of mine.
For our honeymoon, we bought a little rickety old trailer, hitched it to the back of my 1970 Dodge Dart, and headed across the country. We hiked, camped and adventured for over four months in search of fun and a new place to live. We ended up in Raleigh, North Carolina. After 18 years together, and 2 beautiful children, our marriage ended like too many do, and my life as a single mom began. Divorce is gut retching, but it also became the catalyst for unbelievable growth and transformation. It launched me on a spiritual journey and provided the experiences I needed to really get to know myself, and to feel comfortable in my own skin. This was a huge gift. From this vantage point, I was able to take time to examine my life and discover what I really love and what gives me joy. I had the freedom to forge a new path and way of being in the world that was much more congruent with who I actually am, and not just who I was expected to be.
As for my professional life, I have done pretty well. I spent 12 years with the City of Raleigh Parks and Recreation Department, where I ran all of the teen programs for the city, and 3 outdoor adventure camps for 6-12-year-olds in the summer. I later joined with some friends and formed my first company called RETREATS INC. where we designed and facilitated adventure-based team building for companies like Campbell Soup. We later evolved into Continuum, a consulting firm working with Fortune 100 Companies, International NGO’s, University Systems and Start-Ups around the world. We have been in business over 20 years.
Over that time, I have often been referred to as a “Corporate Hippy”, a title I wear proudly. I’ve been very fortunate that my work and passion aligned. No matter what I have been doing, it is always about finding ways to make a meaningful and profound difference in the world and using my life to serve others. Who ever thought that a “Recreation and Leisure” degree would make me so perfectly suited for consulting, coaching and guiding CEO’s and leaders on how to run their teams and organizations?
Throughout it all, my passion for continually learning, exploring the world, self-development and always looking for ways to put more love in the world has never waned. I am humbled and excited to now launch “Let’s Choose Love.”
