Be your own anchor
Onwards, yall
Hello Beloved Community,
Do you ever find yourself caught in a powerful undertow? Something that feels like tugging, compelling you to pause for deep rest, or simply hustling you between every scheduled commitment crowding your calendar? These external pressures possess an undeniable force, relentless in their pursuit of our focus, our minutes, and our inner equilibrium. Speaking personally, this constant yielding to outside influence is draining; it is not how I wish to spend my energy. Nevertheless, the resistance often falters, and I am swept up, pulled in countless directions away from where I truly intend to be.
I endeavor, most days, to be my own anchor. I often miss the mark pretty completely. But then I endeavor again. The allure to give that power over to work, kids, partnership, the newest cortisol inducing doom scroll is strong and sometimes yes, the anchor gets pulled and off we go for good reason and on and with purpose. But coming back to ourselves is ultimately one of the great joys of being a human. Your own heartbeat, your own dreams, your own joys, your own weird cravings and desires. That’s all you. Returning to ourselves can feel like coming home, to our first home. Ourself.
I hope that you experience coming home to yourself in ways that matter to you. Keep scrolling to learn more about opportunities to connect with elements of yourself that you miss, adore, and want to celebrate. Hope to see you there soon!
Onwards, y’all.
Sera Bonds, MPH
Waking Giants
Austin Texas
JUSTICE OFFERING
River Watchers engage with community partners and local volunteers on environmental restoration and green infrastructure projects. They combine peer mentoring with intensive environmental education, and engage youth through nature-based and experiential service-learning. They are AWESOME, check them out!
JOY OFFERING
Bake a cake for no reason. Seriously, and then….eat it! With a spoon directly from the pan. Or plate it and make it special. You do you but seriously, bake and eat a cake just for fun.
SHABBAT SUPPER CLUB
Come play with us at our monthly Shabbat Supper Club meet up. It’s a low stakes, chill vibes hang where we light some candles, say some prayers (fully optional), and share some potluck delight. We’d feel so lucky if you joined us!
May’s event will center on a crucial Q&A discussion between Waking Giants CEO Sera Bonds and United Religions Initiative Executive Director Karen Volker, focusing on the urgent challenge of anti-Semitism and concrete actions allies can take to show up for the Jewish community amid ongoing threats of violence. The conversation will delve into the rise of global anti-Semitism, the power of interfaith solidarity, and strategies for non-Jewish individuals and organizations to actively support and protect Jewish life.
GOOD FIGHT FILM CLUB
We are kicking off our 2026 ATX film club in May as the outdoor temps start to climb again. We will be going to see THE SCHOOL DUEL. Join us! Email info@wakinggiants.me to claim your ticket NOW.
DAILY WRITING PLAYTIME
Looking for a way to pull your focus each day through some quick + thoughtful writing? Awesome! We’d LOVE to share our daily writing prompts with you. Become a paying subscriber to this newsletter on Substack and then sit back and wait for the fun to arrive in our inbox or Substack feed each morning.
BEING YOUR OWN SHEPHERD MOON PLAYLIST
Being your own shepherd moon: songs inspiring us to be our own force of gravity