This is necessary for sustainable change-making

I don’t believe in promises.

Or resolutions. The fluffy lies we tell ourselves about how we hope we’ll act. The ways that we set ourselves up for failure by not making space for our humanity.

But I do believe in commitments.

And values. The intentional decisions we make about how we will live from a place of self-leadership. The ways that we set ourselves up for success by not trapping ourselves in perfection.

Commitments and values should not be made lightly.

They need reflection, honesty, and an undeterrable spirit to live by them. Even when things get hard. No, especially when things get hard.

But when we do finally decide on them and start to practice them, they make living and leading in this messy world that much easier.

At Become A Good Ancestor, we have 5 core values that we live and lead by:

1. We are intentional. 

2. We are champions of change.

3. We care deeply. 

4. We keep ourselves accountable. 

5. We celebrate, unapologetically. 

Our third value (we care deeply), is one my team and I have been thinking about a lot over these last few months.

I founded this company to be a place where inner work meets social change.

Where people transform from passionate change-seeker to sustainable change-maker.

But as I said in a letter to you last month, this work was never designed to be done alone.

We need each other.

We need to care for one another.

That's why this year we have made an even deeper commitment to this value by building communities of care around our two core offerings - Claim Your Space and Deepen.

These communities include both virtual spaces and face to face calls, hosted by me and members of my team. They will be brave and joyous spaces where you will feel supported and cared for as you do your good ancestor work.

Because as inspirational as it is to become a good ancestor, we all know the path is marked by peaks and potholes.

My peak experiences have included my work going viral, becoming an international bestselling author, giving a TEDx talk, leading work that has changed the lives of countless people, and (finally) doing the work that I’ve always known I’m here to do.

But my pothole experiences have included unintentionally causing harm, being publicly smeared and #cancelled, emotional labour work, changemaker burnout, and uncovering my internalised oppression.

I could not have survived the peaks or the potholes without community.

That’s why I am committed to building communities where we care for one another.
Communities where our whole, beautiful, messy, trying-our-best selves are welcome.
Communities where we don’t just survive. We thrive.

These will be caring spaces where, through compassionate witnessing, accountable action, and mutual celebration, we support each other to walk the good ancestor path.

So when ‘doing the work’ feels hard, or feels amazing, we know we have our community of changemakers to share it with.

I hope I get to be in closer community with you this year, good ancestor :)

To our healing + liberation,

Layla