Often in the education world, there is a huge divide between theory and practice. We understand this, and know that Soul Shoppe’s success with people of all ages is in the practice, the daily use of our tools and skills to create joy and belonging in our community.

At Soul Shoppe we practice the tools ourselves. It’s not uncommon to hear someone in the office say “I need to deliver an I-Message” when they have something to say, or to begin an apology with “I have to clean something up with you”.

Every meeting we begin with a “Check-In”, a personal moment to share what’s on our hearts before diving in to business. We’ve found this moment of connection to be critical to our community resilience and also exceedingly rare in our profit-driven, overworked world.

We end our meetings by acknowledging the contributions and unique gifts of everyone present. Have you ever looked someone in the eye and told them what you appreciate about them? Can you even imagine doing that in a business meeting, or at a professional development training? Just like apologizing, or speaking our needs with vulnerability, this practice empowers us to bring our whole selves to our work and world, continuing to bring connection and bridging the differences that divide us.