The Pandemic of Love | Shelly Tygielski Pt. 1

At the time we recorded this conversation Shelly Tygielski was ten days into the creation of what has now become a global movement called the Pandemic of Love. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic Shelly found a way using simple google forms to connect people in need of groceries, diapers, money to keep the heat on etc, to those who could help them directly. What started out as just an idea sitting around Shelly’s kitchen table boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide and has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 3 million people. The Pandemic of Love and Shelly were also featured on CNN’s Heroes. An annual show that features profiles of modern day heroes making an extraordinary impact for the collective good.

Next week, in part two we will take a deeper dive into some of the theme’s from this episode as well as dive into themes from Shelly’s new book Sit Down To Rise Up: Find Yourself, Build Community and Change the World.

In this episode Shelly shares:

• Her inspiring story of how and why she got into the work she is doing today as a community organizer, activist, and meditation teacher
• How meditation has helped her to rise up in the face of adversity and challenges in her life
• What her meditation practice involves today
• Coping strategies for dealing with fear and uncertainty related to COVID-19
• The incredible story behind the Pandemic of Love, why she started it, and how to get involved

Shelly has also offered a brief meditation for dealing with uncertainty that you will find included as a BONUS mini episode of the Courageous Life. 

About Shelly:

Shelly Tygielski has been hailed by individuals ranging from President Joe Biden to Arianna Huffington and Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn to Maria Shriver. She is the founder of the global, grassroots mutual aid organization, Pandemic of Love. Her work has been featured in over 100 media outlets including on CNN Heroes, The Kelly Clarkson Show, CBS This Morning, the New York Times and Washington Post. She is a trauma-informed mindfulness teacher and a Garrison Institute Fellow who has been called one of the “12 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement” by Mindful Magazine. Shelly has taught formalized self-care and resilience at organizations around the world and is widely considered to be a self-care activist. She is happily married to her husband, Jason, and is the mother of a son she adores, Liam. In her free time, Shelly enjoys skateboarding, playing guitar and making craft cocktails. She and her husband are currently living a nomadic existence, moving to a new location every few months.

Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are some other conversations you may love:

Ian Hockley: Empathy: An Antidote For Our Time

Ali Smith - Transforming Communities With Mindfulness (and Love)

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