No one is an island, especially when you’re writing a book. I’ve used the work and brilliance of so many others to form my ideas and build upon as I created lessons, worked with students, and wrote meditations. Drs. Dan Siegel and Brené Brown have and continue to make amazing discoveries about the human brain and emotions and the interplay between the two. Dan Gottlieb and Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer have opened my eyes to the power of compassion and empathy, along with Pema Chödrön, Thích Nhất Hạnh, the Dalai Lama, bell hooks, and Maya Angelou and Gloria Steinem. There are countless others whose work I have devoured and appreciate greatly, but there isn’t room here to list them all.
As for the people I know in real life, I first have to thank my daughters, Erin and Lauren, for teaching me what it is to be a mom, for trusting me with their thoughts and feelings and wisdom, and always supporting me on this writing journey of mine. To all their wonderful friends—Alex, SJ, Midori, Maia, Nia, Eleanor, Thomas, Sam, Moses—thanks for the amazing conversations and letting me bounce ideas off of you. I adore you all. Thereza, Jen L., Becky, Tracy, Jodie, Kathy, and Susan—your friendship and love and support buoy me when I need it most. Knowing you’ve got my back is immeasurably important.
Thanks so much to the amazing mentors I’ve had over the years who taught me that passion is one of the most important elements of any successful endeavor. Without that foundational belief, I might have given up on this project a long time ago.
To my fellow writers who have read bits and pieces of this and given me feedback to make it better, I am incredibly grateful. Tonya, Julie, and members of the Mindful Schools online community and the SEL for Washington community—your input has been so vital to this work. And to Bill in Arkansas and Seth and the students at Seattle’s Recovery School, thank you for giving this curriculum a shot and helping me refine it.