After spending nearly 20 years in Corporate America, holding executive positions leading public and privately held companies, Shelly Tygielski decided to stop following the expected path and start following her lifelong passion – mindfulness and meditation – and began to fuse this passion with her purpose – community organization and ensuring equity, social justice and access to wellbeing for all.

Her journey began by teaching free meditation classes Sunday morning on the sands of Hollywood Beach, Florida. What started as a group of 12 friends blossomed into a community of more than 15,000 in a matter of two years.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Shelly rose to the occasion. On March 14th, 2020, at the dawn of the crisis, she posted two simple Google forms online. One read “Get Help” the other “Give Help”. The next morning, she was shocked to find hundreds of requests from both sides of the equation. She began directly matching those in need with patrons willing to help them meet their needs and the Pandemic of Love movement was born. Those few hundred requests grew to over 600,000 people matched within six months. Today, Pandemic of Love boasts nearly 4000 volunteers worldwide, has directly exchanged nearly $100 million in donations and has connected over 4.5 million people. It has been featured on over 100 media outlets, including CNN's Heroes, BBC and The Kelly Clarkson Show.

In today’s conversation:

•  Shelly and I dive deeper into themes from our part one conversation including how the Pandemic of Love has grown and evolved since that time.  
• Shelly shares more of the backstory on leaving her work as a successful executive in corporate America to become a full time meditation teacher, the courage it took to take the leap, and what led to her decision
• Ideas and strategies for how to gain courage and clarity when faced with difficult and potentially life changing decisions
• How deep meditative states can lead to courageous action and other themes from her book Sit Down to Rise Up.
• Insights into how to lead and live from a place of love (particularly when it’s difficult)
• Why proximity is a catalyst for greater empathy, compassion, and building connection across division
• Details on Shelly's new TV show with Debra Messing based on her work with Pandemic of Love

If you’d like to learn more about Shelly and the incredible work she is doing please check out shellytygielski.com and be sure to pick up a copy of Sit Down to Rise Up: How Radical Self-Care Can Change the World wherever books are sold. 

Did you find this episode inspiring? You might love these past conversations:

Shelly Tygielski Pt. 1 - Pandemic of Love

Dr. Emilia Elisabet Lahti Pt. 2 - Gentle Power: Shifting the Way We Define True Strength

For my upcoming classes and events, and all episodes of the Courageous Life please visit: joshuasteinfeldt.com

Enjoying the show? Please rate it on iTunes!

Thanks for listening!

Support the show