BECOMING A LOUDER GIRL: Our Future is Rooted in the Past

Here I am in my 60s doing something I swore I’d never do — saying things like “in my day…” or “get off my lawn.” These are the ways I express my disappointment about how the world has changed since I was young.

I’m bummed about:

1. Everyone’s glued to their phones. Social media is not social; it doesn’t replace real connection.
2. What happened to cash? Apple Pay, my ass.
3. Pick up the phone and have a conversation. Forget emojis and GIFs. Use your words.
4. Where is customer service? Wherever it is, bring it back.
5. There’s no respect for elders.
6. We focus on differences, not similarities.

This isn’t nostalgia. It’s about grief for the world we’ve lost and the one we’re forgetting how to care for.

We’re at a crossroads. We’re divided by fear, driven by greed, and disconnected from ourselves, each other, and the land that sustains us. We’ve mistaken power for dominance and forgotten the sacred web that holds us all.

But every story of loss carries an invitation to remember, to reconnect, and to rise together in a new way.

Rooted in Relationship: What Indigenous Wisdom Reminds Us About the Power of We

Long before capitalism, competition, and our “me first” culture, Native American tribes honored community. Every person had a purpose, and the survival of the tribe depended on honoring this truth.

The balance between feminine and masculine, nurturing and providing, intuition and action created strength not hierarchy.

There was no “1%.” There was only “we.”

The Web of Life

Many Native American traditions speak of life as a sacred web with every being (human, animal, plant, water, wind, rock) connected and interdependent.

For example, the Kumeyaay, the first people of San Diego, use the word maat for both body and earth. It reinforces the belief that the people come from the earth and in turn, must give back to her.

This is reciprocity, which means giving back to what gives to you. Before picking sage, many Native people offer tobacco in gratitude, explaining their purpose and asking permission. This practice honors the plant and maintains balance and harmony.

Community Over Individualism

Survival depended on cooperation.

People relied on each other to hunt, gather, raise children, and protect their communities.

Every person mattered: elders for wisdom, women for leadership, men for protection, youth for continuity.

This interdependence reinforced the power of the collective over the individual.

The Oral Tradition: Story as the Thread

Stories weren’t entertainment — they were living teachings.

They carried values, lessons, and cultural memories across generations.

Storytelling was ceremony, connection, and survival.
It wove together people, memory, and meaning.

Remembering the Way Back: Practical Ways to Live “We,” Not “Me”

We can’t undo centuries of disconnection overnight.

But each one of us can take responsibility for how we live, love, and lead — right now.

Native teachings remind us that change begins in relationship:
to the land, to each other, and to the stories we tell.

Here’s where to start:

1. Reclaim Real Connection

Put down the phone. Look up. Listen.
Call instead of text. Meet instead of scroll.

When you really listen to someone’s story, you honor them and that’s where connection begins.

Try this: Once a week, share a meal with someone you care about. No phones. Begin with gratitude for the food, the hands that prepared it, and the earth that provided it.

2. Practice Reciprocity

Take only what you need. Give something back.
This isn’t just about resources, it’s about energy.

If someone or something nourishes you, return that nourishment.

Try this: When you walk in nature, leave a small offering such as a prayer, a word, a piece of cornmeal or tobacco. Let the earth know you remember her.

3. Honor Elders and Youth

Elders carry wisdom; youth carry the future.
Our culture worships the middle — productivity, image, achievement — but balance lives in the whole circle.

Try this: Spend time with someone a generation above or below you. Ask about their stories. Share yours.

4. Tell Stories That Heal

The oral tradition wasn’t just history; it was medicine.
Stories reminded people who they were and how to live in harmony and balance.

Try this: Tell your real, messy story. Share it with a friend, a circle, or your journal. Don’t worry about polish. Tell it to connect, not to impress.

5. Practice Gratitude as Ceremony

Ceremony isn’t always about drums and smoke.
It can be a quiet pause before coffee, a deep breath before a hard talk, or a thank-you whispered to the trees.

Try this: Begin and end your day naming three things you’re grateful for: one for yourself, one for another, and one for the earth.

6. Shift From Power Over to Power With

Power isn’t domination, it’s responsibility.
The kind of leadership that sustains life lifts others, not silences them.

Try this: In your next meeting, family talk, or conflict, ask:
What does harmony look like here? What would balance do?

7. Get Involved with the LOUDER GIRL Community

Here are the ways:

1. Join the LOUDER GIRL mailing list

Stay connected with the latest news and updates!
https://www.loudergirl.com/join 

2. Sign up for the Free LOUDER GIRL webinars:

BECOMING A LOUDER GIRL: Paying It Forward During Native American Month
Date: November 17th
Time: 4 PM to 5 PM Pacific
RSVP Here → https://www.loudergirl.com/webinar

Walk away with community and support, peace, and renewed power.

HEROINE RISING: A 6-Week Live Workshop
Step into your story unapologetically — surrounded by women who see and celebrate you.

You’ll learn to:

• Mother yourself.
• Love yourself.
• And rise — not just for you, but for every woman who comes after.

Date: 2026 Dates TBA
Time: 4 PM – 5:30 PM Pacific
Format: 90 minutes Live on Zoom

SIGN UP HERE for the waitlist → https://www.loudergirl.com/gatherings

Let’s become the women who remember the way. Those who choose connection over competition, story over silence, and love over fear.

LOUDER GIRL, it’s time to rise together.