3.5 Be the Change— Celeste Mergen, author of The Power of Days talks to Dana Robb and Shannon Russell about making change in the world

Currents: the Big Ocean Women Podcast

Dana and Shannon meet with Celeste Mergens, founder of Days for Girls and author of the book, The Power of Days to discuss how we are empowered by our feminine nature and honoring our procreative power.

“Today, Days for Girls has reached 145 countries. . . including the USA.

And in fact, I guarantee right where everyone listening to this is, it's happening in our backyard because anywhere where you have to choose between food and a pad, if you need a new job and you have to choose between fuel in the gas tank and pads, you're going to choose fuel to go get the next job, right?” - Celeste Mergens

“It turns out that this small thing that I woke up with to astonishment is a big deal. And sometimes small things create tremendous change.” - Celeste Mergens

“It's amazing what happens when we see each other, value each other, and listen to each other.” - Celeste Mergens

“We need to listen first, and then build a solution together and then enact it together with the power of we. . . it's pay attention, don't judge, keep working.” - Celeste Mergens

“We all have different experiences. We all came with different talents. And that means two really important things. One, we want to hear from the people that think differently than us. We don't have to be afraid of them. We can say, I don't understand. Help me see your mountains. And meet them halfway. And two, It means that the very things that we think are weaknesses, that we're mired in, we don't often see our genius. We don't often see our strengths . . . and we don't see the miracles sometimes because we're in our own path, but when you have that bigger perspective and you invite others in and you build together, amazing things happen. We are in a miracle. No matter what part of our life we're in, we are all part of miracles.” - Celeste Mergens

“Now I get to do the things I'm doing today, and I know there are nexts. And what happens when we're in the middle of our now, sometimes we feel like there is no more coming. Sometimes we feel like I have made my choices, and this is my limit. This is my limit. But in truth, God has so much in store when you say, ‘Yes.’ When you say, ‘Whatever it is, yes. I will do the smallest thing, the biggest thing. It doesn't matter to me. Just tell me what the thing is and I'll lean all in.’” - Celeste Mergens

“I am so glad I said yes to my family and, and that beautiful opportunity that is my greatest blessing, even today, because it didn't mean it was closing the door on the other opportunities to use my fullness of my intellect and capacity. Because honestly, a mother takes all the things, right? So it prepared me to be a global CEO.” - Celeste Mergens

“Sometimes the hardest things turn out to be the thing we needed.” - Celeste Mergens

“We actually matter in every role we hold and each one of them is like a jewel. So live the jewel. Don't fight it. Don't feel like you aren't enough. There's no time for that or energy for that.” - Celeste Mergens

“Every woman's life is like a song, and we don't have to sing every verse at once.” - Shannon Russell

“I just would like to encourage everyone to know that one pebble really can move a big ocean. One action, one day at a time really adds up to this amazing miracle. We're all part of: life.” - Celeste Mergens

Celeste Mergens is an author and sought-after speaker. Founder of Days for Girls, a global award-winning organization that has reached over 3 million women and girls in 145 countries, she has filled three passports with global evidence that what connects us is far more than what divides us.

A specialist in resilience, equity, building teams, and bridging cultural divides, she has been featured in Oprah’s O Magazine and Forbes and been named Conscious Company Global Impact Entrepreneur Top Ten Women, and Women's Economic Forum's Woman of the Decade, to name a few. Her #1 bestselling book, The Power of Days–A Story of Resilience, Dignity, and The Fight for Women's Equity, shares inspiring proof that we can all make a difference.

Whenever presented with the opportunity for adventure, Dana Robb is all in. Currently, this includes riding the local mountain biking trails with her husband, canyoneering, and climbing the hills of southern Utah. She loves to learn and explore with her six kids. She is drawn to the opportunities being involved with Big Ocean Women provides. Dana loves connecting to a global sisterhood where women’s issues are being addressed through reframing and an abundance mindset.

Shannon Russell