ROOTS
Purpose
GUIDEBOOK
ROOTS VIDEO SERIES with Rashad Cunningham
VIDEO 1: Feelings to Fruit
VIDEO 2: Feelings vs. Facts
VIDEO 3: Facts to Future
GROWTH
GROWTH VIDEO SERIES with Davey Blackburn
VIDEO 1: Lean Into It
VIDEO 2: Let It Shape You
VIDEO 3: Leverage It For Good
WINGS
WINGS VIDEO SERIES with Dave Rodriguez
VIDEO 1: The Second Mountain
VIDEO 2: Discovering Your Purpose
VIDEO 3: Living Your Purpose
www.rootsandwingslegacy.org
VIDEO 1: NOTES AND REFLECTION
The real deal with Rashad...
FEELINGS to FRUIT
How you feel about yourself or your situation determines how you behave. What you feel determines your belief, which becomes the fruit you produce.
CHOOSE A TOPIC
FEELINGS vs. FACTS FACTS to FUTURE
The feelings you have about yourself or your situation may or may not be true. That’s why it’s important to align your feelings to actual facts.
Once you have the facts straight and start believing they are true, your future becomes wide open with possibilities and purpose.
Are you going through a major life transition that has you showing up with uncertainty?
What situation causes you anxiety, frustration, guilt, or dread?
________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
“How we behave comes from a place of what we believe.”Rashad Cunningham
WHAT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING?
Ask yourself these questions and jot down anything that comes to you Then, choose the five that resonate most and add those to the tree on page 6. This is your fruit.
What are you feeling?
How are you acting? ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ I
WHAT ARE YOU BELIEVING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Specific to the topic at hand, answer the following questions and jot down the answers in the space provided. These are identity statements that start with "I am... " ________________________________________________________
What do you say to yourself when you look in the mirror?
What does your inner critic say about you?
WHAT NEGATIVE MESSAGES ARE YOU RECEIVING FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU?
The world around you is loud.
Take inventory of your surroundings, then answer the questions below.
What forces of pressure are coming against you?
Are you hearing or perceiving messages of “should?” (For example, you should be feeling this way, doing this thing, acting this way.)
WHAT IS THE ROOT?
Let’s get to the core belief that’s influencing your behavior. Remember, the way you show up in the world stems directly from what you believe.
What common thoughts do your actions and feelings point to? Circle the one that stands out to you the most. This is the root that feeds the Feelings Tree.
WHAT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING?
WHAT ARE YOU BELIEVING ABOUT YOURSELF?
WHAT MESSAGES ARE YOU RECEIVING FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU? Iam Iam Iam Ishould Ishould Ishould
WHAT IS THE ROOT?
VIDEO 2: NOTES AND REFLECTION
LET’S GET FACTUAL
One of the most important skills we can learn is to untangle our feelings from facts. Identifying facts about ourselves or our situations can be difficult. That’s why we need community!
Follow the instructions below to invite others into your fact-finding mission.
Choose a few people to ask, “Who am I to you? What do you see in me?”
Record their responses below. ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
What other positive messages are you receiving from the world around you? ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
“Never let what you feel make you forget what is real.”
Taking those messages as facts, what can you say about yourself now when you look in the mirror?
Given the above information, what truthful phrases can become your new beliefs?
Write your favorite new phrase from above here. This will become the new root of your Facts Tree on page 11.
Vocab with Rashad
Thermostatic:
Thermometric: used to describe a person whose self-worth and temperament are changed by the positive and negative influences around him/her. used to describe a person who sets his/her self-worth on the truth, thereby changing the temperature of the his/her atmosphere.
Pro-Tip: Your goal is to become thermostatic!
NEW ROOT, NEW FRUIT
As a reminder, your behavior stems directly from your beliefs. Now that you have replaced your feelings root with a fact-based root (your new belief!), what you are experiencing will change.
Begin to imagine what that can look like and then answer the following question.
What can you begin experiencing and focusing on as you show up in the world?
WHAT CAN YOU NOW EXPERIENCE?
WHAT CAN YOU NOW BELIEVE ABOUT YOURSELF?
WHAT POSITIVE MESSAGES ARE YOU RECEIVING FROM THE WORLD AROUND YOU? Iam Iam Iam Iam____________ Iam Iam
WHAT IS YOUR NEW ROOT?
VIDEO 3: NOTES AND REFLECTION
YOUR LEGACY:
You can continue to live through what you pass down to future generations. Your legacy will be most impactful when you pass your experience on without any reservations.
In the spaces below, write down a few people who are counting on you now and for what.
LET’S GET REAL:
You have life experience that no one else has.
Because of your life experience, you have accumulated a wealth of information. This is a knowledge base that is unique to you.
In the spaces below, jot down some of this valuable information down.
Let yourself dream of your future for a moment. Consider what it may look like to make an impact with your legacy. Then answer the questions below.
What possibilities can you see for sharing your wisdom with the next generations?
Whatareafewnextstepsthatyoucantaketobeginmakinganimpact withyourlegacy?
“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.”
Robert H. SchullerDiscover Your Purpose
LEAN IN
If you ’ re going through a time of pressure, pain, or transition, you ’ re going to process your feelings somehow.
The healthy way is to face it head-on. The unhealthy way is to run from it (which generally leads to running towards other coping mechanisms.)
Take a few minutes to jot down some of your healthy and unhealthy habits in response to stress, pressure, or pain
Unhealthy Healthy
Pressure Growth Purpose
Positive Pressure Negative Pressure
Self-induced pressure, like discipline or submitting yourself to a leader or mentor.
Brought on by life’s circumstances, like major transitions, trauma, or pain.
RUN TOWARD THE ROAR
Itmayseemcounterintuitive,butrunningdirectlyintoyourpainprovidesthehealthiestoutcome forallinvolved.
Takeafewmomentstoreflectonthequestionsbelow.
Do you tend to run toward the roar or away from it?
What changes would you like to make to take steps toward a healthier healing plan?
Imagine the day where you feel completely healed. What would that look or feel like? How would you show up?
TRIGGERS
Triggersareanythingthatremindyouofcurrentorpastpainandtrauma. Often,triggerscanbeviewedasnegativeandintrusive.
Reframe:Begintoseetriggersasaninvitationtodeeperhealing
What typically triggers fear or pain within me?
What healing around this situation needs to take place?
THE CLASSROOM OF PAIN
Like it or not, pain can be an incredible teacher. Pain can make you stronger, more empathetic, more humble, and certainly more courageous.
“Don’t leave the classroom of pain without gathering wisdom from its instruction.”
Tim HillerWhere do you feel like life is just hammering you? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
Where, within this situation, do you have agency or control? ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
LET IT SHAPE YOU
Listen, we understand the “classroom of pain” isn’t much fun. There’s got to be an easier way to learn!
The good news is that you get to decide if what you ’ re going through will make you bitter or make you better.
What are you learning during this time? What key lessons might you need to take with you into your next season?
Disclaimer: Positives:
Jot down any positives in your situation. Even the slimmest of silver linings will do!
We understand that life is hard and grief is not to be taken lightly. We know that when pain hits, it hits hard. As you continue this journey, we encourage you to acknowledge which of the 5 stages of grief you are experiencing, and give yourself lots of grace as you navigate your healing.
APPLICATION
LOOK OUTSIDE OF YOURSELF
Discover Your Purpose
When we go through challenging times, we tend to get self-focused. The best way to leverage your story for good is to begin thinking about others.
Opportunity Awaits...
Current:
Jot down any current or obvious ways you can help others now.
Potential:
Dream time! Write down any person or group you could help in the future
Convergence: when you come out of the dark night of the soul and begin looking toward your redemptive future.
Vocab with Davey
Steadfast: the art of intentionally remaining under pressure for the purpose of growth.
Passion: a cause so compelling that you would sacrifice to see it come to be. In Latin, passion means suffering.
PAIN TO PURPOSE
You have a purpose that you have been shaped for. This season of pain or pressure can propel you into your next season. Take a few moments to follow the prompts below. These answers can become clues that point you in the direction of your greatest purpose.
What are you passionate about?
What needs do you see in the world around you?
What pain have you experienced?
Are you starting to see any connections?
A TWO-MOUNTAIN ILLUSTRATION
In his book, The Second Mountain, David Brooks lays out the illustration of two mountains, containing a first mountain, the valley of bewilderment, and the second mountain.
Take a moment to sit with the descriptions of these two mountains (and the valley) below.
See if you can find yourself in this picture.
MOUNTAIN #1
Establishes your identity
Completes your “American dream”
Where you realize success
Self-focused and acquisitional
VALLEY OF BEWILDERMENT
Brought on by pain, loss, failure
Normal life transitions
Can cause disillusionment
Begs the question, “Why am I here?”
Where are you in this two-mountain illustration?
MOUNTAIN #2
Invites you into your calling
Calls you outside of yourself
Where you realize your destiny
Solidifies your legacy
If you’re in the Valley of Bewilderment, do you find yourself feeling stuck there, trying to climb back up the first mountain, wondering about the second mountain, or something else?
Calling: a beckoning. An invitation for you to participate in the world in the way that leaves a mark and creates your legacy.
Vocab with Dave
Destiny: a higher purpose that encourages you to take actions with this divine will in order to achieve greater fulfillment and meaning in life.
One Big Question
Legacy: a gift that is passed on in the form of knowledge, life story, passions and pursuits, monetary wealth or property, and more.
You’ll need to answer this before you can climb the second mountain. No Maybe Yes
Are you aware that there is something in you that you were built for?
Do you truly believe this? Why or why not?
YOUR LIFE PURPOSE
It is possible to discover your life purpose. The answer lies at the intersection of two massive truths: one awesome, one awful. Discover
Truth #2 Truth #1
You are awesome.
Your life story + Your passions + Your personality
Your gifts and talents
= you are a masterpiece!
LET’S DIG IN.
The world is broken.
Six Broken Place of the World: Injustice Pain Isolation
Hatred
Decay of the planet
Anime - feeling adrift
We’ll get to your life story (and its importance) in the next video. For now, take a moment to reflect on your passions, personality, and gifts & talents, writing them in the space provided.
THE BROKEN PLACES
Thinking about the six broken places of the world, which of these breaks your heart the most? Why?
APPLICATION
TALE OF TWO TRUTHS
Discover
Transfer some of your notes from your passions, personality, and gifts & talents into the AWESOME truth column.
Transfer some of your notes from the six broken places of the world to the AWFUL truth column.
Awful Truth Awesome Truth
Any obvious intersection yet? If not, don’t worry! Your life story is the most powerful indicator of your purpose. You’ll do work on that next!
YOUR LIFE STORY
The key to unlocking your life’s purpose is to pay attention to your life’s story. Reflect back on the highs and lows of your life while asking yourself, “How did I get to where I am today?”
Plot some of your most influential positive and negative turns on the life map below. Then, take note of any themes that emerge.
Themes
DRAMATIC PAUSE
Take a moment before continuing to applaud yourself for the work you ’ ve done this far. Revel in your uniqueness.
Grieve the things that break your heart.
Remind yourself that you truly were created to count. A uniquely beautiful masterpiece.
“Don’t wait for your destiny to just happen to you. Ask for it. This could be your greatest adventure of your life.”Dave Rodriguez
PIECING TOGETHER YOUR PURPOSE
The last leg of this journey is to bring your hard work and discoveries together in the diagram below.
Go back through this section and transfer your notes to the corresponding spaces.
Awesome Truth: passions, personality, gifts & talents, and positive life themes.
Awful Truth: broken places of the world that break you and negative life themes.