I just returned from three days in what felt like a bubble. Not a bubble where work and deep conversations didn’t happen, but a bubble of hope and purpose amidst division, fear, and chaos. I spent the weekend with over 300 dedicated volunteers and staff, all committed to lowering the suicide rate.

Thursday night marked the start of the 20th Chapter Leadership Conference for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. While some people react with pity when I mention attending, for me, it’s the weekend I look forward to most each year. It’s a time when volunteers from across the country come together, united by a single mission: to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to speak and present at the conference over the past few years. It’s a privilege to share the story of the team my sister and I created ten years ago in memory of our mom—Team LOVE LOUDER. We started it with the belief that love should speak louder than the shame and guilt that too often accompany a death by suicide.

Last year, I spoke about the importance of loving ourselves louder. This year, though, “love louder” has taken on a new perspective for me. We’re living in a time of deep division, where the media amplifies our differences, and fear feels like the prevailing emotion. Even in families we see how quick judgments lead to large divisions.

I’m not naive enough to think that simply saying “love louder” will fix everything—but I do know that without love, very little truly changes.

On Sunday, I had the privilege of leading a self-care session at the conference. This year, I chose to focus on the power of being intentional. With social media and news constantly coming at us, it’s easy to get caught in a cycle of reaction. And when we’re stuck in that cycle, chaos and fear take over—whether we want them to or not.

But when we slow down and stay present in the moment, we reclaim the choice to love. We get to decide if we need more love, if the person next to us needs more love, and maybe—just maybe—if even a stranger needs more love.

I encourage each of you to find ways to love louder.

If you want to spread the message while supporting AFSP please consider buying a

Shirt: https://www.bonfire.com/love-louder-4/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=campaign_page&utm_campaign=love-louder-4&utm_content=default

Hat: https://www.bonfire.com/love-louder-4-1/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=campaign_page&utm_campaign=love-louder-4-1&utm_content=default

Bag: https://www.bonfire.com/love-louder-4-3/?utm_source=copy_link&utm_medium=campaign_page&utm_campaign=love-louder-4-3&utm_content=default