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…That poem speaks to our human desire to know the depths of our own sovereignty.
It speaks to the most essential kind of freedom one can have, Internal FREEDOM.
And that kind of freedom is…everything. It's also the marker of true leadership.
By the greatest leaders with the boldest hearts, we are reminded of this again and again…
…With yet more devastating news filling our screens and our hearts, it can be very easy to lose connection with joy.
I understand this and I know the feeling of hopelessness that can burrow into our bones, leaving us feeling frail and hallowed out.
Yet, what I also know, is that like so many others, I have survived what is brutal, because I would not let go of seeing what is also beautiful in this world….
…When the energy is seeping in too many directions (or the wrong direction) or is blocked in some way, we feel tired and burnt out (our internal 'light bulb' burns out when we no longer have sufficient energy flow). And friends, it's a very human experience for this to happen. In fact, it helps us learn what works for us and doesn't work for us...the key is to learn (and change those inefficient patterns/habits)…
In this 30-minute episode, we discuss what it means to be fully human. We also talk about an array of things related to the mind/body connection and the importance (along with tools) to recognize, process, accept, and neutralize negative self-talk and difficult emotions.
At the end of 2021, I read a book called Do Pause/ You are not a To Do list. This book landed in my body, my nervous system, and my heart in such a profound way that my word/theme for 2022 is PAUSE…
Last night, me and my partner did our end-of-the-quarter ritual. It's quite simple and only takes about 45-minutes. We make tea, find a cozy spot in the house, and open our laptops. We then set a timer for 5-minutes for each question (4 total) and then after writing our answers down, we verbally share with each other…
It may seem trite, unnecessary, a 'nice' idea, a luxury. Yet, what I know to be true, is it saved my life…
We’ve all been there…a situation occurs and we think we’re simply expressing our viewpoint and values, when really, the way in which we’re relating is full of harsh accusations, ‘shoulds’, blaming, finger-pointing ("I’m right, you’re wrong"/"I’m good, you’re bad"/"how dare she/he!"), and a lack of understanding (often stemming from a lack of communication leading to a reaction, rather than a response)…
It’s a wild and wonderful thing that my own journey towards personal growth has become the catalyst for my professional path. And when the two collide, there are some deep and profound lessons learned…
Dear human,
Have you noticed how very easy it is for life to pass us by? To feel you've woken up suddenly, a decade older. To wonder where the time has gone and why you haven't been more intentional, present, and connected along the journey.
Slowing down
Dropping in fully
Taking our metaphorical masks off
Convening with our soul in a true and beautiful way
...these are often afterthoughts, and often after exhaustion or some form of tragedy has penetrated our tiny bubble. But when those things become a regular part of our life, even if just 2x's a month...wowowowow, does life get rich!
Most people truly believe that if they just had more money, the things that make them unhappy would disappear and their lives would be better. And though it’s true that money can make life more comfortable, it’s not the answer to these deeper calls for happiness, joy, meaning, and fulfillment. Absolutely, it’s a piece of a grander puzzle and can create a lot more ease and security, but…
the answer to your questions about happiness can only be found in a much deeper well.
3 years ago, in a blog post, I wrote...
Even the strongest, most well-intentioned, self-proclaimed self-care aficionados need
S P A C E to fully let go and truly be held by another.
I still agree (with myself apparently -haha) because loves, it's true. Being held by another is one of the most soul-nourishing gifts you can allow yourself to receive.
“Imagine the conditioning that has kept life away from you.”
This sentence stops my heart for a moment as I read it because I know what life tastes like before and after…healing.
This sentence helps me remember in my bones that life is happening now.
Which is probably the very Purpose (with a capital “P’) of humanity. Our great work…to remember. If not, life will keep passing us by with every justification of why ‘someday’ in the future it will be better.
When I have more money…
When I sort out my career…
When my body looks…
When I find myself in a relationship…
I used to think (and share with others) that I was a ‘jack of all trades’ and a ‘master of none.’
The truth is…that wasn’t true at all.
It was simply one of the self-sabotaging behaviors I used to keep myself small/ stuck/ feeling like I’m always one step behind the life I actually want to create (even though I’d say I wanted to play bigger, make an impact, bring my full self to the world, and flourish through and through).
That particular flavor of self-sabotaging behavior (and there are many, my friends) is called, Downplaying.
The holidays can be a tender time…no matter our experience.
And whichever holidays you invite into your life…I invite you to pay closer attention to the wisdom they offer you.
1. Life is going to get full at times.
2. Life has its seasons.
3. Life is going to hit crossroads.
…and when our life is full, in a season of transition, and/or at a crossroads…how do we come back to ourself?
Here we are - the final two months of 2020.
May we choose to be with whatever will unfold from a place of presence, tenderness, and appreciative thoughtfulness.
With that being my prayer for the completion of this wild ride of a year, I am creating a few things to support my communities near and far.
….We all completed our task and many shared how relieved they felt that it was done. The beautiful thing about relief is that it opens the doorway for more creativity, insight, and courage to flow. So it's more than just getting 'that thing' done...it's about your capacity and ability to be present.
…The way I do it is what makes it a ritual and not ‘just a bath.’
First, I create my own DIY salts to soak in. I usually make a bulk amount (see my ingredients below), and then scoop one cup of that mixture into my bath.
You know those kind of reflection questions us ‘personal development people’ like to ask…ones like, “what’s one of the most meaningful lessons you’ve learned in life?”
Well, instead of asking that question of you, I’m going to share my answer. But I’ll need to tell you a story first…
Let me begin by saying leadership touches every realm of our life - from how we do relationships, to the choices we make as a parent, to what forms of self-expression we put out into the world.
Truly, leadership belongs to all of us.
…We live in a world where there is so much stimulus, noise, and direction pointing from the outside world, that it can be hard to navigate our own Self. Our own truth. Our own path.
Have you ever felt like there is a life (or a version of you) trying to emerge through you…yet you just keep hitting roadblock, after roadblock, after roadblock?
Dear creative, soulful, messy, ambitious human…this is for you.
Soulful Self Mastery…Self compassion. Self trust. Self love.
…Not taught in school. Not required before getting into relationships, having kids, or going out into the world as an leader, entrepreneur, artist, change maker, human…yet some of the most popular subjects on the internet today are topics such as:
How to build self-confidence
How to deal with criticism
How to stop being so easily offended
How to cultivate hope after failing
How to develop your mind
How to be more likable
When I was 30 years old I had been living in New York City for ten years and training the Brazilian martial art, known as Capoeira for six years. I love both that city and that martial art more than words can express…in fact, to this day, I’d say a big part of how I show up in the world (with tenacity, integrity, and forthrightness) come from those two teachers - my father, a gritty city and my mother, a rebellious martial art…
If there is one thing I wish I could have learned earlier in life - something that would have saved me a lot of heartache, it would have been this…
It’s an enchanting, almost surreal moment when you’ve spent months brainstorming, meditating on, envisioning, creating, & curating something meaningful…and then it’s time to share it with the world. To invite others to dare to see the possibility that you have felt simmering in your bones like a sacred song that cries to be heard, to be felt, to be known.
It can feel both…
Empowering and Tender.
Exciting and Scary.
Ecstatic and Humbling.
Many, many years ago I came across a piece of writing called, A Hopi Elder Speaks. Since, I have shared it with many students in my yoga classes across the world. It’s a prophecy shared by the elders of the Hopi Nation. Even after all these years, it still moves me to tears every time I read it. It’s like poetry to me… I literally feel it in my bones, moving through me as if it were a treasured memory, a sort of long lost knowing…
This world doesn’t simply need better leadership, it’s needs leaders who are relentless about their own healing. And when I speak about leadership, I’m not simply talking about government and corporations. I’m talking about all of us, because leadership belongs to all of us.