Where I've Been...

Happy Monday,  Collective,

I remember when I sent my first newsletter, I thought about the commitment I was making.  It had to be weekly or monthly, consistency in business was the single most important thing if I wanted to be "successful."  I would get lists in my own email of all the ways I needed to show up, in all the places, on all the holidays and history months.  If I wanted to be a real girl boss, all I had to do was show up, everyday, for everything.

I used to be really good at "showing up," and wore it as a badge of honor.  My perfectionism and achievement-oriented success was solidified with every notch, every degree, every certification, every overtime opportunity, every Saturday class, every week of professional development.  I have a very long list of accolades that would make any parent proud and any colleague envious.  It feels ridiculous to say that after all of that - on MLK day, nonetheless, I really couldn't give any fewer fucks.  It's inauguration day, and it took every ounce of energy I had to log into this Kajabi platform and finally, after over a month of not showing up for anything, send a damn email.  Why was this so hard?

There is a point in all of our healing processes where it becomes "too much." Too much deep-diving into darkness, too many books and podcasts, too many hard conversations, and too much noise in general.  That process is even harder when you are simultaneously healing yourself while guiding others through the process.  This work is transformational for you and for me, but when we are doing it together, it sometimes becomes "too much," and any true healer or practitioner will tell you that without breaks we would be terrible at our jobs.  So, I took a break, because I felt myself being terrible at my job.  I am almost back.

If you're on this mailing list, it's no secret to you that the astrology of this year is disruptive.  We are in a time or revolution, and no matter what side of it you are on, it is going to be very, very loud.  I could have sent an MLK quote with a little reflection on how far we've come and how far we still need to go, but I am going to bet you already have a few of those in your inbox.  Instead, I am going to offer some insight into how to navigate your life when it becomes "too much."

1. Turn off the noise.  The phone, the television, the radio.  Silence is incredibly healing, but you have to be able to actually hear yourself to heal yourself.  We are going to be experiencing a lot of politically charged noise over the next few months, complemented by commentary on that noise, which is also more noise.  I don't care what you believe, I care that you act on your beliefs.  When we aren't distracted by noise, we can explore our own beliefs, and determine who we want to be, without the commentary or judgment from the ether.  Ignore the noise so you can figure out who you are.
2. You are a product of your environment.  I don't care if you are reading this newsletter from a cardboard box under a highway, organize your damn box. Make your bed, clean out your cabinets, and be as much of a minimalist as you can be.  Generally speaking, we all have way more shit than we need.  Get rid of the clutter in your environment so you can get rid of the clutter in your mind and your heart.  Right now, delete 3 emails you don't need. Then, do one thing a day to have less clutter. Clutter is noise.
3. Don't pigeon-hole yourself into a category.  You are a multifaceted human with a lot of skills and desires and perspectives that are all a result of your education, environment and life experience.  Spend some time on different sides of all of those things - in political circles that are different from yours, in spaces that are different from what you're used to, and with people you wouldn't normally be in rooms with.  Don't look for evidence that you're right, look for evidence that you're wrong.  Living with different people helps you to develop empathy, and one of the most important things people need right now is more empathy - that's the only thing that will relieve polarization.  If we can't empathize, we will never understand each other.
4. Go outside and pay attention to what you see.  I don't care how cold it is, feel the actual cold, even if only for a few moments.  Look at the sky and the mountains and the trees, and realize just how small and insignificant your own individual life really is.  We often feel like we are amazing or miserable or the most or least important thing in the world, but the truth is that our individual experience is meaningless when we're not looking at it relative to the world.  This might help you let go of some of the individualism you may live with, and focus instead on collective security and change.  You matter in relation to the whole, which is much more interconnected than just the sum of it's parts.  Pay less attention to you as a unit and notice how interdependent you are with your community.  Then, decide how you can act to make that community more safe, more beautiful, more natural, and more supportive for everyone in it.
5. Be kinder and more patient with humans. In general, people are living with a lot of uncertainty and fear for many reasons.  Fear creates anxiety which causes people to act out - angry outbursts, crying fits for seemingly no reason, isolation and hibernation - all of these are ways people cope with fear.  You may have a colleague or a boss or a student who is particularly challenged at this time.  This is another place to practice empathy - think about how you respond when you're afraid or anxious - and remind yourself that we all have reasons for our behavior.  We need less conflict, not more, so when you can deescalate without sacrificing yourself, try to do that.  There will be plenty of escalation to come without your involvement in it.

A few notes, and then I will be back with more energy next week. The LiveYinsa Collective is currently on hiatus, largely because I am on hiatus.  I am currently focused on my private clients and Bali, (I still have one room), and that's all I am doing at the moment.  My physical and mental health require me to take a step back at this time, and I am honoring that.  The platform, as always, is up and running, and you still have access to all on-demand workshops.  I will probably be back in March for Aries season, we will see.

Bali - retreat attendees will receive an email this week with an invite to join a private Kajabi group.  That's where we will upload packing lists, flight info surveys, and links to the HEAL course.  If you know that you're coming and haven't signed a contract yet, reach out to me so I can make sure you are on that email list.  If you are thinking about coming and want to chat about it, reply to this email.  I can think of no better way to HEAL that to be on the other side of the world than the one many of us are currently on, even if only for 10 days in August.  Who knows, maybe we will buy the Villa and never come back.  It's not like I haven't done it before!

Sending Love and Strength,

Daniele