​Change is in the air.
 
The incoming energy of the next 1-2 months is focused towards inspiration and innovation. The energy can feel at odds with what we are seeing in the world, especially if we are tapping into the agenda of fear. However, this will actually be a time to plan and begin to create.
 
The question then is, what will you create?
 
Innovation may be found in surprising and unexpected areas. If you have a cool idea that seems outside the norm or a stretch from what ‘everyone else is doing’, you may find the energy of this time quite supportive.
 
Alternatively, you may find that the inspiration and innovation is internal. Rather than creating some ’thing’ you may be recreating yourself, perhaps in somewhat unexpected ways. The energy will encourage you to become the more authentic and unique version of yourself.
 
Authentic and unique sounds awesome right? But steps towards our uniqueness may also exacerbate any people pleasing or approval seeking tendencies we have so this is al an opportunity for us to begin to, or further, heal these areas in ourselves.
 
Yeah. Change is in the air.
 
But we gotta stop waiting for others to change.
 
We get to do the work to help create the world we want to live in. And to help create the person we want to show up as.
 
Happy creating!
 
Happy becoming!

Speaking of new chapters, yep, boy howdy. 
 
As a collective, we are entering a pivotal period of transformation. And, while it is easy to see the things that are changing around us, the biggest change will occur within us.
 
We live within systems, organizations, and structures. Ancestrally, these would have started as small communities of family or tribe. Places of sustainability and protection. These have grown to become or encompass government, education, finance, religion, and work, as well as many others.
 
As these systems, organizations, and structures have grown, we have often given our power away to them. “That’s the game we have to play.” “It is out of our control.” “Can’t fight city hall.” “What can one person do?”
 
The big transformation for us individually and collectively is to begin to step into our personal power and our personal responsibility to help build and create the future we want to see.
 
We’ve all been shaken in various ways by what we’re seeing in the world. At the same time, we also have visions of what a better world could look like; what a better world could feel like.
 
2024 is a pivot point where we, as a collective, begin to question. We begin to speak up. We begin to help create change.
 
Does it mean we’ll all be activists, taking to the streets in protest? Probably not. Individually, this will start in us - challenging the status quo in ourselves of what we’ve accepted. This then ripples outward - family, friends, work, etc, to invite a ‘power with’ to create change. It may be as seemingly focused as working through family dynamics about how we treat each other or as seemingly complicated as reimagining food networks.
 
2024 is just the beginning. We are still closing out the last chapter and the waves of change will be a stark contrast.
 
2024 is likely to be both uncomfortable and filled with the joy and challenges of opportunity, creativity, and growth.
 
In discussions around purpose, the most common question I get is ‘why am I here?’. It is the question that many of us have.
 
We are beginning to recognize that we’re here, in this time, to be the change we want to see in the world. To help create the change we want to see in the world.
 
ps, if you’ve been one of the forerunners and this is all old news, thank you for your work opening doors and creating paths for us to move through.

​This human that is you is a very interconnected being. 
 
You are connected to source. To deep threads of love, belonging, and home. 
 
You are connected to higher consciousness. To the vast library of wisdom and experiences. 
 
You are connected to the cosmos. To the galaxies, stars, space, and the harmonic frequencies that flow between these.
 
You are connected to your planet. To the being of your planet and to all the beings on and within your planet.
 
You are connected to every other human. To a grid of human consciousness and the frequency of your heart energy.
 
You are connected to your timelines and lives, both physical and spiritual. To your ancestral generations, your past lives, and all the future ‘you’ that you already are and will become. 
 
You are connected to all the molecules you have encountered, and those that those molecules have encountered. You are entangled in eternity.
 
And, within all of this, you are unique. 
 
You are beautiful art.
 
You are a necessary melody in the tapestry of the universe.
 
You are you. 
 
And because of all these connections, you are interconnected with everything else. 
 
Intuition is nothing more than becoming aware of these connections.

​You’re not here to help everyone. That’s not even possible.
 
But you’re likely not even here to help everyone you can. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
 
I know that sounds harsh but stick with me on this one.
 
Some people take on a victim mentality. They are not victims of crimes or assaults, but rather victims of perceived slights. Or they get themselves in situations and want someone to rescue them - again and again. My learning has been to avoid the drama and not take on the rescuer role.
 
In situations of actual need, there are often those squeaky wheels who get greater and more frequent help simply because they are squeaky. While we overlook the person who is quietly in much more need. My learning has been to triage and prioritize my energy towards those in most need.
 
Sometimes we need to put ourselves first, or, as the investment people say, pay ourselves first. A concept in the chronic illness world is around ‘spoons’ - how many spoons you have today and how you want to use those. The spoon theory is a helpful way to look at other situations as well. I used to put helping others first and, when I ran out of spoons, it was my needs that didn’t get met. This doesn’t mean that I don’t help others simply because I’m short on spoons. In emergencies, I work flexibly to dig deep into my spoons; maybe I skip some sleep but take a nap tomorrow or I pick up quality take out to get some nutritious food. But I can’t short my spoons day-in and day-out without verging into burnout or physical signs. And then I’m no good to anyone.
 
One of the biggest learnings for me has been ‘just because I can, doesn’t mean I should’. There’s an adage around giving projects to the busiest person because they’ll get them done. But this minimizes the opportunity and community responsibility for each person. We’re a world of 8 billion people. There’s lots of people who can help. We don’t need to take on everything that comes our way.
 
However, there is a group that I very often prioritize. I have felt this as a bit of calling for most of my life so this is not a suggestion for others to take on, but I am aware of others who feel similarly called and it can feel confusing on the surface until one recognizes the pattern.  
 
I oftentimes focus my energy not on those asking for help or in obvious need, but on the helpers, healers, and leaders. I do this in all sorts of ways. It may be as simple as a card, small gift, or words of encouragement. It may be informal coaching, sessions, or time to hold space for whatever is coming up. These aren’t usually one-and-done helps and it also takes time to also build trust, most often through repeatedly showing up. Many of these are longer term investments - I can think of some that span more than 5 years. I help them have more spoons to do the work that they do. And yes, there are those who do this for me for which I’m extremely grateful!
 
We’re in a season of change where there will be a lot of true needs and perceived needs. You can’t help everyone. You also need to help yourself. Within all of that, who are you called to help? Perhaps an individual, a group, animals, the land, or a cause.
 
I find the people who have the clearest idea of their interest, focus, and/or purpose in life also have the clearest boundaries.
 
Each of us is needed. Each of us has needs. Honor the calling and purpose within.
 

​Our hearts need to unlock. Our hearts need to unblock.
 
Many of us carry thick walls around our heart. 
 
We put them up for really good reasons, or so it seemed in the moment. We got hurt, betrayed, abandoned, minimized, abused, isolated, forgotten. Protection seemed important, even essential.
 
And then we experienced loss. Grief. Anguish. We let the walls get thicker, so we didn’t have to feel as deeply.
 
And then we read the news and learned of the ongoing atrocities committed by humans against each other, non-human beings, and the planet. And the frenzy incited by polarization to pit us against each other. We became overwhelmed. And we went numb.
 
Until, at some point, we realized that, in being numb, we’d also lost our joy, peace, and hope. And we wanted those back. No matter what it cost.
 
Our soul cannot experience the fullness of being human if we keep our heart in a box.
 
Unlocking my heart has been a long and ongoing journey. 
 
I spent some time trying to figure out why my heart was locked. Down lots of rabbit holes only to really learn that it was often due to a mixture of reasons. Trying to find ‘the’ reason stopped making sense. 
 
I turned my focus towards what would unlock my heart.
 
Painting and drawing helped quite a bit. These let me play with colors and explore shapes and textures. I experimented with different types of subjects and found a love of the abstract. It was a space I could get out of my head and just sort of be in the moment.
 
Reiki, tai chi, qigong, craniosacral therapy, neurochiropractic care, massage, myofascial work were also important because I was very disconnected from my body. These helped me connect inward and begin to learn to sense my body, notice my body, and feel my body. As I began to connect to my physical body, I was able to use that as an entry point to my emotional body.
 
For you, it may be music. Or yoga. Long conversations. Improv. Restoring old cars. Volunteering with the park system. Or, or, or.
 
The trick is to simply try something or some things. They’re all experiments, so know that if you don’t like it, you can stop – even midway through the first experience. ‘Do or do not, there is no try’ may work for the Force. But unlocking your heart is more of a spiral, rambling path. And you have full permission to explore the side trails as well.
 
It is your heart. You hold the key to it.