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wanderingaunt · 3 years ago

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Year End Reflection Practice

Tis the season for gathering, celebrating, giving & receiving, and completion as we look forward to this new year. So often we’re in a space of readiness—ready for the holidays to come so that we can gather with loved ones both near and far away; ready for the stress of gathering to melt away (oh the irony there); ready for the year to be over so that new energy can breathe life into your world. While readiness is a beautiful anticipatory space to be in, it is also one that can pull us away from this moment right here.

Whether you had a year full of excitement and growth, one of heaviness, heartache, and struggle, or somewhere in between, it’s important to take time to go inward and reflect on where you started and where you are now before jumping ahead.

So often this moment of reflection is rushed or missed entirely. We want to skip over it because of the time and energy it takes, or we wish to avoid it because looking back can be too painful. Yet, I believe it is one of the most beneficial and needed work we can do and one of the greatest gifts we can offer ourselves before launching into the next chapter. You will see things you may not have noticed before and discover valuable lessons that will leave you with gratitude.

This is a great practice to do at the end of a calendar year, the time around your birthday, and any other noteworthy milestone or anniversary.

My birthday happens to fall just 12 days before the end of the calendar year, so I have the luxury of doing my year-end reflection and birthday reflection at the same time. Depending on when your birthday falls, you may like to do another reflection at that time.

Year-End or Milestone Reflection Practice

Choose your space. Where is somewhere that inspires you to create and receive insights? Is it outside somewhere in nature? On a run or on a hike? Is it in the quiet of your room with candles lit? Is it in a cozy coffee shop while sipping on your favorite beverage?

Choose how you would like to capture your reflections. Journal and a favorite pen. Laptop. Voice note. Choose what feels aligned for you. I personally like to write it all out in my journal first and then document it on my computer.

Set the tone for your experience. I like to start my reflection experience with meditation. I call in my guides, helpers, and angels to support me in remembering. I go for a quiet walk in nature to reflect and receive inspiration. I use Oracle cards to support summing up my theme for the year. If you don’t have access to any of this or wish to go about it another way, do you. Do what feels most aligned and inspiring to you.

Inventory Time. This is a great way to go back through your year and recall any highlights, challenges, or areas of growth you want to capture.

What was your word, phrase, or intention for the year? What did you set at the beginning of the year as your area of focus? What intentions did you set or commitments did you make?

Go through the year month by month or by season: Write any major themes, milestones, or experiences that come to mind. If you are a documenter, you can go back through your photos on your phone or on social media to see where you were. Make a list under each month or season of what you notice and remember.

List all the places you traveled to: Did you travel to another city or state? Of go outside of the country? Where did you go? Write down what you remember.

Support team: Who were your top supporters throughout the year? Who were the people who supported you by your side and behind the scenes? Who were the strangers who showed up along the way to support you?

Go back to your word, phrase, or intention for the year. How did this stay present throughout the year? Did you keep your commitments or release them? Did you forget about what you desired to be your theme or area of focus? Even if you forgot, how can you connect the dots from your highlights, challenges, and experiences to your initial intention? If you switched or added an intention, note that. Write anything that surfaces for you around this.

What were some of your favorite memories or experiences from the year? Take a moment to reflect and write out or note what comes to you.

What were some of the challenges or trials you faced during the year? Take a deep breath. Allow yourself to be present to what comes and give yourself extra love and grace as you reflect.

What surprised you most about this past year? Are there any experiences, people, or opportunities that came into your life or surprised you?

What word would you use to sum up your past year? Look over your list and see if there is a certain theme or word that comes to mind. How does this word connect to your initial intention or theme for the year?

Gratitudes. As you look back over your list, what are you most grateful for this year? Go back to your Support team and who showed up for you. List any areas of surprises, miracles, or people/opportunities who came into your experience and supported you.

Choose your word, phrase, or theme for the new year. As you look back on your reflections, what energy do you wish to embody or call in for the coming year?

Write down the words that come to you. Say each word aloud and see how it feels in your body. Which word or words resonate most for you?

Pull Oracle cards to support in choosing your theme. Grab your favorite deck, or if you don’t have a deck, you can choose a deck for free here. I’ve also listed some of my favorite decks below. Take a deep breath. Focus on the energy you are calling in. From a space of stillness ask, “What is the theme or energy I am calling in for this new year?” Shuffle the cards until a card falls out or spread the cards across the table or floor and choose a card.

Read the message and choose a word or phrase that aligns with the message.

Put your word/theme/phrase somewhere you can be present to it. Write it on a post-it and place it on your mirror or computer. Choose a photo that embodies the word and put it as the background on your phone or computer. Write it atop your calendar each month so it’s present for you.

DANCE. CELEBRATE. SHARE. Soak in this experience by doing something fun for yourself. Have a dance party, or celebrate with a treat or experience. Get together with friends or call a friend to share your experience. You can also do this practice with friends and each share at the end to ritualize the experience and set the energy for the coming year.

What did you learn this year? What was your theme for the year? What are you calling in for the coming year? Drop in the comments and let me know!

My Favorite Oracle Decks for Reflection Rituals

Wisdom of the Oracle - Colette Baron-Reid

Enchanted Map Oracle - Colette Baron-Reid

The Wild Unknown Archetypes Guidebook - Kim Krans

The Wild Unknown Alchemy Guidebook - Kim Krans

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wanderingaunt · 3 years ago

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Becoming Brave

In the summer of 2020, I received a clear message from the Universe to write 30 blogs in 30 days. It was quite a challenge. I love writing and typically don’t have an issue coming up with ideas for content. However, writing a blog post every day for 30 days was a different story. Every day I would tune in and ask for inspiration on what to write. I utilized inspiration from my Oracle cards and nature. Several times throughout the challenge, my (at the time) 7-year old niece would say, “Auntie, how about you write about how brave you are?” I would smile, thank her for the idea, and go back to tuning in.

What she couldn’t see was the internal processing I was going through. Every time she would suggest I write about being brave, the voice in my head would say, “You’re not brave. You can’t write about that.”

To the outside world, I seemed like someone who was brave, yet on the inside, I felt like a fraud.

Yes, I had quit my career to travel the world. Yes, I had sold most of my belongings to become a nomad. Yes, I had soulo traveled to 20 countries across six continents. Yes, I had invested tens of thousands of dollars in myself for my own growth and transformation. Yes, I had started a business with no cushion to fall back on. Yes, I had even stood one with nature naked in the Albanian Alps. Yes, I had been skydiving and bungee jumping, and so on.

To me, those areas are adventurous and daring but they didn’t feel brave. I would hear the lyrics of Sara Bareilles’s song ‘Brave’ in my head:

Or you can start speaking up

Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do

And they settle ‘neath your skin

Kept on the inside and no sunlight sometimes the shadow wins

But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say and let the words fall out

Honestly, I wanna see you be brave with what you want to say.

Words. Speaking up. Sharing my voice. Telling my truth even when it’s messy. That’s what being brave seemed like to me.

I thought about all the times I held back from speaking up and sharing my voice. All of the times I people-pleased and diminished what I wanted in order to avoid conflict and ensure everyone else was happy. All of the times I kept quiet because I didn’t think that telling someone how I really felt would matter because deep down I felt like I didn’t matter, or I was afraid they would think less of me if they knew what I really believed.

Old stories and internal beliefs truly can block us from seeing who we really are.

When I look back at this time during my life, I can see how lost I was in old stories and internal beliefs. I was not remembering all of the times I had spoken up and told my truth or put out a piece of work that was scary for others to see. It’s similar to receiving a bunch of praise or compliments and then receiving one bad comment. It’s in that moment we forget all of the good that was shared and focus only on the hurtful thing someone said.

Old patterns die hard.

So why am I writing about this now…two years later? After a recent phase of truthful conversation after truthful conversation (be careful what you write as an intention on a post-it, it will show up), I started to think about what it is to be brave. I’ve had many difficult, honest conversations recently which have caused me to reflect on where I was two years ago and how much I’ve grown since then. I still cringe or feel fear when I’m faced with a difficult conversation with another. Whether it’s restoring integrity and taking ownership for something I did or didn’t do, sharing with someone how their actions caused me to feel hurt, sharing feelings that I have for another without knowing how it will be received, or speaking up when I don’t agree with another’s projection or advice, these conversations aren’t easy, yet they’re so rewarding.

I realized I do feel brave when I engage and share my voice.

These conversations and opportunities caused me to ask and ponder, “What does it mean to be brave?”

Rather than my usual, ‘look it up in the dictionary and write about my thoughts on the matter’, I decided to ask my audience. I was curious to hear what others had to say about being brave and what it means to them in their own lives. The responses absolutely blew me away. I was so touched by each and every comment and point of view—and not just by the answers, but by the bravery each person embodied in sharing their responses and entrusting me to hold it for them. Some responded directly to my post, while others sent me private DMs. For the purposes of privacy, I’ve kept these responses anonymous. And for the purpose of simplicity, I’ve done my best to categorize them for a smoother way to digest the comments.

What does it mean to you to be Brave? Let’s see what others have to say.

Being Brave is taking action inside of fear.

Demonstrating strength while scared or afraid.

Being brave is facing your fears and watching them disappear or doing things despite fear.

Bravery is taking the one small step forward when it would be easier/more comfortable/expected to stay put.

I think being brave is doing something even if it makes you fearful. I think being brave is also doing you, even if it's not what other people think or expect you to do.

Brave is perseverance for me. It can get scary to keep pressing forward when results aren't profound or immediate.

For me, bravery is doing the things I don't wanna do but know I have to.

Being Brave is speaking up and sharing your voice.

Speaking your truth and sharing your story even when your voice shakes.

Speaking your truth when others disapprove or minimize it.

Bravery is speaking your truth in voice or written form that has been pushed down for too long. Stepping into your body wisdom of knowing it's time to move forward and taking the actions to begin the process.

Being Brave is releasing control.

I feel that I need to be brave when I’m pushing through and trying to do something on my own, under my own power, instead of aligning my vibration with Source who would make things go with ease. Bravery is putting up with being out of alignment unnecessarily.

Choice or free will appears to be confined to a range of possibilities. Expanding this range ↔ what has been unthinkable...may equate to bravery. As we develop capacities, what might be available could be a discipline of diminishing the import of knowledge while embracing wonder. Human design provides for questioning. It may be this quality that provides capacities ... what we are willing to question requires the subject at hand.

Being Brave is not easily felt or experienced by the person being brave.

For me, bravery is always required to do scary things. But the irony is that when I'm being brave I never feel brave. I think it's easy to think of others as brave when you see them doing things that would be scary for them or you, but I know that for me even when I look brave I am usually terrified inside! So there can be a mismatch between being brave and feeling brave in my opinion.

I get confused when others tell me I'm brave for something that felt easy or a more comfortable choice for myself–because it would be brave for others from their perspective. And once you're past that initial choice or decision, for me it feels easier. Like my first tattoo felt like a big deal, and now I walk around with lots of visible ink without a thought about it.

Many of our guests tell me: Wow, you were so brave to move to Ecuador and to build the eco-resort. I always answer that I was many things but surely not brave. Because of bravery, you need to do something you are afraid of and I was never afraid of doing what I did. Another example, to do sky diving, I really would need bravery because I am scared to shit of heights and I guess I will never do it in my life, due to lack of bravery.

Being Brave is being present to life.

For me being brave is living with the living and not living with the dead (I'm a young widow). It's about waking up and feeling in awe that I'm alive to see another day and being brave enough to make decisions throughout the day towards living; making choices to fill my heart and soul with things that bring me joy and living authentically with gratitude.

Bravery for me right now is getting out of bed. It sounds silly but I really don’t want to wake up after losing my soul mate. So yeah, getting out of bed is my bravery I think.

Being brave is a state of being where courage is found in the moments.

Being Brave is owning who you are.

To me being brave is being able to live life on your own terms, fully accepting who you are as a person.

Honoring myself over everything else.

Being Brave is moving through discomfort.

Being brave means many things to me …summoning the courage within to do what feels right for the highest good, pursuing one’s dream when one’s desire becomes greater than one’s discomfort.

Recognizing discomfort and embracing it anyway.

Being Brave is showing up.

Being brave is being willing to put ourselves out there when we would rather hide.

So I’ll double, triple, and quadruple what most of the others said: Facing your fears, your sadness, whatever „bad“ feeling is brave. Finding compassion and forgiveness for all of that is even braver. Then showing up as you are, different, broken in places and mended in others, still healing and figuring things out, is the master class.

Being Brave is standing up for others in the face of adversity.

Since I was young I thought the bravest people have been the ones that take leadership and that do not go along with the “in” crowd. Seeing others stand up for others being bullied is the bravest of the brave to me.

Being Brave is vulnerable. These responses are vulnerable, inspiring, and connect humanity on a deeper level.

What I am present to in reading others’ responses to being brave is that Brave looks different to each person yet holds a common denominator—strength and courage to take action when it would be easier to do nothing. So for some of us, speaking up and sharing our voice is a brave thing to do, while to others, it’s just a conversation. For some traveling to foreign lands or getting out of bed seems natural while to others it takes great strength and courage.

Being brave is a practice. It’s continuing to face discomfort and take action inside of it.

Even in writing this post, I was faced with my own discomfort. In 2019, I was hiking in the Albanian Alps with a couple of friends. We came across this secluded area with a waterfall and the most epic view. When I saw the waterfall, my first thought was, “Oh, I’d love to get naked and stand under that.” But I was in nature. Hikers could walk up and see me. And before I could think about it further, I looked over and saw my friend Audrey strip down. She had the same idea. When I saw her have the courage to do this, it gave me the courage and reassurance to know that my idea wasn’t crazy! So I bravely stood up and started to undress. It was so liberating. I felt connected to nature in ways I hadn’t before. I haven’t shared this experience or any of my photos. At the time, it was purely for my own liberation and documentation. However, in writing this post, I knew it was another layer of discomfort for me to move through in allowing myself to be seen in this way.

Being brave is a great act of trust and faith. It’s journeying on the road less traveled.

Being brave is not always linear and will come and go throughout our lives and shift from one area to the next. Keep leaning in. Keep showing up. Keep reminding yourself of how far you’ve come.

An Exercise in Becoming Brave

I woke up at 2:57 am the other night with words flowing out of me. It was a great reminder for me after reading all of these beautiful raw interpretations of what it means to be brave. And what I realized is that I am in fact very brave. I grabbed my phone and captured this in my Notes app:

I am actually one of the bravest people I know. I have taken so many chances. Put my heart on the line. Followed my dreams. Traveled to unknown places without knowing the language. Trusted complete strangers. Said ‘Yes’ again and again and again. Tried on many things. Invested tens of thousands of dollars in myself. Pursued my creations out of sheer excitement and curiosity without focusing on money. Continued to show up after being rejected again and again. Most would’ve given up after the first ‘No’ or setback. I’m not most people. I’m willing to risk everything for the chance of ‘What if?’ At the risk of pursuing, “If I don’t go, I don’t know.” I’ve blazed my own trails. I’ve found a new door open every time a door has closed. I’ve befriended the darkness and faced many dark nights of the soul to release old patterns, stories, and layers.

So yes, I am brave. I just wasn’t in a space to fully see it or recognize it until now. And I bet that you are much braver than you think.

Embodying Bravery

Questions to answer for recognizing your own bravery:

When have you had a conversation that scared or intimidated you and left you feeling empowered?

When have you spoken up for your needs?

When did you take a chance on something without knowing how it was going to go?

When have you followed your heart, your gut, your intuition?

When have you stayed when everyone else told you to go?

When have you walked away when everyone around you told you to stay?

When have you said ‘No’ to something that wasn’t aligned for you?

When have you said ‘Yes’ to something that scared you?

When have you done something that felt really difficult or challenging?

When have you forgiven someone who hurt you?

When have you forgiven yourself?

When have you stood up for someone or taken a stand for a cause you believe in?

When have you owned a mistake and used it to learn from?

When have you told someone you love them or shared your feelings with them?

When have you risked losing someone or something in order to honor your truth?

There are many questions to ask and answer. I hope that these will inspire you to recognize your own bravery and write your own declaration about being the bravest person you know.

#brave #bravery #courage #vulnerability #vul #authentic #authenticity #discomfort #uncomfortable #unknown

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wanderingaunt · 4 years ago

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Invisalign-ing Patience - The Parallels between Orthodontics & Starting a Business

"My business is going to take off when I'm done with my Invisalign." -- Me, end of 2020

Life has an interesting way of teaching us lessons in patience.

When I was a pre-teen I entered into the world of orthodontics. I had a habit of sucking my pointer finger when I was a child, which pushed my teeth outward. At age 12, I got braces. As if being a middle schooler wasn’t awkward enough, getting braces topped it off. Luckily, I wasn’t alone in this stage of life. Many of my classmates and my sister, Lisa had braces alongside me. We at least got to make it a little more fun by changing the colors of our bands to match school colors and create an expression of our own. I had the added element of having a bridge in the roof of my mouth with a metal key that I would turn daily to expand my bite. It goes without saying, but I do not miss those days!

I was a structured kid who followed the rules out of expectation and approval. So naturally, when I got my braces off 2 years later, I made sure to wear my retainer every night. I wanted to be a “good” patient and seek praise from my doctor. For some reason though, when I got to college, I decided that my retainer wasn’t needed anymore. I had been wearing it for 5 years, so surely my teeth were in place by now…

Things shift in life when you let go of the structure holding it in place.

As you guessed, slowly over time, my teeth began to shift. From the outside, there wasn’t a noticeable difference. My teeth were slanted slightly, but it wasn’t anything to fuss about. What did cause a fuss, though, was my bite. I noticed that I was biting the inside of my cheek frequently when eating especially crunchy foods like apples and carrots. It was not enjoyable.

When I was in my late 20’s, I decided to go to the orthodontist to get a consultation about my bite. The first orthodontist I went to said that I would need to get braces again. Orthodontics has come a long way and made many advancements in the 16 years since I had had braces. Invisalign was a newer option that allowed you to move more freely through life without the constraint of monthly checkups or the pain experienced from wire braces. I was excited about this possibility. The orthodontist I visited said I was not a good candidate for Invisalign though, because of my bite. She said it would be a long journey (at least 2 years) and would cost at least $5,000 and not be an effective form of treatment. That was enough for me to say, “No Thank You” and go back on my merry way.

Money is often what stops us from taking action.

In this case, it wasn’t just the money that was stopping me. It was the thought of having to have braces for 2 years. I had plans. I was going to switch jobs, travel the world, and follow my dreams. And that couldn’t be done with braces.

Oh, how clever our minds can be to keep us safe from taking action.

I moved on and went back to living my patterned life. During that gap, my life really began to shake me up. I went through a long period of depression followed by taking inspired action and investing in myself through therapy, transformational programs, and retreats. 2017 was the year that things really began to shift. I dubbed 2017 as My Year of Action. I reached a point of exhaustion by repeating the same patterns, and not taking action towards what I said I wanted. I committed to showing up for myself consistently in ways I hadn’t done prior. It was the year I went on my first international retreat in Guatemala and realized that I was playing it safe in life. I knew after that retreat that it was time for me to quit my job of over a decade and follow my dream of traveling the world.

When I returned home from Guatemala, I raised the bar in showing up for myself inside of my Word of the Year, Action. I went to the dentist and told her that my bite was bothering me. She referred me to an orthodontist whom she highly recommended (Dr. Ortega at White Rock Orthodontics). I immediately booked a consultation. During the consultation, I learned that I was in fact a candidate for Invisalign. Dr. Ortega was confident that I could continue to live my spontaneous lifestyle as a traveler while correcting my bite. He said it would be a long journey and take at least 2 to 2 1/2 years. After all, teeth, especially molars, don’t move overnight.

My fear was screaming at me that this was too long and wouldn’t work, but my intuition knew it was time.

I thought back to my initial orthodontist consult 3-4 years prior. Had I committed to the process then, I would’ve been finished now. I didn’t want to wait another 4 years and be back in this same place with no action. So, on August 22, 2017, I committed to getting Invisalign and going down the path to fixing my bite. I had no idea that by making this commitment I’d also be opening myself up to the longest and most beautiful lesson in patience. After the initial “getting used to having attachments on my teeth”, Invisalign became a part of my lifestyle. I learned to embrace my smile and work my life around appointments. In the past, I would’ve been self-conscious about showing my smile with attachments on my teeth, but I learned that most didn’t even notice it. It became a part of me. I modeled in at least a dozen photoshoots and continued to travel all over the world while stopping back in Dallas every 4 to 5 months to get new trays.

When I hit the 2.5-year mark, I was a little disheartened to learn that my molars still needed more time to move. I received a whole new box of trays starting back to tray 1 of 24. At the rate of changing trays every two weeks, I was looking at least another year. I had made it this far, what was another year? That was a statement I never would’ve embraced prior to this journey. I used to think a month was a long time and that a year was an eternity… oh how naive I was.

It was around this time that I had also started my business and was navigating the world of being my own boss and learning to charge for my services. I thought committing to a multi-year journey with my teeth was challenging. Starting my own business, however, there was no preparing me for this ride.

It’s one thing to enter into something knowing how long it will take; it’s another to enter into something blindly believing it’s going to take off right away.

There are a lot of romantic success stories that entrepreneurs share that suck the newbies in:

I just had my first $10,000 month!

I went from broke to rich just by putting myself out there.

I have more clients than I know what to do with.

I made $50,000 doing one event.

While these are legit scenarios among many service-based entrepreneurs, it is not a common narrative. What’s missing from these stories is the work behind the scenes and more importantly, the internal work that others rarely see. So, while I celebrate business owners who reach these milestones (and wish to achieve levels like this myself), the way the stories are often shared can be a bit disheartening to those of us who are still building and refining our message and offerings.

If I was to share any wisdom with wannabe or newbie entrepreneurs, it would be to have patience. Take things one step at a time. One day at a time. Trust in the process and learn from those who have been where you want to go.

It was frustrating to hear from my orthodontist that I’d have to wear my Invisalign for another year to a year and a half. I wanted to quit and held back tears in the chair when I learned again that it would be yet another 6 months. But, I was so grateful that he was honest with me and asked me to trust in the process and trust that it would be worth it.

This journey with Invisalign has had so many parallels to running a business.

Timing is not something that’s always so easily predictable. I learned during this process to let go of linear time and trust in divine timing. There was a deep knowing that the process with Invisalign was here to teach me patience in all areas of my life. It taught me to trust in divine timing with the launch of new offerings and services within my business.

Don’t compare your timing or results to others’ journeys. I’ve had several friends get Invisalign as adults and the process only took them 6 to 9 months. When I first considered going down the path of orthodontics, I thought it would only take 9 months because that’s what I had heard from so many. But that wasn’t the case for me. My situation was completely different than theirs and would take more time. There was no sense in comparing my timing to theirs because it was unique to me just as theirs was unique to them. The same is with business. These days they say it takes 18-24 months for the average business to make a profit. While some can get there quicker, don’t discount all of the navigating, refining, and planning that takes place in the beginning phases.

Release attachment to the how and when. When I learned that the process would be longer than 2.5 years with my teeth, I learned to let go of expectations and surrender to the process. I couldn’t force my teeth to move. They had to go at their own pace, just as I’ve had to learn to go at my own pace in business. In 2020, I was set to lead my first international retreat in Spain. This was a big and exciting step for me! And then the pandemic hit. My travels, this retreat, business, and offerings were put on hold. I had to learn to pivot, try on new offerings, and release control.

Just when you think you’re done, another path appears. I attribute much of my journey to climbing a mountain. The peak can look so close to you as you’re moving towards it. But just when you think you’ve reached the top, another hill or path appears. It’s not as close as it looked. So then you’re faced with a choice, do you keep going? Or, do you turn around and call it done? I could’ve told my orthodontist that I was done when I learned I had another 12 to 18 months to go. But I knew from experience that the journey to the top is worth it. It’s worth it to keep going. The lessons learned along the way are priceless.

Consistency is key. My teeth would not have moved had I not worn my trays daily and overnight. While I didn’t always follow the recommended wear of 22 hours per day, I never went a day or night without wearing my trays. It was not easy to commit to at first, but after weeks of establishing a routine, I got used to the consistency and began to see results with each new tray and each check-up. I’ve dabbled so much in my business trying on different services and offerings. I’ve not been the best at sending regular newsletters or following what the “experts” say you’re supposed to do to run a successful business. But I have continuously shown up through the good and the hard. I learned that My Why was the foundation (or the trays like with my Invisalign) for everything that I do. And no matter what is happening in my life, as long as I’m holding to My Why, I will continue to show up and be seen.

When you learn to fully surrender and embrace the process, things begin to shift.

At the end of 2020, I learned that I had another 7 to 8 months left with my Invisalign. And I knew there was no point in fighting it. After all, I had already made it this far. So I surrendered and accepted where I was. I remember declaring to my sister, “My business is going to take off when I'm done with my Invisalign.” While I was half-joking, I had this sense that things would shift when I finally learned to let go of control, trust, and be patient.

I wanted to give up many times with my Invisalign. Just like I’ve wanted to give up many times with my business. I’ve gone through the common cycle that many entrepreneurs face of wanting to quit and find a regular job. Yet, something keeps me on this path. There’s a deep knowing within that I’m meant to keep climbing. I’ve come a long way on this journey. The pandemic showed me that I am capable of slowing down and being in one place for a time. It taught me that it’s okay to try on different avenues and embrace all of the many skills I have. It’s taught me to ask for support and open up to receiving. I’ve had to ask many friends and my sister and her husband to support me several times in the last year with money for bills and, at times, food. It has not been easy to ask, but it has been so humbling to receive.

It’s been my greatest lesson in patience. When I finally surrendered to the process, I let go of attachment to the end. At the beginning of June 2021, I went in for what I thought was a normal checkup for my Invisalign to learn that it was actually the day to have my attachments removed and be fitted for a permanent retainer.

Letting go of attachment allowed me to reach the finish line.

And guess what? My declaration has started to show evidence of the payoff from being patient. Last year, I applied for a grant with the Small Business Association (SBA) for Covid relief, and I was denied. I applied for unemployment and again, I was denied. I didn’t earn enough to be considered.

Last week, I went in for a 6-week follow-up for my permanent retainer. It was my final appointment for this leg of the journey. Everyone cheered me on and congratulated me as I walked out of the building. And at that moment, I knew. Things finally were shifting.

I reapplied several weeks ago for an EIDL Covid Relief grant through the SBA. Monday, I woke up to find a generous sum of money in my account.

While I did receive a large portion of money overnight, the work that went into being patient, trusting, and surrendering to the process did not happen overnight.

I wasn’t ready to get orthodontics when I first went in for a consultation. I was meant to go on this 4-year journey at this time in my life. And the same is with the grant money. Had I gotten the money last year when I first applied, I would’ve used it to escape rather than face my pain.

Patience is a beautiful teacher and one of the most challenging lessons we will ever learn.

Where in your life are you afraid to start out of fear of how long the process will take?

Where in your life are you wanting to speed up the process to be done rather than soak in the journey?

Where in your life are you wanting to quit because it’s gotten too hard or you simply can’t wait any longer?

Where in your life are you comparing your timing and your journey to others’ stories rather than embracing your pace?

I invite you to reflect on these questions and see what arises. And if you find yourself desiring support, reach out to me. I created a new customized program to support you with where you are now that is designed to fit how you best operate. Send me a message or schedule a curiosity call to learn more.

#invisalign #patience #patient #life lessons #trust #surrender #business #entrepreneur #solopreneur

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wanderingaunt · 4 years ago

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𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐅𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬? My friend and colleague, @darlaledoux , (think spiritual healer meets business guru) has a new book out TODAY: Shift the field: how to deliver the transformation your clients crave while unlocking the magic you were born to share. Darla has worked with thousands of entrepreneurs and business owners, and knows what works and what doesn’t when it comes to a transformational business – especially for spirit-led entrepreneurs. This book teaches a structure she’s developed to help them (and herself) be more effective in the work of transformation. It marries business model with intuitive magic. If you order TODAY or tomorrow (April 12 – 13), you can enter into a drawing for some amazing prizes! She’s even giving away time with her in a drawing this week! 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐢𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞. (at Dallas, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNk3kWhHPwm/?igshid=176m6tyj0b3w9

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wanderingaunt · 4 years ago

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Look at yourself in the mirror and say aloud, “I see you. You are brave. You have gone through a lot, and you have grown wiser and stronger. I respect you. I love who you choose to Be.” Love Your Inner Goddess Warrior Spirit Warrior Be Brave and True @alana_fairchild https://www.instagram.com/p/CMkGh4LngXR/?igshid=1o5atvojlsd4

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wanderingaunt · 4 years ago

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Shining in my power necklace + red lipstick for another successful summit with Ladies Power Lunch! I was honored to be one of the speakers at this incredible summit and share about authenticity and self-love as a success in any season. I’m grateful to @drdaviashepherd and her team for creating this inspiring event. ✨ (at Dallas, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMdFawcn9xX/?igshid=12ucij5oqlls9

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wanderingaunt · 4 years ago

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What does vulnerability look like to you? As a society, we have been conditioned to hide our emotions. Men who show tears are seen as weak. Women who show anger or frustration are seen as out of control. On social media, we're conditioned to only post "pretty, put-together photos" that give a false sense of reality or impression to the world. What would it be like if we dropped the facade and allowed our authentic selves to be seen and acknowledged through the highs and the lows? What if there really is beauty in all of it? One year ago today, I stepped into my most raw and vulnerable photoshoot experience. I was heartbroken and wanted to document the beauty in pain. I contacted my dear friend Leslie Boren of @urbanphotochick and asked if she would be interested in photographing me nude. I had never done anything like this before so it was a big, bold step on many fronts for me. Leslie met this opportunity with grace, excitement, and ease. While this photoshoot was for my own healing, it also showed up as a way to show other women that it’s okay to be seen in pain, sadness, and heartbreak. We are often so afraid to be vulnerable and allow our pain, sadness, and upset or disappointment to be seen. I wanted to show that there is beauty and strength in all of it. I've shared some of these photos in various forms, and today, I wanted to share the story behind this photoshoot as well as some never-before-seen photos. I hope these photos offer some inspiration and strength for you in your own journey. Know that wherever you are and whatever you're going through, I see you. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are strong. View more photos & read the full story at https://www.wanderingaunt.com/vulnerability-photoshoot If you are inspired by this photoshoot (or any of my photoshoots on my site), I'd love to connect and support you in creating your own photoshoot that fully captures your own essence and beauty. Send me a DM to learn more. (at Dallas, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMSxb85H-8Z/?igshid=7bb6zscjfi18

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wanderingaunt · 5 years ago

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Hi! I’m Robin. Whether you’re new to following me or have been following me for a while (and want to know more about what I do), allow me to introduce myself. 💫I consider myself a “Jane of all Trades”. I wear a lot of hats and live for meaningful experiences. As an Enneagram 7 and Manifesting Generator Human Design, I am constantly evolving, trying on new experiences, hair colors, traveling to new places, and I’m rarely short on ideas. 💫I believe at the core of every human being we all want to be seen and heard. 💫Being seen is at the essence of all of my work. 💫I create safe and inspiring spaces for people to connect to themselves and others on a deeper level through: ✨ Oracle Card Readings ✨ Girl’s Night Inward Oracle Parties ✨ 1:1 Deep Clarity Sessions ✨ Online Courses (current focus: Intro to Oracle Cards) ✨ Coaching ✨ VIP Photoshoot Experiences ✨ Writing (subscribe to my blog) 💫In 2020, I pulled Oracle cards for more than 100 people. The messages were almost always spot on and exactly what the person needed to hear. Oracle cards allow others to be seen and validated. 💫Every week I go Live on social media to pull an Oracle Card or share an inspirational message for Wisdom Wednesday. 💫I love supporting others in receiving clarity and allowing their beautiful authentic selves to be seen. 💫Check out my Stories each day for a behind the scenes look at business offerings, being a nomad / live-in auntie, intuitive cook, world traveler (on a long pause during Covid), model, and writer. If you’re wanting more clarity in an area of life important to you or decision you’re facing, or if you’ve been curious about Oracle Cards and learning how to access your intuition, I would love to support you. Send me a message or visit my website (link in profile). Let’s connect. ✨ P.S. Thanks to @kinome.at.sweethairspace for my rockin new hair color. (at Dallas, Texas) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKhreYsHVsq/?igshid=13a5x5dr9s1ui

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wanderingaunt · 5 years ago

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𝗖𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 - New Blog Why do we hang on to things when we know it’s time to let go? Are we attached to the item itself or what it represents? I recently purchased a new water bottle after hanging on to my old one for far too long. It was dented, bruised, and hanging by a thread. It’s been clear for a while that it’s time to get a new bottle, yet I was clutching onto the memories that the bottle held. I was afraid that by letting go, I would also be letting go of all of the adventures and this pivotal time in my life. Read more & share your thoughts at https://www.wanderingaunt.com/blog/clutching-old-water-bottles https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ9PkwwHBEO/?igshid=sqa9q3j4teni

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wanderingaunt · 5 years ago

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Clutching Old Water Bottles

Wanting more for your future is not a betrayal of your past. - Danielle LaPorte, Truth Bomb

Why do we hang on to things when we know it’s time to let go? Are we attached to the item itself or what it represents?

For my 33rd birthday, my dear friend Kortney gifted me with a Hydro Flask® water bottle. She picked a beautiful turquoise color perfectly suited to my style. If you’ve known me for a while, then you know that I’m rarely without a water bottle in hand. One of my friends once said that I’ll be clutching my water bottle when I die.

While that’s a silly thought, the sentiment behind it is true.

This particular bottle, though, holds such great meaning for me. It represents the start of my nomadic journey. It was with me when I quit my career of 11 years, and with me when I set foot in Australia signaling the start of a new chapter in life. It’s traveled with me to 20 countries across 6 continents. It served as a vessel to support me in staying hydrated, and as a symbol of comfort to clutch in times of discomfort.

There was one time I landed back in Dallas after traveling on a long journey. I was tired and ready to be in bed. I stopped in the bathroom as I deported. As I exited security, I immediately felt something was missing. My water bottle. I had left it in the bathroom stall! Like a child who loses their favorite stuffed animal or blanket, I had lost my own security blanket. I ran back to the TSA desk panicked and asked if there was any way I could go back through and get my bottle. I told them I knew it sounded silly, but this bottle was sentimental and had a great story to tell. The agent wouldn’t let me go back but phoned on the radio for a female agent to go into the bathroom and find it. I stood there waiting anxiously. A few minutes later, I saw a woman inching towards me holding my bright turquoise water bottle. She had a big smile on her face and told me I’d be surprised what all she’s collected. She was happy to return this dented, worn-in water bottle to me. There have been a couple of other instances where I’ve left it somewhere only to be reunited with it again.

It always seems to find its way back to me.

I’ve dropped my bottle so many times. It’s dented all over the bottom and stands rocky on a flat surface. One of the metal screws popped out of the cap and got lost along the way. Yet, I’ve continued to carry this bottle with me. Although it’s bruised and full of battle scars, my bottle is still functional. It stills serves its purpose as a vessel for holding water. It serves as a reminder of my journey.

But, at what point do you say or know, “It’s time to move on. You’ve served your purpose. You’ve taught me all you’ve needed to teach me. And now, it’s time to let you go?”

When do you stop “putting up with” and honor yourself and the item (or person) and move on?

I could fix my bottle. I could get a rubber cap to place on the bottom so my bottle stands steady again. I could buy a new lid that’s intact and not broken. I could hold on to it a little longer.

Not everything is meant to be fixed.

The other day I noticed a smell inside my bottle even after washing it. I washed it again, scrubbed it harder, got more under the rim, and the smell still lingered. Washing it again and again, or patching it to buy it more time is not going to restore it to its original state.

It’s time to part ways. It’s given me so much and now it’s time for a new vessel.

While this may be about a water bottle, there is a deeper essence that translates to other areas in life. We all have something we’ve outgrown or that’s outgrown us that’s begging to be freed. No matter how many times we repair it, it won’t be the same.

We either grow with it or we outgrow it.

There’s a fear that if we let go, we’ll lose all of the memories associated with the person or object. There won’t be something or someone as good as the original. Or there’s the fear that if we let go, nothing else will fill its place. Perhaps we’re afraid of betraying the other thing if we move on and replace it?

Wanting a new functioning water bottle does not take away the memories from the old one. It’s still a part of my story and will serve as an adventurous memory.

I finally gave myself permission to buy a new water bottle. It’s a beautiful pink vessel that is ready for new memories and adventures. My old turquoise bottle served a deep purpose and now it’s time to let it go and allow for the new to come.

Who or what are you holding onto in hopes that it can be fixed? Or, holding onto out of fear that it won’t be replaced or as good as the current one?

What would open up for you by letting go?

Perhaps you have your own water bottle that needs to be replaced. Or perhaps, you’re holding onto the memories of a former lover and the thought of starting again is scary. Or you’re ready for a new job or career and are afraid to betray the people you work with. Whatever it is for you, take some time to sit with it and write out all of your fears around it (what you’re afraid will happen, all the what if’s, etc). Then take some time to envision what it would be like to step into a new space. Allow yourself to feel all of it, and know that F.E.A.R is just an illusion.

#let go #letting go #fear #memories

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