The Re-Entry: Meeting Who We Are Now

It has been over two months since I last landed in your inbox. 

I intentionally stepped away from the constant pull of creating, producing, and screens. Not because I did not have anything to say, but rather I intuitively knew that my heart and soul needed a pause from the constant output.

I absolutely missed this channel of communication with you all. It has become a sacred and important piece of my life and work puzzle and one that I value immensely.  

What I am realizing as I have now started and re-started this letter is that quite often the re-entry can feel foreign, uncomfortable, sticky…and it is easy to overthink the process rather than just feel the natural unfolding. 

It is common to try and force things to emerge when we have stepped away from something in our lives. Yet I keep receiving the same message loud and clear that there is unequivocally no forcing. 

Rather, when we gift ourselves with a break from anything we are accustomed to doing, it is critical to drop into our bodies and the present moment, to really feel our trajectory forward, and to allow what is ready to reveal itself rather than dictating it. 

The re-entry doesn't ask us to pick up where we left off. 

It invites us to meet who we are now. 

As I begin this slow and mindful re-entry, I wanted to reconnect as I believe authentic connection is one of the greatest balms for these tumultuous times.

One of the most meaningful gifts of this pause was returning to my roots in the Midwest—a journey that unexpectedly stirred something awake in me. 

Surrounded by family, dear friends, loads of hugs and laughter, music that has shaped my life for decades, and the simple rhythm of days that weren't guided by productivity, I felt myself exhale in a way I don't think I have since before becoming a mother nearly eighteen years ago. 

It felt less like discovering something new and more like remembering and reclaiming a part of myself that had been lying dormant for a very long time. 

As I circulated myself in other parts of the country in various communities—in midst of millions of humans in the big city of Chicago, the spaciousness of the flatlands of Indiana, the lushness of Wisconsin, and at the 5 Phish shows that I attended—a message landed deep in me about my mission on the planet at this juncture of time. 

I genuinely want to leave interactions with my fellow humans allowing them to feel better than before we crossed paths—to help them to remember that they are not alone—even if it is just a fleeting moment of ease, joy, confidence, witness, value, love…connection. 

Allowing the space to be human…together. 

I feel so strongly how crucial it is for me to be a beacon of light in the world — to help others feel seen, even for a microsecond of interaction. To spread kindness, encourage presence, make eye contact, ask questions, or even just a genuine smile that could gift someone with a moment of relating that they have been needing. 

The outside world is dark on many levels as the cobwebs of society continue to reveal themselves. So many have gone through massive amounts of loss, upheaval, trauma, and deep disconnect these past years. 

As we rebuild in our communities, continuously locate our tribe for the journey, do our own personal work to reveal who we are NOW…these micro-moments of authenticity, of joy and love, of mutual appreciation and celebration, and, most importantly,each of us being exactly who we are is so critical to the healing of the planet on the whole. 

We can remember that in midst of the darkness and disconnect that there are so many human beings doing their absolute best to show up in their lives every day with integrity and alignment, with compassion and empathy, and with a commitment to their individual and collective healing.

That is what feels so important to me at this middle-aged time of my life. 

If I can continuously create the spaces and opportunities for my fellow humans to feel seen, heard, valued, loved, appreciated, and deeply witnessed on their life journeys — my life feels purposeful. 

This is certainly not limited to my programs and 1:1 sessions, but extends to the mundane moments of interaction that we all share.

With the grocery store clerk, the person sitting next to you at a concert, those waiting in lines in front or behind you, those we see on trails or walks. It doesn’t take much. A simple gesture of a smile or a hello or good morning can be so impactful. 

So many themes and moments of awareness emerged in my pause that I would love to share in the right moment. 

What I do want to leave you with is this…

There is an immense amount of harm, hurt, hatred, violence, discrimination, and overall dysfunction running in the veins of this country and beyond. 

Can we choose, every day, to truly show up in the best way that we have the capacity for?

Can we choose, every day, to greet each other with love and reverence? 

Can we choose, every day, to move through our lives with presence and intention? 

And, on the days where we just simply cannot… We remember that we are human, living human lives, and that means that we must give ourselves grace in our fumbles. Pour on the compassion for our own humanness so as to continue to do so for each other.

It is good to be back online. 

I would genuinely love to hear how you are and what has been bubbling for you!

I hope your summer offered you moments that reminded you of what matters most. 

Moments that invited you to slow down, breathe a little deeper, and remember what an extraordinary privilege it is to be here.