If you consider yourself a disrupter or an aspiring disrupter, you need to check out the disruptors Leadership Academy which starts on August 13. That was created by yours truly and my bad ass colleague dei consultant Abriola Bala. This 12 session online program is for leaders, professionals, and those committed to interrupting oppressive systems in their work and care to learn, unlearn, and relearn what it means to disrupt and dismantle beyond performative actions. Explore sustainable methods that maximize impact and minimize burnout and uplift their self care in a manner that will support their labor and healing. We created the disruptors Leadership Academy because we know how lonely and how deep the burnout can be. And yet this work in a sustainable way is necessary in the workplace. Whether you are an employee in an organization or are self employed, the disruptors Leadership Academy is here to hold you and guide you through, get the program information and apply at HTTPS, colon, slash, slash bit.ly/dla. To zero to three. You're listening to the human in podcast with real conversations as we call bullshit. On everything capitalism, the patriarchy and white supremacy culture has duped us into believing about self care, mental health, fitness, wellness and all things life. I am Steff Gallante, and I created this show to support badass people doing solidarity work in pursuit of disrupting these systems in their lives and communities. Together, we'll discuss how systems of oppression are keeping us unwell, and disconnected from ourselves and each other, and how to best support you in creating more aligned self care practices that will help you human more easily. It's the shit we need to talk about. Hey, Hey, friend, how is life landing for you today? Here in central New Jersey, it has been unseasonably hot, as I'm hearing though, is the case for many places throughout the US not sure about where you are. Since the beginning of July, we've had the weather that we normally see at the end of July, temperatures in the 80s, the high 80s and into the 90s. And it's been humid as hell. And I've also been, you know, feeling the heat internally with some of my own feelings and the shit that I'm processing. I think I shared a little bit with you last episode about that. So I'll spare you. But also just feeling grateful for the support via tools and people close to me who can help to help me to manage all of it. So I'm hoping that you have been uncovering tools that support you to that resource you people and things and places. And I encourage you to continue exploring what those look like because no two situations are the same. And we need as many options as possible. Ones that are easily to find and also that don't cost any money. So friend, keep going. Before I get started with the shit that we need to talk about today, in case you missed the content warning in the show notes I wanted to make sure to note here. In this episode, we are going to be having a real conversation about exercise that is bound to touch on some areas of life that you have lots or big feelings about. And it may even bring up some past tough experiences because I'm going to be calling out a lot of shit today that's wrong in the fitness of wellness industry, and how it fucks with our mental and emotional health, how it promotes dieting, fuels, disordered eating, and body dysmorphia, and disconnects us from ourselves in the worst ways possible. So feel free to come back to this episode at a later date if this would not be a helpful conversation for you to hear today. Or feel free to skip it altogether. Because your health and well being matters the most to me. So let me get into it. Here's the problem and the shit that we need to talk about exercise, which is one of America's greatest obsessions. I mean interests, but I don't really the sarcasm is freely flowing today. Did you know that according to the Googler and friend, please No I did not put my official researcher hat on for these stats. The fitness industry revenue in 2021 was $33.25 billion in the US alone. And in case you're wondering, it's about $80 billion worldwide. In the United States, around 64 million Americans hold gym memberships. And in case you're wondering about the demographics, according to one article, I read 66% of those Americans that hold gym memberships are white 12% fall into the black and Hispanic category, I know that the categories of these are very cringy 7%, aged Asian and 1.4% other. But between now and 2028, it is estimated that the fitness industry is expected to grow 171.75% To 434 point $74 billion. What is that in five years time? So, friends, what we need to agree on is that the fitness and wellness industry is another one where capitalism and white supremacy culture are alive and well. And it is in fact those systems that nourish and nurture the deep and messy root system of the fitness industry. Period. And while the fitness and wellness wellness industry pushes us to exercise in the name of health, quote unquote, health, what it has turned into for many, and I say this next word very intentionally, is an exorcism. Now I know this might seem extreme at first, but I'm being 100% for it, because you all know, I am dramatic as they come. And I also love a good, what's the word? You know, dramatization, little extra. I love it all. But here's where I'm being 100%. For real, because Hear me out. Often what drives people to exercise, or push harder in exercise is some problematic feeling, or situation they're trying to escape or drive out. Whether that is anger, anxiety, fear, feeling, not enough wishing to be different, better, more of this and less of that. And all of that comes from white supremacy culture. As always, friends, remember, I am not throwing judgment or shade around here, not to you. But I, if anything that I say from here on out feels like I'm calling you out? No, it's not you. It is the system that I'm calling out and it is the system's fault and is the system's fault why you feel this way. And I'm going to continue to call out a bunch of shit today. That's problematic. So let's be real right now. Have you ever heard someone say this? Or maybe said it yourself? I actually I absolutely have said this many times. Here's the statement. I'm feeling so an insert your quote unquote bad feeling or hard feeling because you know, we like to label feelings bad or good, right? Insert the bad feeling. I'm gonna go run it out or hit the gym or do cardio or lift to get it out. Like just get it out. And I know I'll feel so much better afterward. Now, of course, I'll believe you if you say you never have because maybe that's not you. And if this is you like it was for me for so many years. A friendly reminder friend, it is not you it is not us. It is a system. And by the way, we are not alone in this. I've got more questions for you on the exorcism front. How often do you angry walk to deal with some shit you're frustrated about? I do it all the damn time? How often does a sweaty cardio session help you to deal with anxiety or feeling over something? How much better do you feel after throwing weights around or equipment around in the string in a strength training session to get some of your aggression or frustration out? Then you might say you might be saying to yourself but stuff like I love exercise and it's definitely a big part in my emotional health. Right in the upkeep of that, in fact is one of my most trusty coping mechanisms. Now you and I have not all knocking this because exercise is a fantastic tool for supporting and supporting emotional mental health. 100% I am not arguing that. And really multiple truths exist here.
White supremacy culture and capitalism don't like us to say that but it's true. So here's one exercise can feel so good or make us feel so good after due to the release of endorphins period, we cannot negotiate that that is 100% Truth. Number two, engaging in exercise on a regular basis for sure leads to other health supportive practice health supportive practices, like socializing, eating nutritious meals, getting outside, try new things, to name a few things, right, but so many more things. Number three exercise helps to limit symptoms of or reduce the onset of health conditions. It helps to relieve stress, it helps to support mental and emotional health and also helps us to cope. Yes, these are all true. And what is also true is exercise is often used as what I call an only coping mechanism. And what I mean by this is the method of using exercise as the only coping mechanism when you are feeling big ass emotions or dealing with hard ass stuff. And not using any other support tools like therapy, or journaling or breathing just to name a few to work through your emotions. It's like you're just hanging on right? Trying to just manage yourself. exhausting yourself while you're doing it or avoiding yourself completely until you can get to that session. And then essentially, exercise is used as a way to get the emotion out as in release it or loosen its grip. And often this is through exercise that is basically at a punishing level. So that the emotion that you are kind of wanting to exercise exercise like an exorcism, so that you get enough of it out so that it's just manageable enough to carry around in your imaginary backpack of the shit you've experienced, but have not dealt with completely and made your way through. And also, by the way, unable to let go of it. Because friends, don't we, some of us love to hang on to the shit that has happened the shit that is hard. We have a hard time letting it go. Right? We have a hard time freeing ourselves of it. And basically through all this, we avoid dealing with the issue at hand. And I don't mean just one time or one heart issue. The reality is exercise is the avenue for avoiding ongoing issues for some people. And by some people. I mean, absolutely me, this has been me, this person we are talking about friends, it has been me. So please know that if you're like fuck stuff, like I feel like you're calling me out or like who is this person it exists, this person exists. And it's more people than you think. Exercise has become a numbing agent, just like alcohol drugs. And I am not please No, I am not Pooh poohing any of these. But when we are consistently using alcohol or drugs or sex or food or any other activity or thing to avoid or to numb or to not deal with shit that is problematic. Ongoing, it is problematic. Because what happens then is the emotions and the situations persist, sometimes getting harder to deal with and often end up affecting and infecting other situations. It's a vicious cycle, and it's not working and it's fucking harmful. I know that was a lot, feel free to pause before you come back to the rest of this. Exercise can also exist in the realm of unhealthy and obsessive behavior, which you know that already. But when we think of that, we often think of the most extreme cases. And yes, those are real and those are valid. However, friends, I need to shine a light on some other unhealthy and obsessive behaviors that friend again, you might be doing these things and it is not your fault. This is what we have been taught to do. Whether literally by direction or because this is what we see in mainstream America and we're like oh fuck I need to be doing that do so maintaining rigid schedules and expectations of ourselves, like rigid expectations, engaging, engaging in restrictive or even disordered eating, body shaming, having low self esteem, feeling, fearing fearing failure, or relapse as in like back to a previous weight or back to a previous size. The list goes on here. And you cannot tell me I cannot believe that one of these has not come up for you at some point, right that someone has offered that to you. Right. And I'm not even going to go through all of the statements because they would be in incredibly harmful. I don't need to say them for you. And if this has not happened to you, I'm so happy But you probably know somebody who has happened to or who does have these thoughts or feelings, right? If it's not you, it's someone else and someone else you know. Now when it comes to exercise, typically people have a routine. Some people might even call it a regimen or a plan. But friends, if we call a spade a spade, it is usually rigid as hell. There are people who are following plans from their group xx, instructors, their personal trainers, or coaches, YouTube, their friends, whatever the latest social media or magazine highlight is, and they're following it to a tee or trying to. But then there's shame about workouts that are missed, and people will tear themselves down if they can't keep up with whatever the program is, or they push themselves to the brink to finally do it, quote, unquote, how it's supposed to be done. And let me ask you, when you reach the goal, what happens next? What happens then? Are you feeling confident, accomplished, proud, and do these feelings transfer over to other areas of your life, or friend, listen, hear, hear it out, is that little voice in the back of your head still got you feeling like you are not enough in some way, not thin enough, not fit enough, not strong enough, not successful enough, not capable enough, not focused enough, not committed enough, something else that you're not enough of. Because in some sick way, exercise has become a metric for how enough you are and of course, also stupidly an indicator of how health conscious you are, and how committed to success you are not just an exercise, but in any area of your life. As if not punishing yourself with exercise or holding a rigid pattern of weekly exercise means you just don't care enough. If you are not holding that rigid pattern of weekly exercise, it means you don't care enough about anything. That's essentially what society is telling us. blatantly and also sometimes in not so many words, friends, it's a whole fucking mess. And I've got to be honest, the examples that I've listed aren't the extreme cases only it is happening widespread amongst everyday people who do not on the outside look like they have some sort of disorder or obsessive tendency that you might imagine that society has these stereotypes looking like now I'm not sure if you know and this is probably pretty late in the game to be saying this but I've worked in the fitness and wellness industry in some capacity my entire career. And that does not mean that you know because of that you should you know that kind of places me in a place of like power and all knowing no, I'm saying this because I'm talking to how long I have seen this shit and how widely I've seen this shit. I started working in the in the industry when I was 19 years old in undergrad, privileged to be able to go to college. Working as a fitness assistant in the Livingston College rec center at Rutgers University Livingston College is no more
here in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and I supervised the gym to make sure everybody was safe while they worked out. I won't bore you with all the details of my windy career because it was very windy husband, I should say it's probably not gonna stop. But I'll give you the basic just in case I've piqued your interest. So basically for the last 20 years, I've held various roles including personal trainer, Group X instructor, I've taught nearly everything under the sun except for kickboxing step and cycle. I have finished I am still a Certified Strength and conditioning coach. When I was in grad school at Temple I worked as a student strength coach. This was between 22,004 and 2006. And the case basketball is your thing. Yes, I worked at that time with the women's basketball team and met coach Staley numerous times. Talk about a badass. And then I worked professionally as a sports performance coach after I graduated from grad school. And that was with athletes that ranged in age from and level from youth like as young as five all the way up to semi professional athletes. I've also worked as a group X manager and a new instructor mentor, I've managed a fitness center. I have been a yoga teacher in gym atmospheres as well as for some athletic teams at Rutgers. And I'm also an instructor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health for Rutgers University. And I teach two courses. One is cardiovascular conditioning where I get to teach the students all about like general exercise and well being information. I also debunk a lot of the myths out there and I also teach another call course called exercise and relaxation, where I get to teach the students about yoga philosophy and I avetta and stress relief techniques to help them navigate college and everyday Life. And so my career really has run the gamut of most of the things that you can do in this industry. Also, for nearly 20 years, I was the person cheering you on, or some other person you know, on in fitness classes, pushing you, low key shaming you under the guise of encouragement and motivation for you to make the quote unquote, healthy choices, and push your body beyond its limits in the name of love. While also living in my own personal hell constantly fixated on how I looked, what size I wore, how my clothes fit, what I ate, how hard I could make my workouts, all in the name of being healthy fit, and also fitting the stereotype of a fitness professional. And guess what, it was miserable, and also unsustainable. And for me anyway, I can't say for everybody. As many of you know, at the end of 2017, my life completely was turned upside down in the blink of an eye when I lost my aunt unexpectedly. And prior to that, I was already in a hard place for a couple of years struggling to be a parent of two kids under three, work full time meet the ridiculous standards and stereotypes of a fitness professional, mom, wife and successful human after a pretty epic downward spiral, through the grief and the fallout of just the way my life was unmanageable. In all of these roles, I was able to find a way through it and was able to get help and start helping myself. I turned my life right side up again, by basically questioning and dismantling everything I was doing that wasn't working. And in 2019, I left my full time job as my last big step in the process. I needed that space to continue the next leg of my journey and what a blessing it's been, especially in terms of starting my business, and using my gifts, and personal and professional experiences in a much different way. But what I did not foresee was the next big challenge that would arise, which is my breakup with the mainstream fitness and wellness industry. So in 2022, I finally reached a breaking point that I didn't even know was coming. Right? I had been upholding for 20 years, the restricting punishing crappy ass messaging that is so prevalent in the fitness and wellness industry, all of it. And I was tired of guilting and shaming myself into workouts, into meals into clothes into ways of life that didn't feel aligned, I was tired of the numbers game, I was tired of peddling all of the messaging. So for the first half of 2022, I did something really drastic, I didn't work out unless I was teaching a class. I literally stepped away from it. There was a time there was there was never a time I should say there was never a time when I had ever done that before. And there was a time where I would have thought I was literally just completely what is a non ableist word? Just questioning my behavior because I would have thought to not work out would be just so wild. How ridiculous is that? Right? Even after two pregnancy, some major surgeries like once I was clear to exercise I've always exercised. But the truth was I needed a break. almost 20 years is a long ass time. I needed to reevaluate my relationship with exercise. And the thing is, I love moving my body. But I don't love guilt and shame. And I don't have the capacity to deal with that anymore. I just don't and I have to be honest with you. I mean, for me, with exercise and that need to be fit and healthy and thin. You know it I think it came from a lot of things. And one of the big pieces was, you know, with with living, where I grew up in an all white town, and you know, always being othered and not enough or too much. In the back of my mind was a poem thin enough they'll accept me if I'm thin enough, I'll be smart enough. I'm thin enough or I look fit enough I'll look the part and people will think I'm worthy.
So for the last half of 2022 and then into this year 2023. I explored a looser schedule and really feeling into myself and what felt aligned for that day and I have to say this also, I am in I understand a very privileged place of having the knowledge of exercise like in terms of like how to program things and I understand that, and I and I recognize that, right? At the same time, I still do believe that you can do this, maybe not on your own, you may need somebody to help you, right? But still it, it changed my life. I have a feeling it might change yours too, if any of this resonates with you, probably around April of this year. So I started to get back into a bit more of a regular routine of lifting like two to three times a week doing yoga asana, maybe one or two times a week and walking most days I did cart I do cardio through Zumba. And it's been a weird, erratic and also really beautiful process because my workouts are no longer something I just crossed off the to do list. So that could feel accomplished. Right? Or, and if not something, you know, my workouts are not Now something I do so that I can eat certain things. Yes, my weight and my size have changed not drastically, which is what the industry would have you believe. And it's funny, because now with less rigidity, I feel more in control, happier connected to myself and stronger. There are still of course some things that I cannot do, but I get injured way less. And I just feel better about myself and I feel better out of my after my workouts. So please understand, though I am not by any means saying don't have goals, standards or structure. Yes, have those things, but on your terms informed by messaging that is not based on fear, scarcity, perfectionism, which, by the way, is a construct of white supremacy culture. And, you know, also not messaging that's based on something that's misaligned for you. Right, also not according to size, calorie intake, or professional status, that society dictates as right as or successful. And so friend, while you may feel the need to shift some things or grow in certain ways, it's not make sure it's not because you're not coming to exercise, because you feel you're too little of this or too much of that in terms of society standards. And absolutely make sure it's not because you are feeling like you're broken or not enough, because that's bullshit. So my advice to you is support yourself rather than should yourself when it comes to exercise, and love yourself through exercise not in that gross, it's got to hurt or be ridiculous to be effective kind of way, move your body daily simply for the purpose of moving your body, then that could be in many different ways. It could be something that pushes your limits or it could be something restorative, it could be something in between. You don't have to punish yourself all the time. Second, implore methods of exercise that you find to be fun, or at least not completely awful, because there are a ton of options out there. Like I don't like to run. I fucking hate cardio, but I love dance. So I get my cardio in Zumba. And there were a lot of people who would say that that's not enough, but I don't give a shit. I'll ride my bike, I'll swim, but I refuse to go and pound the pavement running because I don't like to do it. And by the way, runners out there. Tell me about that runner hot runners. Hi, let me see you smile when you run because I don't usually pass people who look like they're very happy running, so you're not going to convince me it's fun. Third, you do not have to use exercise as a vehicle for eating or drinking something sweet or quote unquote indulgent. You do not have to have to earn the right to consume calories and you are not lazy. If you miss a workout or didn't make time for it. You are not lazy if you decide to like also eating I'm going to get to this in another episode. So I'm not going to go down the rabbit hole here. But can we just stop with the mess that is eating healthy labeling? Oh, gosh. Okay, let me pause there. Some of the biggest guidance I have today has to do with Ayurveda and shifting the way you exercise based on the season, this is probably gonna be very new to you. Because it's really not a part of mainstream Western culture. As you know, if you've been listening to the show for a few weeks, our needs change with the season based on the characteristics of the season, nature season and how they affect us. And while in mainstream fitness, we tend to change the workout from a gains or goals focus, some fit something I've been exploring the last few years is adjusting the workout based on the season and home feeling. So from an Ayurvedic perspective, six to 10am and six to 10pm are the best times for exercise to kind of bring balance to that Kapha energy, that slower moving energy of the day. And in the summer, the morning is best since it's coolest. And of course, by the way, you this is not rigid. It's okay if you have to exercise outside of these windows. It's okay. Summer is a great time for exercise. But keep in mind that due to the heat, maybe you adjust your intensity to not push beyond 50 to 70% so that you don't overheat. Now I know especially in American standards, that statement may warrant some sort of side eye or scowl from you. I get it. American Fitness is all about pushing as hard as possible at all times. Which is why when we have a shit workout because we weren't into it in the first place. We feel bad about ourselves. Right? But the reality is in the summertime we need to keep cool from the inside out. And because Pitta energy loves to push that put the energy with that govern summer, right loves to push loves it. So we need to balance it with intensity, right by taking it down a little bit. You might feel resistance to this, I get it, I encourage you to explore that. Right. And if you're not quite down right now with adjusting the intensity, then do me a favor and be sure to take a bunch more time to cool down from your workout, you should be doing that anyway in the summer. But especially if you are taking that intensity way up, you've got to include more time, getting that heart rate down, getting the blood pressure down, allowing yourself to come back to your homeostasis. Friend beyond this, be sure you're dealing with all your shit otherwise, because we've got to keep cool Mel in the summer, we've got to reset and repair for repair, and reset and also prepare for the rest of the year. Because we've got fall, the end of summer, we've got the rest of fall the beginning of winter coming. So you cannot burn everything down and go into the fall without being resourced in the way you need. Now another key for summer in any season really is to pay attention to your energy and adjust the workout accordingly. This might be based on low energy medium or high. This also is and more so is in the type of energy you're feeling grounded versus unsettled, even tempered versus agitated, mellow versus lethargic. So if you are feeling if if say in the summertime, it's hot and sunny or you are feeling hot, critical, angry or like a steamroller, just kind of crushing everything in your path. What is going to be supportive as a light hearted yoga practice or exercise that does not push you to the limits because what that's going to do is if you do push your limits, it's just going to exacerbate that hot critical angry steamrolling feeling that you've got. So you want to balance it with your exercise. On the days where vata energy is dominant whether and that can be in the summertime, right that mobile expansive energy. Or if you are feeling worried anxious or unsettled, then a supportive practice is going to be a more grounded and slow asana practice or less intense exercise, that maybe you stay in one exercise for a longer period of time versus switch switch switch switch through exercises quickly. On days where Kapha energy is dominant, this may be when it's rainy, or humid. In the wintertime, it's you know, when we're having snow and accumulation, or on cloudy days, or when you might be feeling unmotivated, deeply sad or lethargic, you can kind of lean into the Pitta and vata energy for like doing an invigorating practice of yoga or, you know, invigorating exercise to promote clarity and uplift energy for that day, but you just have to tune in. And this is what I encourage my clients to do, right? Because we cannot just blindly go into our workouts and push through ignoring the messages we're getting from our system saying I need it to be different today. Right, because American culture wants to do the same thing every single day in the name of consistency and discipline. But the reality is we are thinking breathing, living feeling humans and shit changes, life changes. And we've got to adjust that. Yes, sometimes we can push through sometimes we need to say, Buck up, buddy. But we do that all the damn time. Do we really need to do that in our exercise to like getting through the day and dealing with shit is enough? Do we have to do that in our exercise? I'm just asking you. The difference between the process that American culture offers us and I are Veta is to not exercise the feelings exercise as an exorcism exercise the feelings you're having but rather on or that they're they're bringing some balancing energy, right. In America, we're encouraged to get rid of the heart by any means necessary and are not encouraged or properly resourced to deal with the heart especially since the heart comes from systemic problems. But an eye or Veta we are encouraged to see the hard be with the hard meet the heart and work through the hard that includes disrupting the way that the systems are showing up. Right.
And now I have to say it's true when you're feeling high pitch energy hot, critical angry or high vata energy worried anger, anxious or unsettled. You might have to do some sort of physical movement to get out some of that really hot or really unsettled pieces before you can settle down. Yes, that is true. And the key is to not always have to do that. Meaning you're actively using other tools in your toolbox on a daily basis to help you manage your emotions so that you don't always have to x or size them from yourself when she It gets hard that you don't have to wait for the exercise to help you that you've got other tools that you're actively using. Now, my friend, I know that you might have to sit with a lot of what I've said today, maybe for a while to take it in, maybe you'll need to re listen to this episode, that is all okay? Because what I'm calling out here is not being talked up talked about enough. So it may be really new to you, and possibly very uncomfortable. And I encourage you to notice how you're feeling be curious about it and explore all of that, plus what you thought you knew or what you thought you believed, and begin to consider how white supremacy culture is showing up in your exercise routine, and your relationship with exercise. And if you're feeling like shit, we need to unpack this more you know where to find me in the holistic self care collective where we can work one to one to get some answers to your questions and begin to craft a more aligned way forward for your exercise routine and everything else you do. And work through mindset shifts that allow for a more loving, compassionate and fun way forward. And also friends stay tuned because we'll definitely be continuing to disrupt the harmful aspects of the fitness and wellness industry. In future episodes. I can't fucking wait. It's gonna be so good. So as always, I'm wondering, how can you use the teachings or what's coming up from you, for you from this episode to human more easily? And also to maybe support and hopefully uplift those in your community, especially those who are different from or hold identities more marginalized in your own? How can you use it to connect more authentically and deeply to your community to begin moving toward more of a mass mutual reliance and away from Western cultures, individualism society? How can you do that? In the meantime, of all of this, before we go, I need to remind you that the application deadline for the disruptors Leadership Academy is on August 4, because we begin on August 13. Brand, and we're taking applications for financial assistance through July 24. We encourage you to ask for what you need. We know often that pride is involved or shame is there for asking for assistance. But friends, we are disruptors. So if that is you, then I invite you to meet yourself there with compassion. disrupt that narrative. And keep in mind that we've opened funds to support you so that they can be used, we want to give them to you please apply for the assistance that you need. Now, I also want to speak to a barrier that has come up to us, me That's me and my colleague, Abdullah Bala who was the my co facilitator in this. And this has come from a few people who are interested in registering for the disruptors Leadership Academy DLA, but are encountering this barrier that they can't seem to get across. And some people have expressed that they feel like they don't have enough time to dedicate to the program, which we completely understand, right? Six months, you're like, Fuck, how am I going to do that? You know, bi weekly Sundays for two hours, how am I going to do that? Now, when it comes to this expression of like, I don't have enough time. It's typically not just the amount of time that's the issue when that's your bandwidth, right? But also your energy as in the gas tank is not full. And also maybe you don't have the type of energy that you know you want to have in order to enter this type of process. And also, it could be a capacity thing as in what you feel you're capable of doing with the time and energy you have. Friend, we get it completely and totally. So here's what we have to offer you to consider instead. If not now then when if you do not come to this, work this under this learning this unlearning this relearning in this way, right, because DLA is offering you a way that you most likely have an exploitable before, when will you? When will you have the time, energy and capacity that you feel is the proper amount to do this work in this way? When will you break the cycle you're on? If not now, when will you disrupt, dismantle and unpack the bullshit while deeply caring for yourself as you tear the bullshit all the way down and make the biggest impact? If not now, when will you breathe new life into breaking down dominant culture? If not now, when will you interrupt the oppressive systems in your work or your workplace with real impact and your self care on point? Because friend whatever is taking up your time and energy and living your capacity. You know once you get to the other side of it, the reality is there will be something else that comes up to replace it because that's how life life's when we are living within the systems of oppression. The heart is hard and does not stop being hard. So there is no best time. There is no waiting for this bad At her time at Viola and I created this program intentionally to be six months with bi weekly sessions so that the space is created for you to have time in session learning, and then a week or two in between to unlearn, and relearn and explore implementing new ways and have built in support to come back to in the form of me and viola, your guides, as well as your community of like minded people who are in the trenches with you to lean on to vent to and process with. We created the disruptors Leadership Academy to be six months so that we could meet you where you are, with the time energy and capacity you have right now, with the specific situations you're facing, and create time and space for you to meet all of that, we could have made this a two month program where we met once a week for an hour, those programs are out there, we've facilitated some of them ourselves, and they're fucking amazing all of it that's out there. And yet, we wanted to do something different because we didn't want to jam packed the information into each session or throw it all at you, in two months time for you to process and work through a loan. Because processing is a process, and this is a journey. And also, most importantly, that voice inside your head telling you that you don't have the time energy or capacity, it is entirely valid. It absolutely has some or lots of elements of truth to it. And I also lovingly have to point out that some of what it is that you're hearing that little voice say is the system talking. And it's rooted in perfectionism doing it right or having the energy to do big things in grand gestures. That's white supremacy culture. But the reality is, that is not what this process needs. This process needs you to come to it with all of your baggage with your tired with your mess. And when it comes to DLA Abdullah and I are there to meet you in all of that this process needs you to come to it with more questions than answers with the willingness to be absolutely imperfect. While embracing the mistakes you'll make and the backward steps you'll take and the standing in place you'll do. All of this is part of the process. It's the system, my friend that wants to keep you in this cycle that's not serving you, or the people that you want to uplift. It is a system that wants to keep you isolated in the work alone and you're feeling like you just don't have the bandwidth or the capacity to do it. Right alone without the deep support you need. It is a system that wants you to keep you overwhelmed that you are not effective in the work or feeling like you are just constantly spinning your wheels. Rather than getting the support you need to wade through the muck and create a clear path forward. This work of disrupting and dismantling how the systems are showing up in your work and care is an ongoing journey that does not have to lead to or exist in constant burnout or in a reactive mode all the time. It's about small, sustainable, yet entirely impactful steps and we are here to help you find your way and say fuck it all the way out of here to the grip that systems have on you, including in your disrupter work in your care for yourself. So my friend, all of that to say I encourage you, I invite you hell, I challenge you to take this next unnecessary step in your disruption of the systems in disrupting the narrative that the system has going on in your brain and hit the Apply button at https colon slash slash bi T dot L y slash dla 2023 That's HTTP HTTPS slash slash bit.ly Dash dla 2023 We cannot share wait to share this space with you, my friend until next time, please be kind and gentle to yourself just as you would those who are most precious to you. Whether that's a human animal, baby or a plant. I'd love to hear your thoughts about all of the support and guidance I offered in this episode. Please reach out and share with me I fucking love to hear from you. If you've been loving the show, please share it with your nearest and dearest. leave a rating leave a review and most importantly remember you are a badass and you are enough. No Go be your favorite self and be well. Human being is a production of Steff Gallante self care LLC.
The show was produced by me, Steff Gallante. You can find blog posts of some of the episodes on the episode page at Steff galante.com/podcast along with the transcript of today's episode and any other resources I shared today. If you're ready to create more aligned practices for yourself, head to Steff gallante.com To learn more about creating a personalized self care plan within the holistic self care collective and coaching with me, you are a badass and you are enough. See you next time be well
