Hey there, welcome back. This is episode three, your guide to surviving capitalism in 2023, where we'll be focusing on input rather than output. And in case you missed last week's episode, we talked about reflecting on 2022 with admiration because fuck judgment. The second thing we focused on was why resolutions are setting us up for failure and heartache. And we also discussed all of this to help us navigate the last week of December The Twilight Zone sloth mode a little easier, and why I'm bringing this up to keep some of this energy with us as we begin 2023. So if you missed that episode, please be sure to check it out at some point, because I'm really excited about the information that I shared, how it can continue to support you, even though we're in the new year now, and the ways that it's informing today's conversation. So this shit we need to talk about today in episode three, is lowering the volume of the noise in your mind and in the media, with pressure to start the new year in a certain way, or the quote unquote, perfect way. The second is creating space to hear from yourself, listen to yourself and tend to yourself. The third is centering your winter mental health. So you can get clear on why you experience winter the way you do, and create a more easeful way forward with self care practices that are truly aligned to your specific needs, desires and the energy of the season. And we're going to begin a conversation around exploring releasing tension relaxing, resting and rejuvenating practices. Like it's your job. That will continue if I'm being honest through the month of January and probably throughout the entire year. So let's jump in. Here we are in the first few days of the new year. And I'm hearing from so many people that they're feeling pressured to kick off 2023 a certain way, the perfect way. Let's be honest, and it's totally goal and output focused. It's no wonder that this is happening. And there's no shame in it. Why? Because society's messaging is everywhere, especially from gyms and food companies. You know what the messaging is, it's all about what we're going to do to better ourselves to finally do the right thing or the things or any of the things we said we are going to do but haven't plus all the things we're not going to do because they don't support us in the new or better version of ourselves that we are conditioned to be hell bent on improving ourselves to be so my friend, if you are realizing you've subscribed to this, and maybe you didn't even realize that maybe there was something inherently wrong with this. Don't worry, it's not your fault. And I want to be very clear, I don't think there's anything wrong with having goals, or wanting to change things about ourselves, check out last week's episode around my belief system around resolutions for sure. I stand though, in my belief that we've got to be clear on what's motivating the goals and change that are happening in the new year or any time of the year. And understand the why behind it all. Because if the goal or change is coming from a need to be better, more or less of something, or from a need to fill a hole or void, or to prove something to someone or even to yourself, friend, we will flounder or be completely unfulfilled when we achieve whatever we believe success to be in that area. If the steps we take don't account for our current capacity, or available resources, we will not make it to the finish line. If we are not bought in on our self worth and connected to how we truly want to feel and experience life, we are setting ourselves up to miss the mark altogether. And most importantly, if we are not accounting for our mental and emotional needs day in and day out, and from season to season, beyond our appointments with our therapist, please make sure you're seeing that person. Or if we're bypassing our needs all together, we will not be well resourced for the journey. And when it comes to this time of year, the new year. It is especially important if you struggle through the winter. So my friend I've got a really important and probably weird question to kick us off with what if instead of focusing on our output, we focused on our input. What if we focused on what we put into our selves what we actively take in? And I'm not really talking about food? What if we focused on supporting our internal processing system, which is our mental and emotional health? What if we met ourselves with the care our winter mental and emotional health need? If we build up our energy stores and vitality, and allow all of that to support and inform our output, which are our actions, what would be different? What would be better? What would be more, what would be less? It's okay, if you need to pause right now to consider or to jot down anything that's coming up. My friend, it is time to lower the volume on all the noise in your mind, because let's be honest, our mind is always talking and chattering right. And also the noise in the media, you do not have to start the new year with a bang. And I think I've said that, in each of these first episodes, you do not have to create a new year this year, you do not have to subscribe to all the diet and fitness culture messaging that's bombarding the airwaves, you do not have to starve yourself or punish yourself at the gym to burn up extra calories from indulging quote unquote, during the holidays, or make up for all the workouts you didn't do in December, you do not have to do more, you do not have to be different or less of something. And you do not have to create change that does not feel aligned. And my friend, I'm here with you, because after years of personally subscribing to and professionally pushing these messages, I'm done with it. I'm unsubscribing from all correspondence about this, because it's bullshit and it's harmful. I said it. So my friend, if you struggle in the winter, with feeling really dark, dull, or even unsettled, or if you're feeling uneasy with the start of the new year, please no, there is nothing wrong with you. Your feelings are a sign that you're in tune with nature's call to slow down. And that society's expectations are overriding your needs. It may feel really hard to meet yourself there because society's pace doesn't let us and you may not know how to answer the call on a consistent basis. This is something we talked all about in episode one. So be sure to head back there if you need some sort, some support with that. But remember, my friend, everyone has a natural energy state that has its specific needs to maintain harmony, mentally, emotionally, physically and energetically. This natural energy can be soothed by or aggravated by the energy of the season. And when life is happening, and we're not living in tune with our natural needs, are actively tending to ourselves, because society's pace and expectations don't allow us to imbalance happens over and over and over again. So it's time to create space to hear from yourself. So you can begin to listen to and 10 to yourself, if you're struggling these days, because that's what happens to every year this time. Like clockwork, if you're experiencing something new that you can't quite figure out how to navigate, you need to first get clear on why this is happening. And in order to do this, that sloth mode vibe you activated last week or maybe tried to or explored thinking about it needs to remain on so that's last week that Twilight Zone vibe that was going on that last week of December, my friends, we need to continue it here. And I know that sounds exactly the opposite to the messaging we're receiving from the media. But my friend, it is the way and I don't often say all that blanket statements. But this one is true and definitely overarching for everyone. Because remember, in the world, you're doing the hard work of showing up for equity, right? You're disrupting systems of oppression, aren't you? You're working and caring for our friends for loved ones for animals, plants and the earth you're going you're doing and that requires so much nourishment, and nurturing yourself from a variety of sources that it doesn't have to be complicated to be potent.
Don't forget that. Simplicity is key when it comes to self care. And when the practices are aligned to your energetic needs, your current state the energy of nature, and how you ultimately want to feel. You'll save yourself time, energy and money you'll give yourself the nourishment you truly need to balance your mental and emotional health and You'll shop resource and in an authentic manner in all areas of your life. And if that sounds like a lot, you may be wondering, what do we do with like, how do we do this? Oh, friend, I'm excited to let you know. It comes back to well, one getting clear on you. So you can always come to me, the holistic self care collective and the personalized self care starter plan is a great way to get started on really knowing what to do for yourself. But if you need a little bit more, right now, you're not quite there yet. Keep sloth mode activated wherever you can this month. And throughout the year. If you follow astrology, the astrologists are guiding us towards a light easy and slow beginning to January because of the current positioning of the planets. So friends, despite what's society wanting us to hit the ground running this week. And this month, the energy in the atmosphere is calling us to maintain sloth mode and have an unhurried soft start to the new year. That lasts for at least half of the month. And then once the plans change position, it's not like we're going to shoot ourselves out of a cannon into a sprint start, we're still going to ease in like putting one toe in the cold ocean at a time. Friend, don't forget that sloth mode is going to look differently for you than it will for others in your life. That is okay because you are you and they are them. My clients in the holistic self care collective mentorship program have all entered sloth mode very differently based on their natural energy dominance and current needs. One's not more right than the other. It's different because we've curated it specifically for their individual selves based on their personalized self care plan and how they said they want to experience this month in this year based on their specific needs and desires. And I'm so thrilled that they are feeling more settled this year than they have in the past. And that's saying a lot given the current state of the world and all we've been through the last few years. My friend, when it comes to individualized care, we really need to interrupt this idea that what we do for ourselves should look like someone else's regimen. It doesn't and it shouldn't. It's really important to explore what releasing stress and tension looks like for you what rejuvenation practices your body needs, and what rest practices are available and aligned for you and have options because your energies and wants will change day to day. So variety is key but not too much to overwhelm you. So for instance, you might begin the day with some slow deep breaths, allowing for your breath to take up space for a few minutes. You might go for a walk in the morning if it's safe. or later on in the day without air pause or talking on the phone to connect with nature, we are nature connect with it, as well as the sights and sounds around you. You might close your email or work work responsibilities earlier than normal, which is probably the time that's better on a regular basis. Anyway, let's be honest, and do something low key for yourself that brings you joy or ease. The options are endless. I have to throw in a tidbit here though, as you begin to explore how you typically experience the new year and the winter season. And as you begin to more closely examine the types of releasing tension rest and rejuvenation practices that are aligned for you. You may have to spend time considering what's true and what's bullshit based on old narratives, limiting beliefs, notions you subscribe to from family, from culture from society, etc. Things that you may not even be aware that you subscribe to because they've just been so ingrained for so long and in such a deep way because what you think you may need may not be what you actually need at all. And with this one statement I realize you may be like what the fuck stuff like WD ATF like huge time big bold, enormous font. All along staff you've been telling me to tune in and trust myself. I know friend, you're right. I have been. But I want to also share with you that this territory of tuning in and listening to ourselves also comes with a huge and probably really difficult dude A lot of learning the skill of discernment in terms of what's true and what's false. The reality is you may not know, that's okay. And normal. Why? Because society. And I laugh when I laugh, I have to be honest and or, or upfront and say it's not, I'm not laughing because it's funny. I'm laughing because it's true, right. And it feels uncomfortable even for me to name these things, even though I know they're true. And so if you're feeling like what, I'm right there with you, friend, because, you know, these are things that I've been feeling for a long time, but been scared to say, because it's not popular. And it goes against a lot of our belief systems that we hold on to for a variety of reasons, and strangely can't find comfort in. So here we go, friend, let's explore the way forward from here, it begins with slowing down, creating space. So you can begin to examine the conversations you're having with yourself about your needs and desires during the winter, and explore what's a real, what is a true desire, and what is BS, this may take time, do it anyway. It is the only way to break the cycle of autopilot and dis ease you've been on. And when I say disease, it could be disease as in like a health concern or issue going on. It also can be the opposite of ease, right dis ease. And the same process goes for the goals and changes you have in mind for this year. Slow down, get quiet. Tune in. Examine the conversations you're having with yourself and others and get curious about the what and the why. My friend remember, you may feel really uncomfortable getting clear or getting quiet because it may uncover stuff that's hard. Lots of uncertainty, lots of doubts. That's not a reason to stop. It's the reason to keep going. Because this is how the change happens that change you so desperately desire. This is how so remember, remember this if you're uncertain of the validity of what's coming up if it's true, or if it's bullshit. It's not your fault. I've probably said this four times already, since we started this episode. You're not bad at the process, either. You're just out of practice, and most likely caught up in the bad habits and thought processes that have been given to us by society. Whether you realize it or not we've been taught to or depending on your identities, had no choice but to bypass ourselves and even gaslight ourselves in order to cope with life.
cope with our struggles through the winter, to cope with the unreal expectations and to fast pace of life that society and capitalism have set for us. So my friend, I've got a radical invitation for you. Take a deep dive into your inquiry of why you experience winter the way you do and how to create space for yourself so that you can begin really listening to what's coming up for you about the truth of why you experience winter the way you do. And let's be honest, maybe even struggle through the winter the way you do. Get clear on what you truly want out of this year, and figuring out a better way forward for yourself that truly nourishes, nurtures and honors you. Join me my friends this Saturday, this Saturday, January 7 in the surviving capitalism in the winter workshop, we are going to be discussing daily self care practices to support your overall winter mental well being. We will discuss asana, pranayama, and meditation practices for harmony within yourself because my friend, these practices are truly potent ways to connect yourself to create self awareness and open the door to treating yourself with more compassion. And we'll also be exploring tools and strategies for coping during challenging moments of anxiety and periods of deep sadness and lethargy. Most importantly, you'll gain a deeper understanding of yourself how the nuances of winter affect your mental and emotional health and rest practices that make sense for you as in you personally. And steps to begin taking to break free of the cycle that you've been on. and create a new, more easeful and more sustainable way forward, not just for the first few weeks of January, not just for January, the first month of the year, but ongoing my friends throughout the year, what we'll be talking about on Saturday is not just to get you through the winter, which we will be focusing on the winter. But the we will be talking about practices and processes to support you all year long. So my friend, I'm offering you a radical invitation to disrupt the status quo and break the cycle right here, right now. Let this be the year you deeply tend to your mental and emotional health, that this is the year you unburden yourself care with practices truly aligned to your specific needs, your desires, and the energy of the season. And explore releasing tension, relaxing, resting and rejuvenating, like it's your job. Friend, it's time to explore a new wave that centers your mental and emotional health, your needs, your desires and arrest for the winter, the new year and beyond, so that you can be properly nourished and resourced to be more at ease, save time and continue doing your hard work in the world. So I've got to ask you now, are you ready to shake shit up? If the answer is yes, if the answer is I'm not sure, my friend, even if the answer is no, join me Saturday anyway, because I bet you you are. I've included the link to register for Saturday's surviving capitalism in the winter workshop in the show notes. And I hope that you will share this information with your nearest and dearest there is sliding scale pricing, no one will be turned away for a lack of fund. So you are encouraged to reach out for the support you need including a no cost registration. So my friend go register now go register now I cannot wait to see you. Because this is a conversation we need to have. We have been needing to have and we will continue to have in different ways throughout the year. But my friend, this is the way to begin your new year. I cannot wait to see you there. The recording will be available for a week if you need to revisit it or if you can't make it live. And my friend, no matter what you do this week, no matter what's on your to do list. Besides registering for the workshop on Saturday, try a little tenderness often. Move slowly today, through this week, through this month. And even the first quarter and hell Why not the whole year. And if not slow. If you don't like that word, then try deliberately experiencing every feeling every word and every sensation, noticing how they land within you and around you. Center your care and the care truly needed of those who hold identities that are more marginalized than your own. Until next time, my friend, please be kind and gentle to yourself just as you would to those who are more most precious to you. Whether that's a human, animal, baby or a plant. Take good care and stay connected. I'd love to hear your thoughts about the support I provided in this episode the questions that asked the shit were interrupting. So feel free to reach out and share. I'm so grateful for you. You my friend are a badass and you are enough. Be well
