Hello Dear Hearts, 

Is there an idea bouncing around in your mind right now that you’d like to pursue, but since it’s a bit of a stretch, you feel as though you need to be invited or given permission in order to do it? 

Perhaps that feeling comes up when you sense a specific need in another field that you can fill with your particular expertise; or you have a desire to take the passions from one area of your life, and apply them to something you haven’t done before. 

Ultimately, we need to give ourselves the invitation and permission, but knowing how to start without a roadmap can be paralyzing. 

How does that feel in your body? 

Maybe it’s a certain tightness or constriction. A fog of confusion. An overwhelming desire to sleep or distract yourself.

Why is that? Could it be because you are daring to think outside the box and expand upon a particular identity in a culture of white supremacy that says over and over, stay in your box and stick with the label you know? This is the very thing that zaps up our authenticity, and talks us out of that spark of an idea we had a moment ago.

Ok. So what do we do when we want to move towards an endeavor that stretches us out of the comfort zone of our perceived identity? And ultimately, how do we give ourselves the invitation and permission we need to move forward? 

Because Truth: No one is going to ask us for something that they don’t know exists or don’t know that they need. So it’s up to you to green-light ourselves.

If this is resonating for you right now, here are some thoughts on how to give yourself permission:

Sit with it for a bit. 

Let the discomfort speak to you through journaling, or some long walks, or a bath. What is the voice of desire that keeps coming to the surface no matter how many times it gets pushed aside? What is it you actually want?  

(Here’s an offering from a few months ago about what to do with the fears that come up).

Connect to your future self (this one always gets me).

Imagine yourself a year from now and nothing has changed. What are you still doing, saying, and feeling? What’s the cost of not following the thing you are curious about pursuing? 

Now imagine it’s a year from now and you’ve been wildly successful (whatever that means to you, nevermind anyone else). What happened? How do you feel? How is your life different? Your relationships, Your work? What’s been made possible that wasn’t before? 

Find Role Models and Find Your Tribe

Sometimes when we are moving into uncharted territory, or weaving together seemingly disparate threads into a larger integrated vision of how we want to live our lives; even our closest coworkers, friends, or family might not quite get what we are trying to do because it doesn’t exist yet. And trying to explain it over and over before we actually know what the thing looks like or how it will manifest, can bring up a whole buffet of doubtful second thoughts. Very unhelpful, don’t you think? 

My guest this month on Knowing in the Bones, Leadership Coach Dr.Ginny Baro, has some excellent tips for finding resources and inspiration in people who are doing the thing you want to do, or embodying an essence of showing up in the way you also aspire to, in order to gather support for building a bridge from where you are now, to where you want to be. 

We had a beautiful conversation about following intuition especially in these moments transitioning out of our boxes, taking mindful risks, and creating change. I’m excited to share it with you! She’s amazing.

That’s all for now. 

Wishing you a bright and insightful full moon in all the ways that you need, 

Tara

BONUS OFFERINGS + READS FROM THE COMMUNITY

Speaking of going after new ideas and weaving seemingly disparate threads together, do you need to put your creative vision into words? Let’s say for a grant or residency opportunity, or job application? Even a new website? I highly recommend this offering by Abigail Levine:

Artist Writing—articulating your creative work
A two-session workshop for artists with Abigail Levine
August 25 & September 1, 2021 || 7-9pm || On Zoom

Email for registration and details: abigailhlevine@gmail.com
Presented in collaboration with EMERGENYC

The ability to talk and write about your creative work—clearly and compellingly—is essential to getting your work out in the world. For some of us, this is a very challenging (read: paralyzing) process. This workshop is designed to give you tools and techniques for developing language around your creative work that feels both authentic and strategic, building comfort and confidence in writing more generally.

For more details or work with Abby individually visit her website.

AND BECAUSE OUR LIVES DEPEND ON IT: 

Please read this excellent post and subsequent info and resources from Writer, Wellness & rewilding advocate, and Educator, Lily Diamond on the recent IPCC Climate Report and our intrinsic relationship with Mother Earth.

On Climate Anxiety & What’s Next

Does this spark up something for you that you’d like to talk about?