Welcome to In Connection

What am I even doing?

Welcome to my newsletter, where I’m committing to share my journey, even though I may fall on my face in the process, and even before I, myself, know the outcome. This isn’t [yet] one of those great and inspiring stories where Joe quits his C-Suite job to work at a soup kitchen and never looks back. Noooo. Nor is it one where Katie leaves her marriage and it was the best thing she ever did. Nope.

This is an in-progress suspense novel, except it’s not fiction; it’s my actual life.

I’ve read a ton of books on unearthing one’s true self and heard amazing stories of people transforming their mundane lives into fairytales of their own creation. It all started with an intention, and the next thing they knew, the clouds parted and the path was clear! And once they stopped their soul-sucking job / left their abusive relationship / whatever the thing was and started living in a way that was congruent with their passions, everything was roses, and money started raining down from the heavens and they never had another worry! At least that’s my interpretation of someone else’s story. Ok, ok, I know.

But what about the people who fail? We never hear from those folks. Maybe they go crawling back to their old lives? Fall into a dark depression? Maybe they are just fine and carry on in a new, unexpected way. What did they learn along the way? Why didn’t they complete their change? These stories, while maybe not always so inspiring and positive, could hold so many good lessons for us too, right? So today, in the face of some big, scary changes, I’m willing to commit to share the story as it unfolds, no matter the outcome. If I fall down, it’s ok. If I fly - well, that would be something.

What to expect

Here I am with my intent, ready to hop onto the the next lily pad, follow the next breadcrumb, jump off the next cliff (ok, that’s a bit dramatic). This journey has been unfolding in front of me for several years. Heck, even perhaps for my whole life? When I look back, I see glimpses of “it” from a very young age.

So I’m going to tell the story going forward, but I’m also going to sprinkle in a lot of my journey to this point. I’ll try to make sure you all stay with me on the timeline, but this won’t be a neat, linear trip we take together.

Through this process, I’m learning so much about myself, life, priorities, friendship, love - and boy, it’s not easy, but this is the stuff of life, and I’m planning to show up for all of it. Even if it’s awful.

My hope is to use this blog as a creative outlet for myself - But more than that, I’m hoping it gives you a chuckle one day, maybe makes you think the next, stretches your comfort zone (it sure is stretching mine), and lets you know you’re not alone. Whatever your particular “thing” is, we’ve all got something.

Ok, but why is it called “In Connection”

You’ll see!

But if that’s not enough, I’ll give a small teaser.

In connection is a way of being. Feel that for a moment. What does that mean for you? Where do you notice some resonance in your body? In your heart? Any subtle rumblings there in the corners of your mind? There are many ways to be in connection, but I’d contend that it’s all part of the same thing, and that’s the journey.

Through much of my adventure so far, I’ve discovered that I can’t find what’s missing - that thing I’m looking for that has no name - without being In Connection. Those words reflect a state of being - With myself, my wholeness, my soul, my health; with others; with nature. But it starts with me and opens up infinitely from there. And if you’re reading this, it starts with YOU, too.

While I’ll discuss a lot of really practical decisions and every day hustle and bustle, the real story is in rediscovering and reconnecting to the parts of me that are hidden away in dusty corners of my mind, body, and spirit. And that’s when the good stuff happens (so I hope!). That’s the journey. That’s life. More on that as we go!

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