You know this already: growth happens outside our comfort zone.

The Conundrum

I bet, if you reflect on the highlights of your life, you'll notice the strongest memories you have are from the times when you were outside your comfort zone—whether by force or choice.

I'll also wager that even when you remember those scary times, you can now see they were a catalyst for something better than you could have imagined. You more than likely appreciate the lessons you learned from the challenging experience.

I feel like I've been outside my comfort zone for this entire last year and no, the pandemic was not a major contributor compared to everything else believe it or not.

This past year, I've been out of my comfort zone on multiple levels and for extended periods of time...

Personally

• lived 4+ months in a different country with just my daughter

• now, holding down the fort alone with my two sons while my husband takes his turn abroad

• oversaw the repair and rebuild of our yards after a mudslide destroyed them

• rented out our home and are living in a new nearby city learning its trails, traffic patterns, grocery stores

Professionally

• officially launched Ascended Presence with my Channeled Earth Day Meditation

• publicly exposed myself, my work, and my beliefs when I prefer playing small, safe, secure

• learned (or at least tried) more tech platforms than I ever knew existed or were needed

• launched the Coaching Program and Monthly Practicum

• hosting my first Cacao Ceremony next week to celebrate Earth Day 2021

Growth Can Be Brutal

Unfortunately, while we're in these "outside-our-comfort-zone" periods, it can feel brutal. I'm in one now and full of fear. Ugh, this is no fun! I'm hosting an in-person event to share my love of our Mother Earth as well as the gentle Cacao plant medicine.

What's so hard about that?

Well, I'm not a natural "entertainer" for one. I wonder, will people show up? Will they understand and appreciate the experience? Will the weather cooperate?

First-world problems for sure, but worries don't magically disappear just by our judging them as petty or insignificant.

Worry is just an emotion, aka energy-in-motion. We resolve it through processing which is basically acknowledging, learning from, and releasing the emotion. Worry, when stuck causes pain. Worry, when processed is healing.

What does processing emotions look like?

• Worry—pit in my stomach, toxic thoughts attacking me—you're too old to be trying new things like this, too white to teach about plant medicines such as Cacao, the weather could be bad, people won't show up, and on and on....

• Me—listening to the worry. I see you. You want to keep me safe. You don't want me to embarrass myself. I "look behind" the worry to find more muck or goodness depending on perspective—thoughts such as, why are you so weird? why do you bother? this is silly. I take each one and go through the process.

• Releasing—releasing emotions is not something we do in our mind. It's an energetic technique that's both simple and powerful.

Working with Energy

To release my worry, I strengthen my grounding cord, gather the worry energy within my body, and drain it down into the welcome embrace from Our Mother Earth. She will transmute this constrictive energy into a neutral one. I can then use the neutral energy as fuel to help me create what I want in life—including other emotions such as trust, peace, gratitude, joy.

Many Tools

This processing protocol is just one of many tools available to us to gain sovereignty over our own well-being.

Where are you on the comfort spectrum these days?

If you are ready to step out into the growth zone or maybe you're finding yourself already there and feeling overwhelmed, consider joining us in the Practicum. We learn about, and most importantly practice, these kinds of tools and techniques that are so helpful in not just dealing with the day-to-day, but truly enjoying life!