There is a silence born of WISDOM and a silence born of REPRESSION. . Can you tell the difference?? . Here’s the thing y’all. I am always speaking my truth. Even if I’m not broadcasting and EVEN WHEN IT’S REAL BUT NOT TRUE. . The power of a journal and sacred circle in combination is that you can speak your truth and then shake it, sift it, and question it until you land on the next right thing. . But hear me. You don’t always start out with the next right thing. Wisdom begins with YOU SPEAKING YOUR TRUTH IN A SAFE SPACE. . So please, please, please stop turning yourself inside out trying to get thoughts and feels and life all in order right out of the gate. And learn how to respect your truth. Learn how to hold your “thought/feels" lightly and with grace so that you can shift the broken pieces and leverage the genius parts. . Now go find a journal or tag a safe friend and make a date to SPEAK YOUR TRUTH. . Here’s a little phrase to get you started: . What I really want to say is ______________________.

A million years ago when I was homeschooling 5 brilliants and teaching hundreds of young ones how to draw and paint, I lost myself. . Anger was the moss on the north side of the trees that led me back to my Self. I reverse-engineered the hell out of my resentment and located myself. Eventually, I found the places where my passion and vocation meet. . We all lose ourselves at some point. Productivity, caretaking, busyness, and/or self-preservation are just a few of the ways that we drift away from self. When I speak of tending to the self, I’m not advocating self-centeredness or selfishness, I’m talking about honoring the you, you were born to be. I’m speaking of proper self-love and offering yourself the same dignity and space that you offer to others. . I keep a sign in my kitchen that says, “Love your self, as you love your neighbor.” The constant course correction that I need as I recover healthy boundaries and self-love. . Where do you lose your place in the world? And how do you put your self back on the map? . I talk on this topic and more as part of a new course called INFx Empowered from @joelmarkwitt and @antoniadodge over at @personalityhacker Head over their way for details. And while you’re there check out their latest podcast on lessons they’ve learned from INFx’s. . [Swipe left for a small watercolor study and photos of the grand puppy and grandbebé.]

The tiniest Garmon bird is upstairs napping. This is my time to read the weeks’ Noticings, go through my journal pages, and scan my calendar and photos. It’s not a huge deep dive. It’s a pass through looking for patterns and questions. . What did I do well? What do I need to change? What is missing? Where is the overflow? What is my body telling me? . The integration of presence and non-judgmental noticings will create a rich life filled with gratitude, joy, and the wisdom that comes from transmuted pain. Yes and no make themselves known in this space. . Stay with the true story. . Ask good questions. . Learn to weigh and measure. . BE in your life, Betsy (Swipe left to see the grandbebé!)

This past Sunday was a new moon and also my regular reflection day. It was an auspicious day for setting intentions. . I talk a lot about ritual and rhythm and how they are the core of my spiritual and creative practices. All true. Also true: Sometimes I lose my grip on my own practice. It’s important to know how you walk in the world, and it’s also important to know how you find your way back to your best practices when you wander or stall. . Personally, I listen to and observe both my body and my physical spaces. Body and studio/home are always talking. . Busyness. Clutter. Silence. Noise. Too much product. Not enough time. Too much time. Not enough product. Aches. Agitation. Anger. Loneliness. Hunger. Thirst. Emptiness. Stalls. . All are speaking. Are you listening? Create a rhythm for reflection. This is how/when you take an accounting. . How do you find your way back home to your best practices?

The power of a pause. Even though we’re still having 80º weather here in Georgia, trees are slowly turning and the front garden is covered in leaves. We’ve even had two cool mornings. Transition is in the air. I’m navigating the change in light, temperature and season out in the garden and on a personal note. I have had one of the most difficult years of my entire life. It has meant that getting rest, taking extra minutes, and even finding words has been tough to do. I’ve been taking my own advice and regularly taking an inventory. The inventory is simple: * Where do I leak energy? * How do I connect to source/energy? When you’ve identified leaks, you know more about boundaries, yes/no, and where to spend your time. When you know how you refill and restore your psychospiritual well, you know more about when to activate and when to rest. I hope that this season filled with harvest and shift finds you well. Take a pause. Take an inventory. And then access what you need! As one of my favorites just texted me: “Go get your bath. And find your words. Say your words.”

“What happens when you turn it upside down?” . One of the best questions I’ve ever been asked. This one came from my brilliant friend @shaunameiri. I ask it weekly. . Today is Sunday, the day I’ve set aside for deeper observation in my #reflectionrhthym. I believe in speaking your truth and feeling your feels. I’m all about stream of consciousness writing and expressive spills. All are powerful tools for naming and understanding the narratives that we create and believe. But when it comes to transformation, growth and restoration, it’s not enough to identify our feelings and beliefs. We must also learn to weigh and measure what is real, but not true. We must grow emotional agility by shifting perspectives. And if necessary we must envision different endings to our current circumstances. . Speak your truth. Identify your current reality. Then turn it upside down. . Take it to your journal: Do you have any current narratives that you need to turn upside down?

Friday 13 September 2019 . Tonight is a full moon. I use this cycle, which I carried for years in my body, as a reminder to clean house. I sweep out last month's flowers and dust, and I bleach towels and sheets. I check my heart for tenderness, bitterness, and grudges and write forgiveness letters or have fierce conversations. I open my hands to bless the knowing and to release whatever is necessary to keep accounts short and clear. . This month carries extra special magic as I return to my mother’s childhood home to say goodbye. The full Harvest Moon will be in the sky as I land in Texas. A bright reminder to look at childhood stories and sift through them for wisdom and lessons learned. Endings are beginnings. [Swipe left to see my new journal.] . May the moon illuminate that which you bless and release to make room for the next.

“We see in order to move; we move in order to see.” ― William Gibso . This photo, taken on a foggy morning in Spain, is on my business card because it speaks of my life work. Everything I do is to help people have clarity and live with no regret. Moving forward in life when you don’t have clarity, is a lot like moving through fog. We reach for metaphor because it hits the heart of the way that we feel when we’re in the midst of a decision. [or lack of a decision]. Pro tips for moving through fog equal pro tips for navigating the unknown. . . Slow down. When visibility is limited, it’s difficult - sometimes impossible - to react properly. It’s okay to change your pace of life and relationship until things are clear. . . Stay focused. When you lack clarity, focus on your present knowing. Breathe deeply and keep things simple. This is not the time for multi-tasking and extra activity. Think subtractive, not additive. . . You don’t have to decide now, and the fog won’t last forever. Sometimes we confuse needing to know the big picture with the next right step. Do the next right thing even if it’s small. As you move, the path will be revealed.

Here’s my take on boundaries and balance. Boundaries are necessary and require wisdom to identify. And balance? Balance isn't a real thing. Passion is. It’s less about doing it all and more about strengthening your YES’s and NO’s. It’s less about touching all the tasks and roles and more about recognizing ebb and flow. Your time on earth is finite. You don’t have to be a victim to reactivity. You don’t have to miss the important things. You can choose satisfaction. However, this kind of authentic, vibrant life won’t just unfold before you with no effort; you must craft a life with meaning via passionate YES’s and well placed NO’s.