Women are amazing. Period.

But just because we are capable of handling A LOT – doesn’t mean we should stay at this setting continuously pumping awesome through our veins 24 hours a day.

It’s almost like once we see what we are capable of our mind says “why would we ever operate on a lower setting moving forward now that we KNOW what we can do?” It’s out of sheer appreciation and awe of our own power. I get it. Why would we ever slow down or go back to being “less than” awesome?

Here is where I feel we can misunderstand our own superpower –  which is to embody the feminine. Which is powerful in itself and highly misunderstood. To me, this part understands and surrenders to the ebb and flow of life. Where we demonstrate our innate knowing to move with life and not against it. Where we rise up to honour the great rushes of energy and also intuitively tune in to when we need to rest and reflect in stillness as needed. Somewhere along the line we put the value in results, outcomes, achievements and the “I can do it all-ness” mentality we know is possible. And shit get’s out of whack.

Have you been growing potatoes?

A few years ago when my husband and I began gardening in a community plot, we were frustrated because nothing we planted did very well. It just withered or didn’t show up at all. We did everything we could but nothing seemed to come up above the ground. When we mentioned our frustrations with my sister in law (a horticultural wizard) she asked if the previous owners grew potatoes – which they had. She said that for us to see any growth, the soil needed replenishing, extreme nurturing and supplementation to bring it back to a healthy PH. Apparently potatoes suck the life out of soil making it practically useless with nothing left to give.

I now this metaphor returns as I emerge from growing a bumper crop of potatoes. 

After the incredible output of energy and excitement I experienced in the first week of the year (launching my 8 Days of Daring  Experiment and selling out my Live Daringly Sessions), I was blown away to see what I was capable of learning and putting into practice in my business. On last day I had a stack of clarity calls set up and was promptly hit by the mother of all colds that I’m still trying to shake off weeks later.

This was a result of running on HIGH for three weeks straight, getting very low quality, being on my phone too much and generally buzzing from the learning and newness it all presented. It was exhilarating and exciting in the moment but now I feel aches and pains I can’t explain and feel the urge to do very little. I’ve pulled back my energy, cancelled plans and allowed myself to listen to where my energy wants to take me (which is back to bed). I started turning my phone off at night and consciously choosing comfort at every turn to replenish my soil.

When we know better, we BE better (and wish it happened faster)

I’m learning recovery doesn’t happen overnight as I hear my mind inquire “So.. are you better yet? Can we go back to “normal” now?” holding the assumption that I should stay at that level of output and energy I held those three weeks. My heart and soul aren’t as direct as the mind but I feel they are grateful I’m tuning in and listening to them. They whisper “trust us… don’t believe the hype… stay the course”.

What I’m committed to figuring out is how to nurture the soil as I go… because why do this cycle again and again, right?

Which leads me to the first step of Daring to Suck – redesigning agreements – with myself, my clients, my body, my family and friends to see what needs to be tweaked or changed to avoid this from happening again.

For example, this means things like admitting to those around me what I can and cannot do, allowing myself to change gears and not make it wrong or bad, drinking more water, taking supplements, making appointments with massage therapists and naturopaths, changing my bedtime routine to ensure I’m not wired when I lie down and weaving nurturing and energizing activities into my life like yoga and workouts, play and creativity to stillness and naps wherever needed.

With new agreements in place I feel better about hitting my reset button to “begin again” with more space to BE, breathe and explore what’s next without the expectations to deliver or burdens to show up on FULL TILT that were never necessary in the first place. I feel the call to embrace all aspects of myself as I move forward.

What I know about good soil is that it has everything from shit to egg shells in it, with each aspect bringing tremendous value to the whole ~ so why should me and all my funky parts be any different?

My wish is for you to embrace the ebb, allow the flow and tune in to the quality of YOUR soil. How do they feel? What agreements are you WILLING to redesign in your life to help rebuild and replenish it back to a state of abundance and support as you go?

Much love in daring,

x Keri-Anne