Self-discovery looks more like a spiral

Hi friends,

I can’t believe we’re about to tie a bow on another year in a week! It’s funny - in many ways, 2022 was a predictable mix of incredible moments and tough challenges.

And yet, it felt monumentally different…

I think for all of us, 2022 was a year of transition. After 2 + years of Covid-related lifestyle changes, we started moving back into more predictable rhythms and patterns, our old work places, schools, and coffee shops. For me, it was a double-whammy, as I also had to transition into life post Yogaleena on Shepherd Dr.

When I quit ExxonMobil back in 2015, an arguably much riskier move, I was so emotionally empowered by the thought of bringing my dream to life, and so damn busy doing that, that I didn’t have time to be scared, to self-doubt, or to question my direction. I was all in, high on the possibilities for a future I could clearly see.

This time around was not like that at all. I don’t have any regrets about my decision to step away from the physical studio space, but not having "the next big project" in mind did make moving forward a bit messier, slower... definitely less linear. I did a lot of different things this year, and yet I often had the frustrating feeling that I wasn't making any progress, that I kept spinning my wheels and landing not too far from where I was 12 months ago... Which is exactly what the process of self-discovery often looks like: a spiral. Yes, it'll often feel like you’re just going around and around in a circle, but you’ll actually be drilling deeper and deeper each time, getting closer to the heart of who you are and what you’re here to do. We're never truly static, we are always changing, growing, evolving. Trying new things, putting ourselves out there, taking action...that's what drives clarity. And even if things don't work out as planned, we're never really back at square one. I can see now (with some relief!) that the distance I didn’t travel forward in 2022, I actually traveled inward. And that's been a beautiful, surprising, at times uncomfortable, but extremely valuable, gift. Whether you happen to be on the fast track, taking big bold steps towards a specific goal, or on the slow, winding road of introspection and soul-searching ....trust that you are exactly where you need to be. Wishing you and your family a beautiful, bright, and pleasantly surprising, 2023!

With so much love,

Carolina