what’s all this effort for?

Part one: The Idealist Who Gets Pulled by Others’ Plans for Them transforms into The Calm Custodian of Creation

She stands expansive with her feet planted on the earth. The sun shines on her smile. 

“This is what it’s all been for,” she says.

This moment of being fully herself. For years she disappeared because it felt safe. Urgently flapped around, molding herself to what she thought other people wanted. Until she was pressed so small and tight, she could not breathe. 

So she started to poke at the walls she’d built. They let light in, small circles at first and now this full beam, bright and warming. 

The last few months, I’ve been offering free creative courage sessions to explore a new direction in my writing and coaching, and some themes have emerged. 

Most folks were either struggling around:

• sitting down to create: to make art, to write, or to develop their body of work, or

• sharing their work in a way that feels authentic to them. (Some of this was what business owners call “marketing” and some of it was sharing their work to connect with other people, to start conversations, to invite in the new world they want to live in.)

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be sharing the story of how The Idealist Who Gets Pulled by Others’ Plans for Them transforms into The Calm Custodian of Creation*. I’m sharing this story and questions for reflection as an invitation to notice if you recognize yourself anywhere in the story & to inspire a smoother way forward. 

*The term ‘The Calm Custodian of Creation’ is inspired by Charlie Claire Burgess’ queer reimagining of The Emperor, the tarot archetype often associated with leadership and authority, in their book Radical Tarot**. 

 We’re caring, curious, creative humans…

…and sometimes we neglect to extend those values to ourselves. They’re countercultural. 

And if we want to oppose a prevailing culture that values being busy and getting things right and pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps…

As Burgess shares: “It will require lifting our voices and sharing our stories, admitting vulnerability and asking for help, sharing knowledge and seeking out learning, and radically changing our way of thinking from being the “masters of creation” to being the custodians of it.”

It requires courage to let yourself create the life you actually want, to go against the grain and steward a new way of being, to make and share the work that creates the world you want to live in.

🧐Are there places in your life where you mold yourself to fit what other people expect? When do you feel fully yourself? How do you know? How does each state of being feel?

Ready for part two? Read it here: What if I look like a fool?

Until next time, here’s to allowing you to shine 🥂

Ryn

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