Monthly Roots: July Edition

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Hey Reader,

As I sit here in my house sheltering from the 97 degree F (36 C) heat, on the cusp of the halfway point of the year, I'm reflecting on all the invitations I've been given recently to slow down, to pause, to check in before rushing forward into the next idea or opportunity or experience.

Earlier today I went outside and the air was thick and heavy. It felt almost syrupy, and was a big invitation to move slowly, with care. I was already moving slow - I tweaked my ribs badly yesterday, and overnight the pain of that moved up and settled into my neck and shoulder, so much so that every single step required conscious effort and focus with how I was placing my body and where I was in space in order to not exacerbate the pain.

This is fairly familiar to me, given my hypermobility, so even though it sucks and I don't enjoy it at all, I wasn't too worried about what would happen or how long it would take to heal (I've been here before). What was genuinely more interesting to me has been just how much attention I have to give to every move I make. It's very different than how I usually move through my day to day.

We are constantly moving through life doing things on autopilot, which, a fair amount of the time is extremely useful. Having to focus 100% on taking a step or reaching for a pen or holding my shoulder in a certain position every single moment would be its own kind of exhausting.

Autopilot only becomes an issue when it's the only mode - when we default to the same patterns, the same responses, the same way of moving through our days, without ever taking the time to notice if that pattern is still serving us.

But it's easy to stay on autopilot even for the things that would benefit from slowing down and paying attention. As summer energy flows all around, I'm reminded how potent a moment of pause is to stay rooted, centered, and open to possibility.

Pauses can take many different shapes. Sometimes they are forced on us, like with my injury or an unexpected change in plans. The seasons and weather offer us moments of pause, such as the solstice being a turning point from spring to summer, or a flash thunderstorm bringing you into the present moment.

Special occasions, birthdays, anniversaries offer moments to celebrate, mourn, pause and reflect. It's natural to slow down after a setback (or a victory) to navigate what you're feeling. In a yoga flow class we pause after a series of movements to breathe, to notice, to feel.

As we head deeper into summer, the sun, the astrology, the weather invite us out into the light - to express ourselves, to move with courage and clarity, to say yes to our visions and dreams and go after what matters.

The pauses along the way hold power. An intentional pause to check in and be with your experience - sensations in the body, emotions rising up, the stories you have about the current moment, the meaning and projections that come from it all - can ground you and support you in feeling centered and able to access more choices and possibilities along the way.

Whether it's reflection time to assess if something is truly a yes for you, a breath to steady yourself and feel your feet before speaking up for your needs, a moment of surrender like stepping away from a project to let it breathe instead of trying to control the outcome, or a moment of silence as you watch a beautiful sunset and allow true wonder and awe to fill your body - give yourself the time to pause, to breathe, to feel the space and be in the moment as much as you can.

Love,
Kate

Reading, Watching, Listening from June:

📚Books:

Total Count: 10

A worthwhile read: The Open Era by Edward Schmit - young gay tennis player with anxiety competes in his first US Open. Also some romance.

Wanted to like it more than I did: Wellness by Nathan Hill - fascinating concepts around the placebo effect, what it means to choose your life, soulmates, and happiness, but it could have been like 300 pages instead of 600.

Surprising winner: The Blond Identity by Ally Carter - title dupe of the Bourne Identity, there's amnesia, there's mistaken identity in the form of a twin who *isn't* actually a spy but everyone thinks she is, there's romance and over-the-top action movie style danger. Loved it.

📺 Shows + Movies:
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🏥🩺 The Pitt - I got so hooked so fast on this one. Already watched both seasons 😭 Plus my spouse is a medical professional and it's so fun to watch it together.
😈🥊 Daredevil: Born Again - also finished off season 2 and already counting down to season 3! I love vigilantes even more than standard superheroes. And Charlie Cox is just... perfection.
🏝️💋👙 Love Island (USA + UK) - LOL I said I wouldn't, and then I did. I'm way behind because a new episode every day is bananas, but it's perfect as background noise when I clean, ideal for when I need to turn my brain off, and a fascinating study on human nature.
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🎶🎧 Listening:

Podcasts came back in June for me with a vengeance! Some of my long-time favs released some absolute bangers:

If Books Could Kill has recently released episodes on Think and Grow Rich and The Body Keeps the Score - both books that I have, at various points in my career, been told were essential reading, which, yuck, and it tbh was very fun to listen to these takedowns.

They also did a crossover with Maintenance Phase about Tim Ferriss' The 4-Hour Body, which, man that book was cited OVER and OVER again back in 2011-2015 as *the way* and it was so delightful to listen to this episode.

Sounds Like a Cult has also released some good ones recently - The Cult of MAHA, The Cult of Tradwife Influencers, The Cult of NLP, The Cult of OneTaste.... to name a few!

I also love Ologies, and the Awe Psychology one in particular was lovely, and I very much want to listen to the one about Glamorous Sea Slugs (!?), among others.

If you listen to any of these, let me know - I love discussing podcasts, books, and any and all media.

How about you? What are you consuming? What recommendations would you send my way?

Current + Upcoming:

Virtual Bundle of Resources: If you've been looking for fresh inspiration when it comes to looking after yourself, you'll love the Self-Care Bundle. This free bundle features a wide range of resources created by coaches, educators, authors and wellbeing professionals, covering everything from stress relief and mindfulness to nutrition, movement, personal growth and self-care practices. I've included Deeply Nourished: From Burnout to Thriving and would love for you to take a look at everything that's available. Click here to check it out!​

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In Person: In September, I'm hosting an autumn equinox retreat and would love to have you there! We'll gather in the heart of Minnesota next to a beautiful lake and spend our days immersed in nature, practicing yoga, making art, and traversing the portal of the equinox together - integrating what has been and making space for the season ahead. There are 2 spots left - is one of them yours?

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