I'm a dictator. Are you?

Being at ease with ourselves means working with our natural tendencies

Saw this sign during the NYC Marathon a few years ago. It’s a much better use of a box than the one I describe below.

My gosh is it exhausting trying to be anything other than who we actually are.

If we’ve been trained to fit into a box (and let’s be honest and admit that most of us have), it’s a moment-by-moment practice to show up as our quirky, unique, true selves- even if we understand that it feels really good when we do.

We’ve had decades of practice curling up our fingers and toes, folding in our shoulders, and sucking in our guts, to fit into tidy boxes. Releasing all of that and shifting into a more truthful and natural way of being feels odd.

So, let’s get tactical about it today. Being our full selves means leaning into our natural tendencies, not resisting them.

For me, one specific piece of that has been accepting my natural dictator tendency. No, not the Kim Jong-un, Stalin, Mussolini kind, the Siri kind. Most of what I write to you each week is first dictated into my iPhone, before being edited and tidied up with my fingers on a keyboard. For years, I tried to start with typing. I felt creatively blocked, physically awkward, and only able to express myself in a generic way. (It didn’t help that I felt like staying in my lane was a job requirement.) Starting with my voice allows me to flow and express myself in the most natural and authentic way.

Mindful Monday Prompt

Where are your habits out of synch with your natural tendencies? What might be possible if you tried a totally different, uniquely you way of doing things?

Thanks for being here. I’m so excited to see even more of you.

Rising Higher, Together

This May 17 we will host our first-ever LIVE Uplifters gathering. I’m pouring decades of experience designing events and workshops into this. We still have a few tickets left, so I hope you’ll join me and our guests from the first year of The Uplifters Podcast for a day of collaboration and creative growth in NYC on May 17.

Check out the agenda and get info on tickets HERE. Help me celebrate my birthday by using code BIRTHDAY for 50% off of tickets this month.

Paid Subscriber Bonuses You’ll Find in Today’s Newsletter

✨ Welcome and so much gratitude to our newest paid subscriber Jan! Your support means so much and helps make this work possible.

✨ You can listen to every episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Substack, or wherever you get your podcasts. For those of you who are more visual, you’ll find a video of Konika Ray Wong and me below.

✨ Join our April Workshop: Clearing Clutter to Make Space for Self-Care. When your life is filled with excess belongings, making space for healthy habits can be challenging. Join Clutter Coach Melanie Cohen and me for a workshop to help you carve out space for what matters most.