"We need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they're falling in.” ~Glennon Doyle Hello again, Beloved Mend Community! Oh, how quickly things shift and swirl and undulate and change in this time of Covid-19.   Since the last time I shared with you, so much of the landscape has altered. My own paid work situation - like many of you right now - has become uncertain.  Which is not to say, please don’t hear it this way - my life & wellbeing & ability for my family to meet our basic needs has become tennous.  No.  My family is blessed enough to have fishing poles in several small ponds, so to speak, so we are fine.  But, in so many respects - in my own life and in the lives of those around me - the playing field has opened wide.   The parameters are unknown.   I don’t know what the world will look like when we are told it’s all right to step back into it. I know that many of the former landmarks will have moved, fallen away, or been eviscerated in the wake of this crisis. I don’t know how many of the people I know and love - who make their way in the world - and do their work - for a pittance of what they’re truly worth - and live humbly, paycheck to paycheck - I don’t know what awaits them at the end of this.   In this country where we are starting to learn that even in the midst of death and massive economic downfall for many - our politicians somehow managed to word into our so-called “relief” bill tax cuts and aid for the wealthy, while those at the lower escalon of the prosperity gap are left to go beggaring.   In this country, where many states are opting to move swiftly out of shelter-in-place orders simply because there’s no infrastructure to care for the people when the economy grinds to a halt.  And we instead, opt to send people back to their labors - potentially exposing them to greater harm and risk - to themselves and their loved ones - rather than provide them a safety net of any sort so they can do the important work of helping to flatten the curve right now. In what effing civilized society do we ask people to make that choice? My conversation today is from way back when in 2019 - when I was still a plucky, young 37-year old, in fact, and just venturing into this topic of WORK.  And I asked my friend, Lynette, to come on and talk to me about what she does in the world.   Lynette Diaz is a community services advocate, group facilitator and citizen activist. Influenced by the immigration and public service stories of her Cuban family, she has been called to the arena of civic education and engagement since a young age. In the last ten years, Lynette has focused her energy into the field of child welfare and family well-being. She has served in different roles for both public and non-profit agencies, and is a certified Bridges Out of Poverty trainer. Currently, she serves as a community services supervisor for an initiative promoting early interventions to families who are experiencing both health and social-economic challenges. She is working on her Master’s in Public Administration, with hopes of promoting change at the policy level.  Throughout her travels and various moves to different regions of the United States, Lynette has developed interests in local history, stories and cultural influences. She enjoys a good “walk and talk” phone conversation, living room dance parties, and roaming bookstores. She is motivated by a core value that humans are good simply because of our interconnectedness.  We sat down, lo these many months ago, to talk about how the macro and the micro intersect.  How - as she turns her eyes toward policy making - and re-directing the systems that are in place so that they can begin to serve the people in our midst who are in such need - she also deeply values her time “on the ground floor”, so to speak.  She reflected upon why it is so very valuable to build up a depth of relationship and experience first - with those whom you wish to serve - before you go into the more abstract world of policy.   Learn to serve in the here and now.  Then build up your skills and influence as you go.   We discussed how the approach she takes inside of her work seeks not only to provide opportunities for the marginalized, but also tries to do the more difficult task of looking back a generation or two to see WHY the current trauma is unfolding this way.   We talked about what she does to catch herself before the Compassion Fatigue or burnout sets in.  And what she does to remedy it.  And we looked at the role of Mothering inside our current society - especially for those who have chosen not to biologically reproduce.  How we can take those instincts to nurture, to transform, to caretake & to create - and unleash them in a powerful way inside the larger world.   We spoke briefly about what a fitting ritual or rite of passage look like - beyond just a  little bump in pay (to which we’re not opposed, by the way) - to signal to someone that their contribution is of VALUE.  And how we might begin to move toward that place. Thank you Lynette - for taking the time to come speak with me.  And for your enormous patience in seeing this interview come to light.   And THANK YOU: All of you. For doing the work - be that parenting, partnering, caretaking, community support, cheerleading, spearheading, delivery driving, grocery shelf stocking, mail delivering - and those serving on the front lines of this crisis - in whatever form - THANK YOU - for doing what you can - to step into the breach.  And mend what is yours to care for. This is for you. May it be of benefit.

“Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach.” ― Clarissa Pinkola Estés Welcome back to MEND, A place where we explore the edges. Where we lean into the larger tapestry to see where, exactly, WE are being called to play a part in the larger healing of this world.   What is our work? What is ours to care for? Catastrophe has a way of making things clear. For here we all are - sequestered in our own homes, many of us unable to work for pay, struggling to tend to the daily, domestic work of childcare, schooling, meals, etc - watching the global economy crumble around and beneath us.   So, the question: What is our work right now? takes on entirely new meaning in the light of global disaster. To attempt to answer that, I’ve chosen to bring on for this first Season 4 episode, my friend who is working inside the front lines of this question everyday: My guest today is Morgan Fitzpatrick - A Nurse Practitioner living in the heart of Seatlle right now - where the virus hit early on.  Morgan is originally from Canada, but spent most of her childhood on a ranch in rural California. Which, may I say, is how I came to know her.  We grew up in the same tiny town in the foothills of the Sierras. Her husband works in tech, and together they have a precocious and brilliant daughter named Frida, who they are tending together in this new world, as she continues to go to work at the nearby clinic and work with an incredibly marginalized population and he learns the ropes of working and child-rearing & schooling from home.   Morgan earned her BA from UC Berkeley in 2002 and went on to gain her Masters in Public Health from San Francisco State University in 2007. We spoke last week on a Thursday. And I want to say - to her and all of you -in an effort to get this talk out to you in a timely fashion, I did a very light editing job here - so pardon the” umms” & pauses I normally take out.   She was gracious enough to take some time before she was due at the clinic and share her thoughts and expertise on the current situation. We talked about what it looks like in her current city. But also the larger parameters for health - not just physcial, but mental & emotional for many - worldwide. And how we can better care for ourselves and each other during this time. Beyond just hand-washing and self-quarantining, Morgan shared her advice on what we could be doing at this time to be of benefit.  And, as Mothers of two young children, we found a way to loop in some wisdom from the Disney song catalog, as well.   I know that you’ll find in here some well-thought out ideas on how to move forward at this time, and what to keep in mind.   After we spoke, Morgan texted me to tell me she’d thought of about 10 other things that she wanted to share.  But I want to say right now - as touchy-feely as it may sound - that I believe in the holy synchronicty of these conversations.  I believe that whatever is shared here - is the exact right thing at the exact right time - going out to exactly who needs to be hearing it.   If you find yourself here, lsitening to thse words - I pray - may they be of benefit. May they bolster & inform you at this time. May they remind you of your own holy work and efforts and obligation to this moment in human history. And as always, may they remind you of the powerful thread that YOU carry at this time - and help you learn into your own corner of the larger web.

When you do any work inside the online space, you’re often asked to work with what’s called “an ideal client or customer avatar”.   This is where you get super-duper clear and specific about WHO you are here to help.  The idea being, that as you move forward, talking about what you do and how you do it - you will be speaking in the vernacular of this ideal client.   Your words will land and resonate with the exact type of person you hope to be working with and, consequently, your work will become JOYOUS.   Because you will have attracted to you people whose own work is powerful and meaningful and whom you deeply love supporting.   People who will take up the tools you are offering them and hit the ground running. People who bring their own unique wisdom and depth and tenacity to the work that you do together, and thereby will transform this coaching relationship from one of mentor and mentee - to more of a rich, symbiotic co-creation.  A collaboration. If you are have done one or two things right, and are very lucky - you may attract someone like this to your work.   So, I come to you today feeling incredibly lucky.   My guest this week is Salina Shelton - whom I have had the great joy of serving and supporting as a coaching client. Salina is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Board Certified Art Therapist, living and working in the great state of Texas.   She specializes in working with individuals and families experiencing chronic pain.  Coming from a Biopsychosocial model, she integrates the many areas of life that chronic pain affects including physical limitations, self-image, and personal relationships. Salina utilizes art therapy, mindfulness, and EMDR to help her clients reach their goals. We talk about the work that she does and how it impacts the pathways in the brain and nervous system differently than traditional talk therapy.  We discuss what it is to move from a place of beauty & play as a route to healing - rather than healing as stringent, painful and difficult work.   We talk about the role of spirituality and mindfulness inside her work as well, and Salina graciously shares some of her favorite exercises and tools from her own therapeutic practice for us to try on for size.   And speaks also about the way she has giving back  baked into her practice and business model.  And why that is essential to the type of work that she does.   I hope you enjoy this delightful and instructive conversation as much as I did.   From my own perspective, as a holistic coach ( and honestly, I still bristle at the word coach most days  - I wish there was a more fitting term… lemme know if you find one!) I see my role as one of support player.   To help YOU do the beautiful work you are doing in this world - with more vigor, more depth & more longevity.  What an honor and a privilege to be with wise, generous and world-changing women like Salina. And doubly so, to get to turn around - and share her work - with all of you.   Make sure to check the show notes to find out more and to explore 1 or 2 of the ideas put forth today. And if you or anyone you know is living in the great state of Texas, and in need of some support and care - how you can reach out and connect with Salina and her work for yourself. As always, may these words and ideas buoy and support you in your own great efforts - and remind you of the great thread you carry. Thanks for being here.

“To be great, be whole;Exclude nothing, exaggerate nothing that is not you.Be whole in everything. Put all you areInto the smallest thing you do.So, in each lake, the moon shines with splendorBecause it blooms up above.” ― Fernando Pessoa Welcome back to another solo episode of MEND. This week, I’m dipping into some of the tools & ideas I travel in inside my coaching practice. This past week, I launched a small group offering I’m calling be. WELL. Where we use the practices & lens of yoga to look at Wellness from a holistic perspective. What does it mean to be well? What does it mean to define our wellness by another’s standard, prototype or idea? Can we even attain true wellness if our entry point is from a place of self-recrimination, self-punishment, self-loathing, & self-disgust? Or must the path we travel bare the same energetic footprint of the destination we are marching toward? What happens when we start to abscond with another’s definition of our worth? Our beauty? Our goodness? Our health? What begins to transpire when we create our own definitions, our own rhythms, rituals & support systems around whole-person wellness? Does it grant us greater energy and presence to live, work, and serve in the larger world? (You can probably guess that one…) We dip into these questions today & look at a construct within yogic ideology of the layers and facets that make up the Self. And how we nourish and tend to each. If you’re interested in the work of this course, you may still join us. You can find out more at: TheWorkofTheseHands.com

It was early last Friday morning and I started getting texts from some of my friends who teach to high school students. No specifics were mentioned. But the request. - Prayers.  Thoughts and love. I need to hold space in a very big way today. There is some major processing to unfold.   And so I sent them some words of love and encouragement and some emoji hearts and held them in my thoughts for a moment or so. Over the course of the next few hours, it would be revealed what had happened. A student in our local area - a teenager, no older than sophomore year - had ended his life - late Thursday night - at the McKinleyville high school quad.   And our grief.  And our confusion. And our dismay and our overwhelm and our tears - are only still beginning to pour forth.   And so I wanted to take a minute today to share some tools and information how best I could, by enlisting a friend of mine who works in this world. My guest today is Leah Harris.   Leah is a transformation and storytelling coach, trauma-healing specialist, and activist.  She’s spent the last 20 years of her life devoted to learning everything she can about caring for and navigating her own  wounds, to survive, heal, and more fully share her work with the world. Leah was born to a single mother, a creative artist with a powerful spirit who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Her mother cycled in and out of state hospitals, wandering the streets, hearing voices. And eventually died at the age of 46,  & in Leah’s words, as if often the case of those affected by adversity and mental illness - “She was a brilliant light that was lost far too soon.” Her father was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in his youth. He died suddenly at age 63, dealing yet another devastating blow to her family. As a teenager, Leah was often told that she would be likely to suffer a similar fate to her parents.  And the few places that were available to her for support offered her little more than a system of blame, labeling and heavy medication.   When she was in her mid twenties, Leah joined up with "survivors and ex-patients," a international human rights and social justice movement that has existed largely on the margins of mainstream attention. For the first time, she met a group of people who understood her experience and shared their own version. She finally felt a part of something larger than herself, a movement for change. This broke down the shame and silence that she had lived with, and was the beginning of reclaiming her own  voice & cultivating her ability to empower and hold space for others navigating their own path through trauma, as well. This discovery set Leah on a journey of nearly twenty years to discover everything she could about trauma and the various mind-body pathways to healing. Her mission - as a transformational coach, speaker, writer & advocate - is something we dip into at the end of our talk, and words worth sticking around for.   Leah is a nationally-recognized trainer and curriculum developer with the  National Center for Trauma-Informed Care. She is also a storytelling mentor, a Life Stories Institute-certified facilitator and a teaching artist in-training with Story District. You can read more about all of this on her website - which I’ll link to in the show notes. She also has a page of resources for those coping with trauma, suicidal ideation and those looking for a more holistic, human and empowering approach to grappling with what we call mental illness.   I wanted to share the voice of this wise and compassionate woman with you today as a way to provide tools, comfort & sage advice for a troubling time.   Inside this talk, you’ll hear ways to move from dis-empowerment and overwhelm when confronted with trauma.  The best ways to hold space for those who are in the throes of grief or dealing with their own suicidal thoughts.  And why trauma & suicide is so MUCH MORE than just an individual problem - and how we can begin to re-work the narrative around these issues - so that those amongst us who are suffering - the most vulnerable - can find their rightful place inside the healing fold once more.   First, let me say to the family who is reeling from this.   I am so deeply sorry. Words cannot convey.   May you be surrounded and uplifted and loved and tended during this horrible time.   May we - your community - provide whatever we can - as far as time, listening, food, childcare, money - whatever it is - so that you may be aided during this very dark moment in your life.   Let not just our prayers and hearts go with you - but our actions too.   May we meet you with love - that is active and strong enough to meet you in your need. To the child who no longer wished to be a part of this world - my darling - my darling - I never knew you.   But my heart aches for you. I pray you rest in freedom in this moment. I pray that -wherever you are - you know joy, and peace, and a deep, felt sense of belonging and LOVE - that this world was unable to provide you.   I pray - and trust - that you are now released from the ties that bound you in this life. And to us - who may not know how to show up inside this difficult moment - with all the other problems facing us - both individually - and as a culture - as a planet….   This is not isolated. This is not just a malfunctioning of brain chemistry or an individual incident. This is an opportunity to do better. To move that one step closer to creating a culture where the most vulnerable and sensitive among us do not want to leave.   I have been that vulnerable child. I have been that person contemplating an early exit strategy - on more than one occasion. And more than likely, you know someone who struggles to live inside this world, as well. So, let this mark a turning point for us today. To gather our love. To gather our resources. Our energy - our vision - our skills and our time - to enter into brave & compassionate space and conversation with one another - around difficult topics.   Ready to to difficult things. In order to make this world a more just, loving & inhabitable one - for us all.

“He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche Thank you for your forbearance during this last, little unscheduled absence. As you’ll hear inside the episode, I’ve been needing some time to rest. To renew. To step away and remember the bigger picture behind all this busy-ness of Life. The WHY of this project and of all I’ve chosen to step into. So, now. Back. Behind the mic and the laptop. Ready to step into the next iteration of this project and to share with you… *some of the talk I gave awhile back ago at the local Unitarian Universalist Fellowship - on TRUST. On trusting the role you have to play in the larger web of this Life. No matter how small. On honoring and steadfastly weaving the unique thread that you carry. On stepping in - All In - armed with intention, skill & vision - to the work, projects, relationships & even play - to which you are called. And Why it matters. Just me - talking briefly about the work of engaged spirituality. And the reminder that we never truly know at the outset what the end result of our actions will be. The seeds we plant may be humble. Simply providing a lush path for others to step onto. Some of them may bloom in a mighty and prolific way. But we need to keep planting. Keep tilling. Keep scattering seeds. And it is not to us to determine how they will grow. And if you find yourself in a quagmire, as I was not too long ago - lacking energy, lacking momentum, vision, JOY. Come back to your own great WHY. The vision that fuels all the tiny what’s and how’s and when’s inside your everyday. How do they line up? And are the actions of your daily life - really & truly - feeding into the bigger picture you seek? ……….

Awhile back ago, you may remember, I got to speak to my good friend - poet & mother - Therese Fitzmaurice - who is one half of the spoken word collective “A Reason to Listen”, a grass-roots, Humboldt grown poetry collective.   This month, I had the great pleasure of sitting down with the other half of this force for good in the Universe - ms. Vanessa Vrtiak.  Vanessa is a poet, social worker, and activist. She has self published 5 books of poetry, and is co-founder of A Reason to Listen. She has a MA in Public Sociology, and her thesis is titled: Reintegration in a Rural Community: Strengths, Barriers, and Recommendations for Reentry in Humboldt County. In the weeks to come, Vanessa will be directing a play here locally on the North Coast.  Her 6th one in total, penned by the prodigious Eve Ensler - this one entitled - Any One Of Us - Words from Women in Prison.   This play is a a collection of stories from formerly and currently incarcerated women from across the nation whose aim is toward healing, understanding, and change with the goal of using their writing and voices to impact policy, laws and treatment of incarcerated women. Together these writings reveal the deep connection between women in prison and the violence that often brings them there. I sat down to speak with both Vanessa - and the lovely and articulate Caterina Kein - who has a background in criminal justice and works as part of the philanthropy program at St. Joseph’s hospital in Eureka, CA - and is also one of the actors for this production.   Together, we spent about an hour talking about the sytemic issues women face both in and outside the system.  The culturall biases and hurdles they face when they go to re-enter society. And - perhaps - most importantly - what we can do - inside our small, daily actions - to shine a light - and shift the landscape inside this portion of the world.   We talked about the bridge between Art & Action. And overcoming & dismantling the narratives we’ve inherited & creating new ones not only for ourselves - but for those who have been caught inside, penalized and degraded by a system - whose aim on paper is said to be that of Rehabilitation.   But in actuality, can often be anything but. I urge you to sit with these wise women. To take a moment to invite their stories to land isnide your heart. I invite you to carve out an evening to go see this play and to sit inside the brave space that they’ve created for us all to collectively share for the night. It is inside these spaces we glimpse what is possible. It is inside these moments, we catch a spark of what can be.   We open ourselves to new possibilities. We allow ourselves to be broken open so that something new can be born. I want to thank these two powerful women for sitting and talking with me for an hour - and for the wonderful work they are doing in our local world. May these words inspire and hearten you.   May they do what Art does best - namely - create a catalyst for change first inside your own heart - that fans from there - out into the waking world.

What is the purpose of a podcast? I ask myself this - some weeks - when the kiddo’s at home - and needing to be entertained - and daddy’s sick and needing to log some quiet hours on the couch - and the dog needs to get taken to the vet for mysterious coughing - and it’s a classic case of #AllTheThings at once - and I’m wondering why I put this thing upon myself - to put more content out into an already noisy world - and though some folks have figured out how to turn these little conversation platforms into a great marketing tool, I’ve learned along the way - that’s really not my bag - and  - and-and-and…. I wonder - what is the purpose?  What is it for? And then I sit down to talk with a woman - on the other side of the world - or the country - some of whom I know I will never get to meet in person - and yet here we are - chatting on the other side of a screen - through the magic of technology - sharing conversation about things like - undoing systemic racism, confronting patriarchy and replacing our current modes and systems with one that is based upon love - and what we want our legacies to be - and how do we begin the overwhelming task of showing up differently inside this world - and leaving a better one for our children than the one we inherited - and after an hour or so I get so filled up with hope and life and inspiration that I remember - This - THIS! - is the purpose. To hold space for such conversations to happen. And to share them with you  - so that the good work and words and knowledge - go back out into the ether - and raise us all up a bit more. Hearten us. And encourage us to keep going - keep moving - and striving - and loving - and changing - and calling bullshit - and creating new names and ideas and structures out there in the corners of the world we each inhabit - I am reminded - in conversations like this one - that it starts with a single thread - and the tapestry can start to be undone - and crafted anew.   This week, I had the great pleasure of sitting down to talk with Desiree Adaway.   A consultant, trainer, coach and speaker with over 20 years experience creating, leading and managing international, multicultural teams through major organizational changes in over 40 countries. Desiree is the head of The Adaway Group  - a black woman owned consulting firm that brings together multi-racial teams to work on projects related to equity, inclusion and social justice. Through her work with individuals, groups, organizations & through her online programs, she helps aspiring leaders in waking up to and prioritizing the education, tools and relationships needed to become a force for change. I have been following Desiree and her work online for awhile now and was so excited to get the chance to sit down and hear more about her work - and also the vision that she holds - inside this space.   This is a woman who has been on this path, doing this work, for some time now - and as she says - will continue to show up and do this work - far after the time when the notion of social justice has faded from public view.   Her words are charged with experience and depth. And I felt myself elevated simply after an hour in her presence. And I hope you’ll feel the same. To find out more about her work, make sure to check the show notes.

What is the role of the artist within society? I’ve been having a lot of conversations lately to this effect.   One thing I do is volunteer on the fundraising board at my daughter’s school to help ensure that the gardening, music & visual art programs (and the hardworking teachers who provide and share these gifts) can continue to be funded.   It speaks deeply to what we value as a culture. What we give time, money, energy and attention to - and what we choose to divest from.   And we know - that training in these areas - enhances other areas of learning, brain function & productivity.   We know that handing a child a lump of clay makes them better problem solvers and instills innate confidence in their own ability to fashion things of their own design.   We know that music teaches cultural appreciation, improves hand-eye-coordination, concentration & ability to work collaboratively. We know that gardening builds up immunity, teaches about the natural systems in which we exist & instills a deep reverence for the Earth. And yet we consistently devalue these things.   This week, I sat down with my beloved friend - plus teacher, mentor & poet - Therese Fitzmaurice - to talk about placing value on ART within the context of the larger world.   Therese is the co-founder of the much beloved, 10-years-strong Humboldt Poetry show - what she describes as “poetry church” - an open mic experience that happens the first Thursday of each month in our local area and is open to all.  (Make sure to check the show notes for more details.) She has self-published a volume of her poetry, as well as produced an album of her work in collaboration with other local artists and musicians (of which I am happy to say I am one.  More on that later.) In addition to her work as a poet and performer, Therese has served the community for sixteen years as a professional educator as high school English teacher, preschool director and parent educator. After studying at University of San Francisco's Center for Teaching and Social Justice, Therese earned a teaching credential at Humboldt State University.  She has since closely studied the explosion of mindfulness research and its relevant application to education, family life and art. Therese and I sat down to talk about… Writing as a spiritual practice. And assigning value to those things in our life and world - that do not bring status or wealth along with them. The practices she regularly engages in to clarify her own path and priorities in this life. And the role of the Art and the Artist with in the health and life of a community, as well. As all things she touches, this conversation is full of warmth and insight. And it gave me the necessary impetus to value & reclaim the less tangible resources I possess within my own life. I hope for you it will do the same. As you know, it is our habit here at MEND to include a piece of spoken word or poetry at the end of these talks. So, today, I invite you to stick around if you can till the end - where Therese shares a recording of her work - and I get the fun task of singing along in the background as well.   Another example of what can transpire - when we endeavor to live deliberately - when we choose to prioritize that which noruishes us and feeds us and fulfills us - and invite others to do the same. There is no limit to the value - and the beauty that we can create inside that space.

In my conversations this year, I am looking to luminaries, yes. So grateful to be sitting down with people in this world who are moving powerfully inside of it to counter the dominant culture and are sparking new and dynamic ways for us to move forward as a species.   We need those lights right now. We need them up there - elevated in the either - front and center - holding the mic - writing the books - crafting the movements - and engaging in the larger conversations. And we also needs the lights here on the ground. The you’s and the me’s and the ordinary people nestled around us, choosing to live in an extraordinary way.   We need to be reminded,  I believe, that it is not just for professional movers and shakers to shift the fabric of this time. It is for us, as well. WE can be that light for one another. WE can tend the flame.   WE can re-write the script - using whatever humble language we possess. So, it is with this spirit in mind - that I am pleased to share this conversation with you today.   I first met Billie LightWalker  - the matriarch of a travelling family of 4 - several years ago, as they were journeying through the West Coast.   I was enchanted by their spirit - as in THEY - this whole family’s got great energy, man.   It’s effervescent and contagious. And moved by the humble yet beautiful way that they were choosing to move through this world.   Billie sat down with me  - from her current home across the sea - to talk about her life - and that of her family - making home away from home.   We talked about letting go - of what we actually release (and create space for) when we do the hard thing of bidding our sweet earthly treasures goodbye. We talked about ritual and creating sacred space - wherever you may find yourself. We talked about borders - the ones we carry inside our own colonized minds and the ones we construct out in the world.  And what it looks like to move past those. We talked about the nitty-gritty of making a gorgeous, bohemian lifestyle actually work - when there’s no trustfund or sexy, Instagram influencer, corporate-sponsor bank in sight. We talked about raising children who are at home in the world - not just in a given place, state or nation.   And Billie graciously reveals the number one thing you must absolutely have when traveling.   Although this story may seem far off the beaten path for many of us, I wanted to share their journey here because I believe it can serve as a potent reminder to all of us.  The rules are not set in stone. We are the creators of this life, and, as Billie reminds us - our first contract we must live by is the one we carry in our own, wise heart. There are other  ways of moving through this life than the one that’s been conscripted to us There is a way to be free. And sometimes, that exodus starts just by dropping in and listening to the path someone else has taken to get there.