Resourcing the Revolution

Transforming Humanity

The Simple Stress-Buster Every Entrepreneur Needs

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Everyone who is out doing big things in the world experiences “it”.

That moment where uncertainty rolls in like a thick fog. When you start questioning everything. And when you start comparing yourself to others… resulting in the mother of all entrepreneurial stresses:

Imposter syndrome.

In my experience, there’s nothing more stressful. Nothing that overwhelms me faster. And it’s usually a surefire way to suck every last ounce of motivation out of me, to leave me wanting to curl up on the couch and binge Netflix for the rest of my life. Because, really. Who needs that kind of stress in their life?

But, rather than succumbing to the fetal position, there’s a sure-fire way kiss this kind of stress goodbye.

Stress. Busted.

Let me tell you a little story.

Last week, I was stuck. I was in what I’ll call really crappy headspace. Questioning everything. Feeling totally overwhelmed.

I sat at my computer for a while, staring at the list of priorities I wanted to tackle. And I couldn’t motivate myself to do anything.

So I sat there, feeling sorry for myself. And… I may have cried a little bit, too (if I’m being totally honest).

But the last thing on my to-do list was simple. I wanted to clean up the house. And it felt like if I couldn’t accomplish anything else, I could at least do a little dusting.

So I forced myself out of my chair, grabbed my phone, pulled up Pandora, and put on one of my favorite playlists.

And then, something remarkable happened.

The Magic of the Perfect Playlist

Pandora served me up a big ‘ole smack in the face of musical inspiration and awesomeness. I finished up the dusting, and decided I also wanted to vacuum. And by the time I was done cleaning the house, I had worked my way out of my funk.

You may not know this about me, but I was a music major in college. I’ve listened to and played music for most of my life, and yet I still manage to occasionally (okay, regularly) forget the power of music.

It’s a totally individual experience, and everyone will have a slightly different type of music and general vibe that’s their perfect mix. But I truly believe that everyone who’s out there in the world trying to make a difference needs their own “resilience” mix.

(Side note, I find that randomly shuffled playlists have the tendency to play just the right song, at just the right time. Maybe I attribute it to lucky coincidence. Or maybe I attribute it to signs from the universe… #nojudging)

Either way, music is a powerful – and ridiculously simple – tool we can add to our entrepreneurial toolbox.

Curate Your Mood

So how do you curate your list? Simple. Pick music that makes you want to shake your booty. Music that inspires you, and leaves you with a smile on your face.

If you’re still having trouble getting started, I’ve curated a list of a few songs you can start with to build a playlist of your own, including the lyrics that speak to the entrepreneurial journey.

Here’s a taste of what your stress-busting, imposter-syndrome-overcoming playlist might include:

Rachel Platten: Fight Song

Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion

I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion

My power’s turned on
And I don’t really care if nobody else believes
‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me

X-Ambassadors: Renegades

Long live the pioneers
Rebels and mutineers
Go forth and have no fear
Come close the end is near

It’s our time to make a move
It’s our time to make amends
It’s our time to break the rules
Let’s begin

Phillip Phillips: Home

Settle down, it’ll all be clear
Don’t pay no mind to the demons
They fill you with fear

The trouble it might drag you down
If you get lost, you can always be found
Just know you’re not alone

American Authors: Go Big or Go Home

I’m thinking life’s too short it’s passing by
So if I’m gonna go at all
Go big or go home

Sheppard: Geronimo

Well we rushed it
Moving way too fast
That we crushed it
But it’s in the past

We can make this leap
Through the curtains of the waterfall
So say Geronimo!
Say Geronimo!

Shakira: Try Everything

I messed up tonight
I lost another fight
I still mess up but I’ll just start again
I keep falling down
I keep on hitting the ground
I always get up now to see what’s next

I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won’t give up, no I won’t give in
Till I reach the end
And then I’ll start again

American Authors: Best Day of My Life

I had a dream so big and loud
I jumped so high I touched the clouds
I’m never gonna look back
Woah, never gonna give it up

But all the possibilities
No limits just epiphanies
No, just don’t wake me now
This is gonna be the best day of my life

Andy Grammer: Good to Be Alive

I’ve been grinding so long, been trying this shit for years
and I got nothing to show, just climbing this rope right here
and if there’s a man upstairs, he kept bringing me rain
but I’ve been sending up prayers and something’s changed

I think I finally found my hallelujah
I’ve been waiting for this moment all my life
Now all my dreams are coming true, yeah
I’ve been waiting for this moment

Feels good to be alive right about now

Eminem: Lose Yourself

Look
If you had
One shot
Or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted
In one moment
Would you capture
Or just let it slip?

Journey: Don’t Stop Believin’

Do I really need to explain this one? (Yeah, didn’t think so.)

Get Up Off That Thang

So my challenge for you today? Go create your own “get outta this funk” playlist.

Open up Pandora (you can sign up for a free account with just your email address), search for “Shut Up and Dance“, and create a station from that song. Then go to station details, and “add variety.” Add the other songs above, or some of your favorites.

Then, any time you’re feeling stuck or otherwise questioning everything in your life, open up the station, crank the volume, and dance around your house like no one is watching.

Here’s to rising above the funk, getting inspired to do big world-changing things, and celebrating the small things in life. Including booty-shaking playlists.

And if you’re feeling like you could use more than just a little booty shaking to cultivate all-around resilience and flow in your life and business, sign up for the Resourcing the Revolution newsletter. Every edition delivers a mix of soul-level insight, somatic tools, and playlist-worthy inspiration — designed to help you ground your energy, reconnect with your purpose, and keep showing up for what matters.

Why You’re Chasing “Work Life Balance” (and How to Stop)

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For years now, “work-life balance” has been a huge buzzword.

The way it’s presented, there’s this magical point at which everything in your life just falls into place.

You have more than enough time for everything. All of your worries and stresses magically fall away, leaving behind a shiny and perfect version of your life where time is no longer an issue.

And then there’s the flip side. They’ll tell you that work-life balance is bullshit. That it’s impossible to achieve, and you should quit trying. Or, that you should call it something else, because balance isn’t really what you’re striving for.

So what are we, left standing in the middle of these two extremes, to believe?

I recently came across a beautiful quote that bridges the gap:

The Daoists believe that the world is always an interplay between chaos and order, and that if you live your life properly you stand with one foot in order and one foot in chaos. Because if you are only in order then nothing interesting ever happens to you, nothing is anything other than a repeat of everything you already know. […] And if you are in a state that’s only characterized by chaos, then you are at sea, or overwhelmed, or things have fallen apart for you, and there’s too much of everything for you to deal with. […]

A meaningful life, the optimally meaningful life, is to be found on the border between chaos and order, and I would say that your nervous system tells you exactly when you are there, and it’s a kind of place. You can tell when you are there because you are secure enough to be confident, but not so secure that you are bored, and you are interested enough to be awake, but not so interested that you are terrified. When you are in a state like that, when you find things interesting and meaningful, then time slips by you and you are no longer self-conscious.”

~ Jordan B Peterson (from this video)

So rather than fight against the things that fill your life, how can you instead embrace the flow? How can you find balance between chaos and order, and live comfortably in the exchange?

The Interplay Between Chaos and Order

Let’s be real for a minute.

Modern life? It’s messy. And loud. And usually pretty chaotic.

And it can be super stressful trying to create order out of that chaos — especially when you fight against it and try to force your particular and exacting desires onto it.

As a result of all this fighting, this resistance, you end up feeling stuck. Stuck in the middle. Stuck in the status quo. Stuck in your head.

You end up mindlessly muddling through, just trying to get through your day. Wishing that you could push a magic “pause” button that would deliver you effortlessly to a tropical island, drop you into a beach chair, and put an ice cold beverage of your choice in your hand.

But what if you don’t actually need to disappear to a far off tropical island to get unstuck?

A Road Paved With Great Intentions

Truth is, getting away and stepping outside your comfort zone is great. It gives you perspective you wouldn’t have otherwise. It gives you the chance to see things from a distance, rather than right in the muck of the everyday.

(I should know — I just got back from 9 days totally off grid in Mexico, retreating it up with one of my favorite teachers.)

That being said, how often do you get back from vacation or a super relaxing retreat filled to the brim with great intentions? You’re going to change everything! You have a new outlook on life, and all this motivation to make it happen.

So you head into this new chapter of your life, full-on-excited about the changes you’re going to make.

And then you realize you have to do the laundry — all those dirty clothes you wore on vacation aren’t going to wash and fold themselves.

… and you have to catch up on however many days of emails that you missed while you were way — they’re not going to magically get dealt with.

… and you come to the sinking realization that other people depend on you, so you can’t just drop everything and start fresh.

… and you have to deal with all of the other (annoying) day to day things that are suddenly back on your plate, because well, real life.

… sigh.

You end up frustrated. Tired. And most of that motivation to make big changes? Poof. It’s gone, along with that post-vacation glow.

Real life has returned. With a vengeance.

So if getting away to a tropical island doesn’t fix things, what will? Should you just give up and resign yourself to a life of imbalance and exhaustion?

Your Personal “Pause” Button

Truth is, the answer for most people is to give up. To allow themselves to slowly sink back into the status quo. They saw the possibility, but either they didn’t believe they could get there or they simply didn’t know how. (Or it looked like a LOT of work…)

But if I know you, you’re not most people. You see the possibilities. And even if you’re not quite sure how to get there, you’re going to figure it out eventually. You’re sure as hell not going to give up and sink back into mindless slogging. (Because that’s no fun for anyone.)

The good news for you is that I’ve been there, done that… and there’s a 3 step process I use to work through all the elements of the “balance” I try to cultivate in my life:

1. Rise up: rise above the status quo, and identify the patterns that keep you stuck

For example, I have a consistent pattern of saying “yes” to too many things. Too many new projects, requests for my time, and things that I see as big possibilities (but maybe aren’t totally aligned with where I’m headed right now).

2. Innovate: what’s a new approach that you can take, so you can leave those patterns behind?

To continue the example, I have a rule about closet space in my house — if something new comes in, something old needs to go. So I could use a similar strategy when deciding on new projects. I only have so many hours in a day, and by agreeing to something new, I need to make space for the “yes”.

3. Celebrate: celebrate the shit out of the things that are working, and bring more of those things into your life.

Recently, I’ve made the decision to let a couple of projects go that weren’t in line with my current priorities. I had been stressing out because I was feeling the time crunch, and after making the decision to let them go… let’s just say that there was a ‘lil bit of dancing going on. Celebrate what’s working!

As my teacher Britt says, fill up so full with the good things that everything that no longer serves you falls away.

Quit Chasing, and Start Cultivating

Now, let me be clear — you and your life, your grand visions? While we may each follow similar paths, we are very different individuals. What works for me may not work for you.

Over the years, I’ve developed a toolbox full of practices that I can turn to when life gets overwhelming. I also have a pretty good idea of what works for me in this moment, and I’m living those ideas to test out my theories. The things that work, stick around — and those that don’t, fall away.

Instead of chasing “work life balance”… I cultivate the practices that allow me to make aligned choices. I find my own personal version of balanced and centered. And I leave the rest.

All this being said, I also understand the frustration of constant overwhelm and chronic stress. I understand hustling hard to create the positive impact you want to see in the world, and still feeling like you can’t possibly accomplish everything in front of you.

That’s why I’m putting the final touches on a new program, designed for folks just like us. Overwhelmed, and ready to quit chasing “work life balance” and cultivate a life that works for you?

MindFULL to Mindful: A Guided Journey to a Balanced Modern Life will return this fall — sign up for the interest list to learn more.

Relaxation 101: How to Stop Worrying and Enjoy the Ride

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This time last week, I was on vacation in Sayulita, Mexico.

Sleeping in a cabana by the ocean, rising before the sun to meditate and do yoga, and spending my days with the most beautiful group of women.

By Thursday, I had fully arrived. I was relaxed. Settled in to the ebb and flow of days, the moon, and the ocean.

…

But let’s rewind a few days, to the previous Saturday.

My first full day at Haramara. The night before, I fell asleep at 8:45 pm and slept for almost 10 hours. Upon waking, I wandered up the mountain to breakfast, absorbing the sights and sounds of the jungle.

And after breakfast I grabbed a book and a beach towel and settled in at the beach.

At which point I started to twitch…

The severed connection

This is what poured forth, sitting there at the edge of the Pacific Ocean on a gorgeous morning, staring out across the waves to the horizon:

We don’t know how to relax.

It’s like we’ve forgotten.

Plunk me down by myself in the middle of paradise, and I start to physically itch because I don’t know what to do with myself.

My brain spins, my introvert self wants to go home, my inner entrepreneur wants her laptop and the internet (stat) because there’s work to be done, dammit.

We push ourselves so hard when we’re working that when we try to stop, to disconnect, it’s like a heroin addict who needs just one more hit. Just one more blog post. One more hit of device-delivered dopamine.

Then we can relax.

Then we can enjoy the moment.

Human Doing or Human Being?

There is something inherently messed up when we can sit with a view like this…

and still not be able to relax.

Yet, our society and lifestyles have engrained this response into us. We have become Human Doings instead of Human Beings.

During any moment of down time, of pause, guilt begins to creep in. We feel like there must be something else we can accomplish. Some task we can cross off our never-ending to do lists.

So what’s a human (being) to do?

Practice and all is coming

It comes down to the balance between the body’s limbic system and the neocortex.

We “do” in an effort to defend and protect ourselves (limbic). And we neglect the relaxation response that originates from the neocortex.

The root of the solution lies here: we can’t think our way through it. We have to live it, practice it.

The answers will come when we put what we think we know to the test.

We’ll be able to relax when we practice relaxing.

So back to the beach in Sayulita, a few days into the retreat. I had arrived. Enough time passed, yoga sessions moved through my body, breaths through my lungs, that I could be fully present. That I could finally relax.

Practice doesn’t make perfect. But it does bring us closer to that point in time where we have quicker access to the relaxation response.

And you are the only one who has the power to turn on your relaxation response. You can bring practices into your life that allow you to tap into the neocortex. To practice self care. To decide to be a Human Being.

You have the power.

Why I Hustle During the Holidays (It’s Not What You Think)

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Let’s get one thing straight:

I hate the word “hustle” and everything it has come to stand for.

You’re an entrepreneur? Good for you. Now give up everything else in your life and dedicate it to your business.

Personal life? Who has time for that?

Health? You’ll sleep when you’re dead.

Anything that’s not directly related to growing your business? On the back burner until you “make it” and finally have time for other things.

The problem is: this moment we have right here… it’s the only one we get. The past is past. And the future is shaped by what we do in this moment.

So sure, it’s good to work toward building the life you want. But if you spend one hundred percent of your life hustling, the rest of your life is passing you by. Minutes you never get back. Moments that you might otherwise cherish for the rest of your life gone, passed over.

So why would I write a post about why I spend the holidays – a time that should be spent with family and friends – doing something that I just claimed to hate?

Because I think there’s a way to transform our relationship to hustle.

Hustle 2.0

I went to church when I was younger, but my belief system has shifted significantly as I’ve aged. I moved away from observing traditionally religious holidays (and don’t even get me started on the commercial holidays here in the States).

So while other families are spending time around the Christmas tree or celebrating other holidays, this time of year is just another calendar month for me.

(Also, almost no one sends emails on Christmas Day. This year I think I got a grand total of 5 emails the whole day. Talk about a good day to be productive!)

Don’t get me wrong, December isn’t all hustle. I took the day to observe Winter Solstice, which is the closest to winter “holiday” that I celebrate these days. And I went caroling with a group of folks back home on Christmas Eve, because it’s become a tradition of sorts and there’s hot mulled cider to warm up after.

And while we did head over the mountains for the week to spend time with family, I brought along my laptop and a list of priorities that will keep my business moving forward as we head into 2018.

Priorities, you can haz them

While many others in the US are powered down, taking a break for the last couple weeks of the year, I’m gearing up.

I’ve got a 5-week class series (MindFULL to Mindful) that starts at the end of January, and there are still spots available.

Hustle = doing promotion that gets butts into seats.

I’m planning a retreat for the spring (not yet announced) that needs to be planned and promoted.

Hustle = getting those details squared away.

And I’m working on turning MindFULL to Mindful into a digital offering, so that it’s not limited to students within driving distance of Charlottesville.

Hustle = setting the foundation for this new offering.

So with all this holiday hustle, when do I take time away?

Holiday = going totally off grid in two weeks. Heading to Sayulita, Mexico again for a yoga retreat with one of my favorite teachers.

That week at Haramara? THAT is my holiday.

My time to relax. To recharge. To sit by the ocean and listen to the waves crash against the shore. To delve deeper into my yoga. And to step away from the hustle and evaluate the past year.

Knowing that kind of holiday is on the horizon gives me a great reason to spend the weeks leading up to it with my head down.

It’s your life, so define your terms

When I say that I’m hustling during the holidays, what I really mean is that I’m working during what someone else defines as “holiday” – and then taking my own downtime, on my own terms.

It’s not about the “hustle.”

It’s not about conforming to a schedule that’s predetermined by centuries of religious practice or large corporations.

Rather, it’s about finding the mode of living that works for you, for your family, and for your business.

Because that is the kind of hustle I can get behind.

3 Playful Practices to Make Life Fun Again

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Remember when summer used to be fun?

As a kid, summer loomed large as you approached the end of the school year. Three months of endless sun, long days, trips to the beach, and nonstop fun awaited.

It was the greatest time of the year. You counted down the days, waiting with barely contained excitement for the final bell to ring.

Yet somehow along the way to adulthood, you lost that joy.

Yeah, you (sometimes) take a vacation to help you unwind. But by the end of the planning, the travel, the stress, and making your way back home again… you need a vacation to recover from your vacation.

Sound familiar?

Well, I propose a shift — in the way we think, act, and set our intentions. Let’s make summer fun again.

Heck, let’s make life fun again!

It all starts with bringing a little playfulness back into your life. And what better way to start than on your yoga mat?

While yes – yoga is good for you, helps relieve stress, and all the other benefits it brings – you probably tend to turn your practice into a chore. Something you should do. Something to cross off your to do list.

Starting today, give yourself permission to let go of the “should”. To be more playful. And to make summer (and life) more fun.

Let’s look at some practices that will make your inner kid happy.

1. Hissing Breath II (Sitkari Pranayama)

Did you make animal noises when you were little? Maybe mooing like a cow. Or snorting like a piglet?

Let’s channel that inner child, and play with a breathing practice where you can hiss like a snake.

This pose is really good for helping you to cool down on hot summer days. Seriously — the air constricts around the teeth as it enters the mouth, making it feel cooler to the body.

And pretending like you’re a snake might make you feel silly — or even get a case of the giggles. If that’s the case, you’re doing it right.

How to do it:

Release your tongue back toward the top of the mouth (out of the way of your teeth). Smile big, letting the lips come apart and the teeth meet firmly.

Inhale through the teeth, which will make the “hissing” sound referenced in the name, and exhale through the nose.

Repeat 3 times, or for as long as feels comfortable.

Health note: if you ever feel dizzy or lightheaded, stop immediately and return your breath to normal.

2. Kshepana Mudra (Letting Go Gesture)

You might recognize this mudra as the hand position from Warrior I or certain variations on standing side bends. I’ve heard quite a few teachers say something like “bring your hands into temple” to describe this particular gesture.

This mudra is intended to help you let go of feelings of stress or negativity, with the ultimate goal of finding a state of pure joy.

Image credit: Liz West

Pure joy! Can’t beat that, right?

Some people even claim that using the mudra before public speaking has helped them get rid of stage fright.

How to do it:

Bring your hands together into prayer. Interlock the fingers, and then release your index fingers so they’re pointing upward.

You can hold this position at chest level, or raise your arms overhead (like in Warrior I).

You can use this mudra while sitting or standing, or incorporate it into other yoga poses.

3. Playful Practice (“Playfulasana”)

Yeah, yeah. So “playfulasana” isn’t really a thing… but maybe it should be.

I would offer that you have the opportunity – every time you step on your mat – to bring an intention to be playful. To allow the corners of your mouth to rise as you sit in meditation. To let yourself have fun instead of taking the poses so seriously.

There are so many poses derived from nature:

  • Tree pose — pretend like you’re a tree, swaying in the breeze. Rooting down through the standing leg, with your branches spreading wide.
  • Cat and cow warmup — sway your back like a cow, and maybe even chew your cud. Arch your back like a stretching cat.
  • Lion’s pose (and lion’s breath) — stick your tongue out and roar!

And other poses just waiting for you to channel the kid inside:

  • Warrior III — be superman (or woman), flying over your hometown with your cape stretched out behind you.
  • Happy baby — grab those feet and think what it would be like to be all roly-poly and experiencing everything for the first time.
  • Or grab a partner and go do some acro yoga. Or arial yoga with silks.

Whatever you do, make sure it’s fun! See if you can sit your inner critic in a corner for a while, and just let your body do what it wants.

Start with poses and things you know, and then let the exploration begin.

Before you know it, your yoga practice might even be something you look forward to, instead of yet another task to complete in your already-busy day.

Go ahead… Play!

It’s summer. The time of the year when the temperature gets hot and the days can be lazy and long.

How can you make the most of what’s left of July and August? How can you bring more fun back into your life?

And how do you play in your life or your work — do you make separate time, or do you try to integrate both at the same time? Let me know in the comments!

Innovation 101: How to Stop Getting Stuck in Your Head

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How often do you run into a brick wall as you follow the thread of an idea?

Get a spark and have it immediately snuffed out when your brain steps in to list all the reasons the idea won’t work?

Or otherwise feel like you’re failing as an entrepreneur because all your best ideas seem to be hiding behind a thick membrane you can’t quite get through?

And how often does everyone else respond, “Oh, you just need to get out of your head.”

Step away. Take a deep breath. Give yourself some space.

Disconnect…

But when you try to switch off and unplug, nothing really changes. You come back to the same place, with the same issues and frustrations. And you feel like the time away was wasted. You might as well have stayed and tried to power through.

It may sound totally counterintuitive, but what if I told you that you need to reconnect, before you can disconnect?

Get in to get out

It’s kind of like the old meme featuring a Golden Retriever. You probably remember the one — “Let me in. I need to go back out again.”

You need to get back into your body, to reconnect with your muscles and joints. To embody the physical vessel your brain resides in, so that you can start to tap into the full power of your mind.

As a constantly-connected always-on and hustling entrepreneur, chances are that you’ve stepped so far outside your body (and away from your mind) that you need to find your way back in.

Before you can disconnect and give yourself space to innovate in a meaningful way.

Understand the rules before you break them

Your body (and by connection, your mind) is a self-limiting device.

Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, stagnation — these can all cause your body to perform poorly. And the usual response to issues that arise might be to medicate them away, or to ignore them. To power through.

And when you disconnect in this way, it shorts out the bond to your internal wisdom.

When you isolate yourself from your self, that’s when you start to run up against the limits of your mind. You lose the ability to innovate. To make outside-the-box neural connections and see the answers that are hiding just on the other side of the membrane.

In the same way that you need to have an understanding of the rules of a system before you can start to manipulate it, you need to reconnect to the body in a meaningful way before you can step away and get the type of brain-space you need to access true innovation.

Gain behind-the-scenes access to your potential

That’s where practices like yoga and other mindfulness tools come in.

You give yourself a chance to reconnect with your body — so that you can disconnect in a meaningful way. You get up close and personal with the physical vessel so you can understand how and where it might be holding you back. And from a place of deep connection, you gain the space you need to break through.

This is one of the key tenants of the Yoga of Innovation, a 5-week series that I run here in Charlottesville. This idea of reconnection with the body is the focus for the first week, setting a foundation for the practices that came in later weeks — the practices that allow us to tap into a limitless part of the brain, where innovation becomes as instinctive as breathing.

If you’ve been feeling a bit stuck, or just want to learn some practices that will help you break through the barriers that hold your business back, stay tuned for the next class series.