If you don't want to read the rest, that's okay, but I reeeeeeally wanna know who your alter ego is! How does it show up? Have you named it? Feel free to add a GIF or a picture to represent it or a comment to expand! :) :) For more, read below! -------------------------------------------------- A lot of people think of alter egos as costumes or a masquerade....something fake, exaggerated, or a hiding of some sort. Buuuuut, psychologically, they're often not that at all. An alter ego is usually a contained expression of a real part of the self, maybe one that doesn’t always feel safe, welcome, or effective in everyday life BUT may feel VERY effective in some circumstances... Alter egos are often created because different situations demand different capacities... Beyonce was the first person that came to mind for this--her alter ego "Sasha Fierce" (bold, fierce, commanding on stage) but there are other examples as well. The idea of courage without overthinking is attractive to me this year. ha. SOoooo much thinking. If you're hesitant, like I was, here's some reassurance..the problem isn’t having an alter ego, but rather having one that runs the show unconsciously. I almost think that "alter-ego" is a misnomer. When used intentionally, the alter ego can provide psychological distance during stress, reduce emotional overlaod by narrowing focus, help bypass fear, shame and people pleasing patterns and act as a bridge between values and action. Used unconsciously, it can become armor that's rigid, isolating, or self-erasing. But here's the thing....coming from someone that appreciates the IFS (internal family systems) model, I like the idea of integrating the different parts rather than having them be polarized/hidden. Being called upon with intention rather than being reactive and causing chaos.Maybe the 'shadow' side comes out when things are more reactive but ultimately, an alter ego would be part of the whole picture. :) An integrated self is a healthy self. Being able to move between states consciously is healthy. It's really about allowing more of the self to come out...intentionally.

Hey Empowered Fam! :) I was just in a call with @Arthur Maddocks-Brown in his group, where we talked about creating a Bucket List and I was inspired to share this with the group! He is running a Bucket List Challenge in his group (100 goals in 5 years)!! QUESTION: What are some of the things on YOUR bucket list? I would LOVE to hear about some of these! :) Aaaaaaaand...Because this is a group about inspiring and being inspired, empowering and being empowered, and living to our fullest potential (whatever that may look like) this is a great way to support/encourage each other along the way! Some additional info about bucket list, if you'd like it! :) ------------------------------- A bucket list is an intentional inventory of experiences, goals, and growth edges you want to tend to during your life. Since we never know when our time is up, it's helpful to start now. **Think of it less like a checklist and more like a map of who you want to become.Think about the values that you hold and how the items within the bucket list serve towards those values**** Most meaningful bucket lists have a few different “buckets” inside them: 1. Experiences (the classic stuff) These are the do the thing items. The things that expand your point of reference. -Travel to places that change your perspective -Try something that scares you a little (or a lot) -Attend or participate in something you once thought was “not for people like me” 2. Growth & Becoming This is where it gets deeper--identify your values; explore past hurts; who are you becoming? These items usually feel uncomfortable to write down because they require change, not just effort. -Learn a skill you’ve always avoided -Confront a pattern you keep repeating -Develop a trait you admire in others (patience, courage, empathy, integrity) . 3. Relationship & Connection A lot of people realize late that who they shared life with mattered more than what they did. i posted a short video a while back (I'll try to find it again) about how love/relationships is what matters most to people in the end of their life. :)

Without discipline and just leaning into the idea of "this is just who I am" or "this is my nature", we would all still be pooping our pants... Some of the things discipline requires: -delaying gratification -acceptance of responsibility -dedication to truth -balancing

This past week we stealthily crossed the 100 member milestone and I'm so so excited for it! A couple of you reached out about it (thank you!!) and @Chris Wendt 's post here100-members means so so much to me... This milestone belongs to all of you! It truly does! Thank you for showing up, contributing your voices, sharing your experiences, and helping create this space into what it is today. I never anticipated how this little corner of skool was going to take shape and I am so so truly thankful for it and for you all. A gift that I never knew was needed and didn't see coming. My heart is overflowing with joy. The connections formed and nurtured, the conversations sparked, and the growth truly wouldn’t exist without your willingness to engage and support one another and me. This community is possible because of you-your presence, insight, and energy matter more than you know. Thank you for making it the special space that it is. Here’s to what we’ve built together so far, and to everything still ahead!!!!💛 Excited!!!!!

I'm not a man, so I'm not going to pretend that I understand or know what it's like to be a man. I also don't want to give ANY impression that masculinity or masculine traits are bad or less than. The world NEEDS masculine traits...I think we're in desperate need actually. It's been interesting to see the shift from unhealthy masculinity to the complete oppression of masculinity... Ultimately though, I think that we need humans that can embody a level of wholeness. (the post below mainly focuses on one aspect of this...but there's always more) I work with men and I love them. I love humanity--with all it's beauty, with all it's ick, with all it's wrestling in the mud...But i think that there's a special place in my heart for men. I can only speak from my experience with interacting with men...so while I'm not a man and can't get the full scope, I'm thankful for being allowed in spaces where they've shared their experiences... In working with men, I get to see the pain that's there, the striving, the need for connection, the fear of failure and fear of not living up to their potential, the things left unsaid or unaddressed because there are certain expectations or there are certain societal waves at play that don't leave a place for men to really speak up without repercussions. Other men experience the opposite--where there's less striving, less leading, less masculine traits presented and they also suffer-from a lack of direction, effectiveness. Some have direction/clarity but the current societal environment doesn't necessarily allow for it. The current environment around how some men are treated is also fascinating and appears to be damaging..A lot of shame can arise in any of these cases. Sometimes some of the men deny that these things even exist in their lives but more often than not, over time there's a realization. Something that doesn’t get talked about enough is how many high-achieving men end up sabotaging themselves because of the version of masculinity that helped them succeed. The grind, the emotional shutdown, the “handle it alone” mentality--it kinda works, you know? Until it doesn't. Using pain as a fuel source can be really motivating and can feel like "fire under the a$$" but when it seeps in other areas of life, it ends up being messy, painful, harmful. On the other side of the spectrum there are individuals that are lacking clarity in vision/direction and there's little striving/less leading and this contributes to feelings of ineffectiveness, lack of purpose, depression. There are also groups of men that are feeling limited in their ability to move forward due to the current stance of society..