On my heart this week.
About 100 of you have joined the community since last week’s edition. If you’re reading or listening for the first time, thank you for being here! From Holley, With Love (FHWL) is one part micropodcast, one part written digest, and one part playlist. Every Monday1 I share insights, resources and inspiration for becoming who you are while creating work you love.
I almost wrote y’all on Monday to say “Hey, not today.” but I was honestly too distracted and exhausted going through the motions to find my way to a screen. I’ve been enraged for days navigating a complicated season with my family that I’m so grateful to being turning a corner on. I kept telling myself I’d record when I cooled down and felt more loving. As seductive as the idea of staying mad was, I knew the toxicity of that feeling was no place to call home. I had to find my way back to love.
A random yellow jacket attack (listen to the micropodcast for the full story) sparked an epiphany that helped me return to my personal definition of it:
The act of vulnerably, courageously, and unconditionally championing that which you are deeply committed and connected to.
And so here I am on Thursday, showing up and repurposing that angry energy into something heart-centered and honest while I chew on these questions:
What are you willing to vigorously fight for in the name of love?
What have you been vigorously fighting for that no longer serves you and it’s time to let go of?
Gifts for your growth.
📖 I mentioned two books in today’s micropodcast:
Thich Nhat Hanh’s Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames; highly recommended if you’re interested in practical ways to transmute anger and relieve suffering.
Tell Me About Yourself Six Steps for Accurate and Artful Self-Definition, my first published book (it turns 4 next month!). TMAY is an action guide for unearthing, articulating, and championing the stories of your gifts, talents, pursuits, and ideas with confidence and authenticity. If you’d like a signed copy with a personalized message, I have a handful left on my website. You can also find it where books are sold online or order it at your local bookstore.
🤲🏾 I also mentioned Shirley Johnson, a brilliant medicine woman, therapist, kundalini & hatha yoga teacher and intimacy coach committed to restoring intimacy and vulnerability to humankind. I’m wrapping up Day 5 of a communal accelerator she’s hosting — 7 days of kundalini yoga and meditation for self-love and courageous love — and felt called to share her work with y’all. You can learn more about Shirley and her offerings here.
Fuel for the week ahead.
💎 On my flight home from a family trip last weekend, I listened to this interview with Tyler, The Creator waxing poetic about the courage to be yourself, not being too cool to care about the details, connoisseurship and his overall growth and maturation through his career thus far.
Watch or listen to the full interview: YouTube • Soundcloud
🎧 🎶 This week’s Seven Bops playlist is the melancholia edition. It’ll tug at your heart strings so if you’re in need of a good cry and/or emotional purge, listen to it on Apple Music or Spotify.
❤️🩹
Enjoy the weekend ahead and I’ll see y’all on Monday.
Love always,
HMKM
On occasion when life hands me more lemons than I believe I can manage without going off the deep end, I send FHWL later in the week.
From Holley, With Love • Thursday, 081221