It’s been awhile…
I’ve missed writing to you. Not because I didn’t have anything to say, but because I had too much and I wasn’t sure where to begin.
My mind can sometimes be my worst enemy, sabotaging me before I even start a creative project. Ideas spark and swirl, full of possibility… and then suddenly I’m making a meal plan, driving one of my teenagers across town, or walking the dog. Life moves quickly, and my inner world often gets crowded out by logistics.
A couple of years ago, a close friend started sending me podcast recordings of live talks by Michael Singer, recorded at his spiritual center, Temple of the Universe, in Alachua, Florida. His talks were eye-opening for me. He has a way of describing the vastness of the universe that gently loosens the grip of my worries and self-criticism. On days when I catch myself ruminating or being especially hard on myself, I’ll often put on one of his talks and feel my perspective widen almost immediately.
That same friend eventually became my partner, and after Christmas we decided to drive down to Florida to hear Michael speak live. We were fortunate to hear him speak three times during our visit, but the very first talk stayed with me the most.
He began by saying:
“It isn’t what you do that’s important — it’s why you are doing it.”
That simple statement stopped me in my tracks.
It got me thinking about all my planning, striving, and doing. I realized how rarely I slow down enough to ask myself: Why am I doing this? What belief is driving me?
This time of year often brings resolutions. In my twenties and early thirties, mine were usually the same:
Lose 10 pounds
Achieve a new fitness goal
Journal every single day for 10 minutes
Improve myself somehow
Looking back, I can see that most of my goal-setting came from a belief that something about me needed fixing.
But sitting there, listening to Michael speak, something softened. A quiet realization arose:
We don’t need to fix ourselves.
We need to stop fighting what’s already here.
That insight is one of the reasons I’m feeling especially drawn this winter to slow down, reflect, and be in conscious community — rather than rushing toward self-improvement.
If you feel similarly, I’d love to invite you to join me for the Awakened Heart Collective Winter Study, where we’ll be exploring The Untethered Soul together. This is a gentle, contemplative space for meditation, reflection, and meaningful conversation. It’s not about becoming someone new, but about learning how to relate differently to the inner world you already have.
If your heart is craving depth, presence, and a little less striving this season, you may feel very at home here.
P.S. I’d love to hear from you — what are you noticing about your own inner world as this new year begins?
