The True North Collective Podcast

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Un-sugar-coated convos w/everyday humxns fearlessly finding + living their TRUE NORTH

Episodes

Thursday Jan 28, 2021

Inner Monologue: The Fighter 1.28.21

Thursday Jan 28, 2021

This podcast is about the real-life documentation of everyday people fearlessly finding and living their TRUE NORTH. That requires raw, vulnerable, unedited content. We're trying something new. Releasing our inner monologues as short quick hits to share the journey.

Let us know what you think and if you can relate.

Monday Jan 25, 2021

RACHEL: IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!! S4:E4

Monday Jan 25, 2021

Get ready for THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE℠ PODCAST: SEASON 4! With co-hosts Rachel Bellotti (she/her) and Jenell Riesner (she/her), this is a gathering of un-sugar-coated conversations celebrating the untold stories of everyday people fearlessly finding and living their true north.

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we continue to celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

Today, we’re talking to Rachel about turning 38!! Her birthday is on this Friday - January 29th. She’s an Aquarius air sign, winter baby with layers and layers of truth, curiosity, openness, beauty, self-proclaimed weirdness, depth of emotion, and wisdom and we are honored to have her in the world. HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, LOTTI!!!! In this episode, we talked about how Rachel got here, what she’s learned, what she’s taking with her into her 38th year of life, what she’s leaving behind, where she’s headed, and what she’s celebrating. It’s a shorter episode where we just love on Rachel for being a badass humxn. Feel free to shower her with love on IG this week and/or on her actual birthday, this Friday. She has historically hated being the center of attention, but this year she is changing it up + embracing the love. <3 <3 <3

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @angrytherapist
#amplifymelanatedvoices @soulcarecollective
“Birthday” singing meme from the beginning of the episode
Crockd
Polyvagal Theory
Single. On Purpose by John Kim
Kate Kent - Nice Hair Milwaukee
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

What does your life currently revolve around? Is it your relationship? Your job and career? Your youth? Or is the arrow of life pointing to you? Notice where you may have lost yourself by putting all your focus into something outside of you, and can you start to invite small steps that encourage the reconnection to self. To what YOU need. To what’s important to YOU. This isn’t about being selfish and ignoring everything around you for blind personal gain. It’s about recognizing that the only person who can truly care for you is you + if you are too busy focusing on something outside yourself, you will start to slowly or quickly fade away. Don’t fade!!! Choose you, with kindness + love.
Sincerity is something that we don’t talk about much, but without sincere conviction, then we are just a bunch of talking heads. What are you truly committed to actioning and doing with sincerity and heart? Not because you have to or you were told to, but because you choose it in the face of everything + anything that shows up? Where is your sincerity being channeled currently? Where do you want it to be used?
Where in your life have you waited around for a partner, a family member, a friend to do what you could do for yourself? What would it take for you to take ownership of your life + stop waiting around for someone else to be the permission slip for your needs + wants? It is not ultimately their responsibility - it’s yours. Go get it, honey!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:10] Happy Birthday, Bellotti!
[4:20] Choosing me
[7:10] What do you want to take from this year + carry into this next year of life?
[9:00] What do you want to toss out + re-evaluate?
[11:11] What would 38 year old Rachel say to 39 year old Rachel?
[14:00] A year of being single + not choosing from a place of desperation
[17:00] It’s time to get to know me
[19:30] Being grateful to be alive
[20:30] Shaving my own head
[26:00] Shine
[27:30] Space to reflect
[29:00] Welcome to your 30s (almost)!!!
[30:00] Letting go of projected identity truths
[31:07] Connect with +/or shout out Rachel via IG @rachel.bellotti for her birthday this week + on her big day (January 29th) <3
[31:21] AD: Sign-up for our mailing list so you are staying up to date on all the cool things we’ve been putting together for 2021 - upcoming events, virtual community experiences, new content. We’re honored to steward this space + continue to expand this conversation with you.

Monday Jan 18, 2021

LET’S PLAY: A TINY HOUSE STATE OF MIND S4:E3

Monday Jan 18, 2021

Today, we’re talking to Ethan Waldman, tiny house author, speaker, and teacher, who built his own tiny house on wheels in 2012 and has been passionately helping future tiny home dwellers on their own tiny home journeys every since. He has a guide called Tiny House Decisions, is the creator and host of the Tiny House Lifestyle podcast - conversations with tiny house luminaries, builders, and DIYers, and currently lives part-time in his tiny home with his wife in Vermont. We talk about being in the suck parts of your dream life, Type 1 vs Type 2 fun, making time to see what’s around you, creating a free form lifestyle, learning as you go, not knowing what to do with your life, dealing with shame, linear + templated living, and the realities of being an entrepreneur and generalist. This is a curious conversation that takes you on a journey through the mindset of tiny house living and will leave you questioning what things are truly needed to make you feel at home?

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @nanggaahlaangstangs
#amplifymelanatedvoices @napministry
#amplifymelanatedvoices @healyourliving
Travels with Willie by Willie Weir
Gran Fondo Whistler
Couchsurfing
True Hue Stargazing candle
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Sometimes when you are in the middle of a hard “thing” - a project, a trip, a goal, a conversation, an experience - it can feel grueling and hard and like, “why did I decide to do this?!” It can be easy to get lost in the short-term pain/uncertainty/discomfort and lose sight of the long-term gains/outcomes/consequences. And when we are able to look back on a thing and see it for all that it is, in context to the whole of our lives, the pain might actually end up seeming small compared to the gains. Where in your life are you in “it” and it’s hard to see the long-term impact that this current discomfort might actually serve + inspire? Can you allow yourself to reconnect to the possibility of the longer term gains, while still acknowledging the parts you’re in that might still suck in the present moment? You’ve got this. It’ll be worth it.
Learn as you go. Chunk that thing down that you really want into smaller steps and learn as you go. What are you waiting on because you don’t know how to do it all yet? What if you just got started and trusted that you would figure it out along the way? You will never know everything or be able to be fully ready for all that will come up, so just begin and meet each moment, each step of the process where you are and where it’s at, and figure it out one thing at a time. Until soon enough you have written a book, built a house, started a podcast, created a profitable business, had the conversation, made the dream a reality.
What’s your mindset right now? What’s your mindset when you do anything? What’s your mindset most of the time as you’re living? What’s your mindset when you’re going after a dream or NOT going after a dream? Pay attention to what your mindsets are and how they are supporting or not supporting you. Sometimes we think that the way to get what we want is only through how the outside world shows up for us. But in reality, we have a lot of power in experiencing what we want through the mindset that we have. For example, you can have a tiny house mindset without actually living in a tiny house. It’s more of a state of mind vs just a set of external things that look a certain way. It’s both! And sometimes we don’t have control over the external world, but we do have control over our mindset, so why not check-in + start there?

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:10] Biking from Seattle to Vancouver
[3:20] Couch surfing
[6:00] Type 1 vs Type 2 fun
[9:00] Making time to see what’s around
[10:40] AD: In 2021, we’re so excited to be offering live zoom workshops, every month, to support you in the journey of reconnecting to your TRUE NORTH. Join us on Jan 28th, as we kick-off the series with an INTENTION SETTING WORKSHOP - inviting you to reflect, unpack, + get clear on who you want to be + how you want to show up this year. AND, if you want to play with us all year, we are offering a deal to get all 11 workshops for only $99! Learn more + sign up here.
[12:30] Welcome, Ethan!
[14:00] Creating a free form lifestyle
[17:00] Leaving a corporate job
[24:00] Being scared of not knowing what to do
[25:30] Dealing with shame
[30:00] hustle lifestyle
[38:00] Feeling unemployable
[39:00] The difficulties of being a jack of all trades
[41:45] Imposter Syndrome
[45:25] AD: Right now, Soul Care Collective, a Black woman-run virtual wellness center, is taking donations for their Affordable Wellness Initiative, where you can sponsor healing sessions for Black, Indigenous, NB, and Femme people who aren’t able to afford mental health + wellness services right now. Follow @soulcarecollective, spread the word about this initiative, and/or donate if inspired here.
[48:00] Linear + templated living
[50:00] Tiny house state of mind
[53:00] Our relationship to stuff
[56:00] What do you REALLY need?
[1:00:00] Home
[1:07:00] Resources for Tiny Home living
[1:08:10] How do you live your TRUE NORTH in 1 word?
[1:08:30] Connect with Ethan via thetinyhouse.net, listen to his Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast, or follow him on IG @ethanwaldman

Monday Jan 11, 2021

AUTHENTICITY: WHAT DO PLANTS HAVE TO DO WITH IT? S4:E2

Monday Jan 11, 2021

Today, we’re talking to Edgar Cholewa-Cardona, a huge fan of Shiba Inu dogs, originally from Guatemala, a language connoisseur (he speaks English, Spanish, Mandarin, Chinese, and is learning German!), on the Strategic Implementation Team at Mindbody, and lover of all plants - currently he has over 300+! We chat about how plants are related to living an authentic life and how they can teach us about diversity and community. We unpack energetic communication, finding the beauty in the little things, trying things just to try them, not taking things for granted, understanding your roots, acknowledging differences, having real friends or just a lot of people you know, blame culture, getting stuck in life, and celebrating experimentations, failures, and endings. This is a relatable episode that will leave you laughing and feeling connected. <3

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @BlackPeopleW.Plants
#amplifymelanatedvoices @epicgardening
Renata Bliss Freestyle Videos
The Trees Die Standing
Mindbody
TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE Youtube Channel
Epic Gardening podcast
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. In plant ecosystems, there is a natural quality of supporting the weaker plants within the system to keep the entire community thriving. What can we learn about that as humxns? How can we give ourselves space to tap into that natural quality within ourselves that can support the whole in a way that supports us, too? What might that look like if you started to tap into that natural quality of care and love for those around you? And not at the expense of yourself, but in alignment with yourself.
2. In order to build deeper connections and relationships, there will be much required of you to dig deeper within yourself. We cannot expect others to be able to go there with us if we haven’t been able to first go there with ourselves. So, how are you sincerely getting to know yourself each day so that you can have the level of intimacy and meaningful relationships that you desire?
3. “You are not a real gardener if you’ve never killed a plant.” It is inevitable that it’s going to happen, so just accept it and learn and keep going. Similarly, as a humxn it is inevitable that you are going to mess stuff up and get stuff wrong and make mistakes and fail sometimes. If you don’t allow yourself this reality, then you aren’t embracing what it is to truly be humxn. Where are you giving yourself a hard time for something that is maybe actually making you, YOU? What if you practiced embracing all of it?

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:10] Dancing alone in the garage
[3:50] Rachel gets the handle “weirdo” on TikTok
[4:50] The clean plate club
[7:14] Toilet stories!!
[13:12] AD: Right now, Soul Care Collective, a Black woman-run virtual wellness center, is taking donations for their Affordable Wellness Initiative, where you can sponsor healing sessions for Black, Indigenous, NB, and Femme people who aren’t able to afford mental health + wellness services right now. Follow @soulcarecollective, spread the word about this initiative, and/or donate if inspired here.
[14:20] Welcome, Edgar!
[15:30] Why plants?
[17:50] Plant personalities
[18:50] How to keep your plants alive
[21:00] Layers of communication
[24:00] Power of ecosystems + tree communities
[28:30] Scarcity mindset
[31:00] Companies actually keep your resume on file?!
[34:45] When random dots connect
[38:00] What do you do with THAT much extra time?!
[44:50] AD: In 2021, we’re so excited to be offering live zoom workshops, every month, to support you in the journey of reconnecting to your TRUE NORTH. Join us on Jan 28th, as we kick-off the series with an INTENTION SETTING WORKSHOP - inviting you to reflect, unpack, + get clear on who you want to be + how you want to show up this year. Additionally, THE COLLECTIVE, our free community conversations on authenticity will now be held on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Learn more + sign up here.
[45:20] How plants related to diversity
[50:00] Making an effort to understand the differences
[54:00] Difficult conversations
[56:00] Friends vs knowing a lot of people
[58:00] Blame culture
[1:00:00] Getting stuck in life
[1:06:00] Changing your ending
[1:08:30] Playing with guilt when a plant dies
[1:12:50] Failure parties! And honoring the endings
[1:15:00] Posting plant deaths as celebrations of life
[1:20:30] How do you live your TRUE NORTH in 1 word?[1:21:00] Connect with Edgar via IG @talkingtomyhouseplants

Monday Jan 04, 2021

RUN IT SAM: AUTHENTIC SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE S4:E1

Monday Jan 04, 2021

Today, we’re excited to kick off season 4 with Samantha Porter (aka Sam), avid runner, cycling instructor, Beachbody Coach, plant-based consumer, aspiring world traveler, Milwaukee influencer, and all-around awesome, down-to-earth humxn to talk about the intersection of authenticity and social media. As we step into a new year and start to watch the motivational content roll-in, we take a pause to consider the intention behind what we post. Plus, we talk psychic readings, listening to the pain in your body, feeling worthless, noticing the good, getting laid off, pouring into others, not hoarding your wisdom, using social media to help people, redefining success for yourself, staying present, waiting for the data to show up to make the next decisions vs forcing it, and making social media approachable. We love you, Sam!!

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @decolonize_fitness
#amplifymelanatedvoices @gingermarieblog
Mary Ellen Pride Psychic
Costar app
Enneagram
Pet Psychic
Thrive - a human development company
TNC S3|E25 - Finding your Authentic Voice
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

When things are feeling bleak, invite yourself to notice any good stuff around you. What lifts you up during your day? Take note of when and what lights you up, even if in the smallest ways and then prioritize those things again and again. Not to distract from reality. Not to avoid your feelings, but to ensure that you aren’t just losing sight of the bigger picture and sinking deeper and deeper into a perspective that might not be serving you and ultimately holding you back.
Pay attention to where you find your sense of self-worth. Is it tied to a job? Your looks? Your relationships? Your athletic abilities? Your status? If your sense of self-worth is always tied to things outside of yourself then you will always live at the mercy of that thing, which you cannot truly control. Notice where that worth is and start to see if you can build your self-worth beyond that thing outside of you so that you can maybe start to feel good with or without it.
Community help is an essential part of healing and becoming who we are meant to be. Where in your life can you allow someone to pour into you? Where in your life is it time to pour into someone else? We cannot and do not need to do this life alone. We DO need to be able to trust in ourselves and not put our happiness and healing into someone else’s hands, but we ARE meant to do this alongside other people and know we are NOT alone.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:10] Psychic readings + discernment
[6:15] Playing with the unknown
[13:00] AD: Shout out to SPIRE Fitness - the first rowing, cycling, TRX studio in Milwaukee, and where Jenell + Rachel first met!! Times are tough for small businesses, so we wanted to invite anyone who feels inspired to support this amazing studio + incredible community through gift card purchases, class packages, social media follows. <3
[14:14] Welcome, Sam!
[18:00] Injury recovery + feeling worthless
[24:00] Finding the good
[27:00] Pouring into side hustles
[29:00] Getting laid off
[31:00] Where is your sense of self-worth?
[34:30] AD: In 2021, we’re so excited to be offering live zoom workshops, every month, to support you in the journey of reconnecting to your TRUE NORTH. Join us on Jan 28th, as we kick-off the series with an INTENTION SETTING WORKSHOP - inviting you to reflect, unpack, + get clear on who you want to be + how you want to show up this year. Additionally, THE COLLECTIVE, our free community conversations on authenticity will now be held on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Learn more + sign up here.
[35:30] Pouring into self + others
[36:00] Self-help vs community help
[38:00] You holding back is actually a disservice to the world
[41:00] Authentic social media influence
[48:00] Selling your struggles
[55:55] Social media connections CAN change your life forever
[1:01:00] Elevating the question marks
[1:04:00] Using social media as a diary
[1:07:15] Being overwhelmed by all the options
[1:10:00] Allowing the data to show up
[1:13:00] How do you live your TRUE NORTH in 1 word?
[1:13:21] Connect with Sam via IG @runit_sam

Monday Dec 28, 2020

SEASON 4: LET’S DO THIS!

Monday Dec 28, 2020

Today, we’re excited to give you a teaser of what’s to come in Season 4 on THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE - for the podcast, for the community, for the year! We’re gonna shake some things up, introduce some new elements and we cannot wait to share it all with you here, first. We of course will be continuing to have amazing conversations with rad, everyday humxns who are fearlessly living their TRUE NORTH each week, and we are going to start to expand these conversations beyond just the podcast so that more people can inspire each other with their real, raw journeys, beyond just the platform of listening to this podcast. We talk about stewardship vs forcing outcomes, transition years, building community, celebrating the WIP (work-in-progress), intention setting and new workshops for 2021. Can’t wait to continue this journey with each of you - happy new year!

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @sonyareneetaylor
#amplifymelanatedvoices @kierandthem
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Where can you allow a project you're working on, or a situation in your life, to unfold with you vs forcing it? Sometimes we try to over-control things and push things to where we want them to be vs allowing them to be what they are, which is a big disservice to the thing and to ourselves. What if instead, we allowed the project to tell us what it is ready for? What if we spent some time listening to where it wants to go vs trying to force it where we think it should go? What if we were stewards of a thing vs trying to master it into submission of our vision?
The power of community is such a key part of becoming who you are. As we invite people into spaces to be who they truly are, we also invite ourselves in to show up as the realest version of ourselves. Being able to see just how similar we are and normalizing the process of being and becoming more of oneself is so much more fun alongside other fellow travelers. We highly recommend finding community support who can witness and walk alongside you as you live this life. And if you need a community, you are ALWAYS welcome here, just as you are. <3
We never get “there” and we never figure it all out. There is always more to learn and get curious about. Even when we are about to leave this lifetime, this body, there will be more left to learn, so enjoy the process of continuing to unpack and explore and connect and get curious, forever and ever. And better yet, find other people (like us!) who want to do it all with you!.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:00] More conversations!
[1:30] New brand colors
[3:15] Being a steward to the unfolding
[4:20] Building community
[6:35] This isn’t a podcast of experts
[7:15] Will we ever fully know who we are?
[9:50] Follow us on IG @thetruenorthcollective_, join our mailing list, reach out with ideas or suggestions on topics or if you wanna be a guest or know of people who would be great guests to talk about anything authenticity - we want to be connected to YOU!

Sunday Dec 27, 2020

SAFETY: FINDING YOUR TRUE NORTH IN 2020 (PART 2) S3:E47

Sunday Dec 27, 2020

Welcome to THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE℠ PODCAST: SEASON 3! With co-hosts Rachel Bellotti (she/her) and Jenell Riesner (she/her), this is a gathering of un-sugar-coated conversations celebrating the untold stories of everyday people fearlessly finding and living their true north.

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

Today, we continue our conversation to close out 2020 with part 2 of our reflection episode from Rachel + Jenell, co-creators and co-hosts of the TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE podcast. In part 1, we focused on Jenell’s biggest 2020 takeaways around loneliness, and this week we talk about Rachel’s biggest takeaway and learning from 2020 - cultivating inner safety. In this episode we discuss being able to experience life without getting rocked by it, cutting out what is no longer worker in your life, embodied trauma recovery + polyvagal theory, examining the parts of ourselves that are hard to look at, recovery + community help, saving yourself, and the power of conversation.

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @narcissismrecoverycenter
#amplifymelanatedvoices @theangreytherapist
#amplifymelanatedvoices @nedratawwab
Polyvagal Theory
Dallas Healing House
CoDA
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

What in your life needs to fall away in order to continue to expand into who you truly are? Sometimes things can stay and be integrated while we shift and expand. Sometimes the things need to completely get cut out. It’s important to check-in with yourself to see which your heart truly needs right now because either option can be an unhealthy one or very healthy one, depending on where you are and what’s truly needed. Cutting bait before you’re ready might just be running away or it could be choosing yourself. Staying and figuring out how to make something work can be taking responsibility for your change or it could be controlling and manipulative or denying what is there that needs to be addressed. And no matter which you choose, for whichever reasons you choose, there is ALWAYS learnings and growth to be had. It’s all for you.
Can you stand grounded in who you are, amidst the things going on around you? Can you be aware and present to what is here (no matter how messy or chaotic) and stay centered within yourself and who you want to be. Can you honor who you are, while you are honoring where other people are, even if the outcome is uncertain or the reactions are coming at you? Can you stay connected to you, regardless of what’s going on around you and choose from that place who you want to be within the broader experience you are having? This is an authentic coexistence.
What if we could support people by being with them while they save themselves instead of being with them to try and fix something or trying to save them (or trying to get others to save us)? What if we were able to embody the energy of, “I know you’ve got you, you don’t need me, and I am here with you while you remember that you’ve got you. Cause I am not going to be the one who saves you. You are going to save you. And visa versa.”?

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:20] Experiencing life without being rocked by it
[2:45] A massive letting go to be able to continue your journey
[4:15] Cultivating safety in your body
[5:30] Somatic therapy + tools
[5:50] Living in survival mode
[7:00] Polyvagal Theory
[14:15] Quicksand
[16:00] Triggers
[21:40] Recovery + support groups
[23:18] Community help vs self-help
[24:35] AD: As you know, Rachel is a life coach, and to wrap up this crazy year, we’re excited to offer our TNC community an exclusive 10% off any/all life coaching packages/sessions purchased with Rachel between now + 1/31/21. Simply email rachel.unstuck@gmail.com + mention promo code TRUENORTHHOLIDAYS. <3
[25:22] The judgment mirror
[28:25] Allowing people to save themselves
[30:00] Realities of expecting to be saved by others
[32:55] Noticing the fine nuances of life
[34:15] AD: If you are in the Milwaukee area, SPIRE fitness is offering a special TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE promotion for our listeners! You can purchase a 15-class package for the price of 10, simply go to their website or the mind-body app to get 5 free classes + get your sweat on!
[35:45] Grateful for our guests + these podcast conversations in contributing to our growth + expansion
[38:38] Season 4 teaser

Monday Dec 21, 2020

PRESENCE: PRE-RECORDED WORKSHOP + DISCUSSION (PART 2) S3:E46

Monday Dec 21, 2020

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

Today, we’re excited to bring PART 2 of our final 2020 free, pre-recorded workshop all about PRESENCE. If you haven’t listened to PART 1 yet, we highly recommend you start here and then come back with this follow-up conversation about presence, with our favorite life coach, Judy Dejno, CEO of THRIVE - a human development company. This episode is an open discussion about presence and authenticity, from the perspectives of 3 humxns learning how to be more present. We talk about the cycle of presence, embracing the suck, chasing happiness, fixing self vs embracing self, and presence in connection with others.

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @meditationswithsha
#amplifymelanatedvoices @narcissismrecoverycenter
#amplifymelanatedvoices @soulcarecollective
Narcissism recovery center
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

What if instead of running away, avoiding, or fighting the sucky times, we embraced them? What does that even mean to embrace the suck? To us it means, allowing it to be what it is without making meaning out of it and accepting it as a part of the reality you are living in so that you can take that into account as you choose your next step. If you don’t embrace it, then you are fighting it and it fights back. If you embrace it, maybe you can work with it and put energy towards new solutions that factor the suck into it vs using that same energy to try and hope and pretend that the suck isn’t there - when it clearly is. Also know that acceptance of the suck can take time and there is also a grieving process that might happen concurrently. Know that all of that is ok and nobody expects you to leapfrog your emotions if you aren’t ready to embrace something - but know that when you are ready, that option is always there for you.
What are you chasing? Happiness? Success? Is it sustainable? What would be sustainable? What if the only truly sustainable thing was to sit with what is here right now, and now, and now? What if sustained happiness is not about chasing some future state, but in being able to sit with what is, in this moment? To embrace the fullness of life that’s happening right now in all its forms. To savor the moment for what it is. To lean into the depths and aliveness of this humxn experience that only exists right now? What do you think?
What if personal development isn’t about fixing you, but instead it’s about learning to embrace EVERY SINGLE ASPECT of who you ACTUALLY are? Are you trying to grow and evolve to fix a perceived deficit or to be a different person? Or are you trying to expand the compassion and acceptance of yourself beyond just what feels comfortable? To embrace the wholeness of the imperfection that is who we all are. What if THAT is actually real personal development work? What if THAT is where the magic is?

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:30] The cycle + waves of life
[2:40] Embracing the suck
[3:10] Sincerity
[4:30] Flow + sustainability
[6:20] Chasing good feelings, happiness, joy
[11:45] Writing a different kind of cover letter
[15:30] Choice
[18:00] Fixing you vs embracing you
[24:40] How does presence work when you’re in connection with others?
[29:00] Allowing another person’s discomfort without taking it on
[33:33] How are you living your TRUE NORTH?
[35:00] Contact Judy via email at judy@thrivehdc.com or check out upcoming THRIVE programs at THRIVEhdc.com
[35:41] AD: We’re excited to announce a new set of workshops around authenticity, going live monthly in 2021. If you have enjoyed these workshops or just want to dedicate more time unpacking your own authenticity alongside others doing the same, we’d love to have you join us! Make sure you are following us on IG + on our mailing list as that is where you can learn more about the workshops, some special promotions, and sign-up. We’ll see you there!

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

Monday Dec 14, 2020

PRESENCE: PRE-RECORDED WORKSHOP + DISCUSSION (PART 1) S3:E45

Monday Dec 14, 2020

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

Today, we’re excited to bring our final 2020 free, pre-recorded workshop all about PRESENCE. This is a 2-parter with our favorite life coach, Judy Dejno, CEO of THRIVE - a human development company. This first episode is the pre-recording of the actual workshop on PRESENCE, done in real-time so that you can follow along with us from the comfort of your own home. Part 2, next week, is an open discussion about presence and authenticity. So, find a comfortable + quiet space, print out the Presence Worksheet (below), grab your favorite drink, put on some gentle background music, maybe grab a few friends if you want to experience this alongside others, + get ready to connect inward so that you lean into what’s here, now.

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @meditationswithsha
#amplifymelanatedvoices @thepossibilityflow
#amplifymelanatedvoices @soulcarecollective
Presence Workshop (LINK TO PDF)
Work with Judy Denjo for life coaching
TNC podcast about seeing + being seen: S3|E44 Loneliness: Finding your true north in 2020 (part 1)
Elizabeth Gilbert - Big Magic
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Presence isn’t about striving for peace. It is about recognizing where you are right now and being with the depth of what’s actually here without making it right, wrong, good, bad. Peace is almost a derivative of the ability to accept + lean into what is - right now, fully - not just the “good” stuff.
When you are outside of yourself, you are actually cutting yourself off from your innate creativity. Being outside of yourself means that you are disconnected from yourself and more connected to something outside of yourself (disempowerment). Start to pay attention to when you are outside of yourself and what got you there. What is it like to be outside of yourself vs connected to yourself in the present moment? What are body sensation differences? What are the experiential differences? What are the voice differences? What are the behavior differences? What are the thought differences? Knowing your unique markers for being connected or outside of yourself can help you to know when you are outside of yourself and that you might not be tapping into your fullest creative potential.
Reflection is such a powerful practice to keep learning about who we are and how our system works and what our unique experience is so we can read and understand ourselves better. There is no right or wrong way to reflect, simply allow judgment to settle away if you can and notice the data points that you see and how they trend over time. Notice what throws you off. Notice what is consistently present before, during, and after amazing experiences and not so amazing experiences. Reflection is an invitation to pause + thoughtfully and honestly gather information so you can learn about how you uniquely work.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:40] Experiential workshop around Presence
[3:23] Welcome, Judy!
[5:50] AD: We’re excited to announce a new set of workshops around authenticity, going live monthly in 2021. If you have enjoyed these workshops or just want to dedicate more time unpacking your own authenticity alongside others doing the same, we’d love to have you join us! Make sure you are following us on IG + on our mailing list as that is where you can learn more about the workshops, some special promotions, and sign-up. We’ll see you there!
[6:51] BEGIN PRESENCE WORKSHOP HERE
[24:35] AD: As you know, Rachel is a life coach, and to wrap up this crazy year, we’re excited to offer our TNC community an exclusive 10% off any/all life coaching packages/sessions purchased with Rachel between now + 1/31/21. Simply email rachel.unstuck@gmail.com + mention promo code TRUENORTHHOLIDAYS. <3
[55:51] Email us if you wanna keep talking about presence + authenticity at hello@thetruenorthcollective.org!
[56:00] Contact Judy via email at judy@thrivehdc.com or check out upcoming THRIVE programs at THRIVEhdc.com

Monday Dec 07, 2020

LONELINESS: FINDING YOUR TRUE NORTH IN 2020 (PART 1) S3:E44

Monday Dec 07, 2020

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

Today, we start to wrap up 2020 with a reflection episode from Rachel + Jenell, co-creators and co-hosts of the TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE podcast. This is a two parter where we first focus on Jenell’s biggest take-away and learning from 2020 and then next week we will reveal Rachel’s biggest take-away and learning from 2020. In part 1, we talk about the sudden loss of pets and loved ones, the power of making your own mistakes, exploring how to address trauma in social situations, experiencing loneliness + a lack of connection to self + others, the power of community help, owning our shit, acknowledging elephants in the room,

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

#amplifymelanatedvoices @soulcarecollective
#amplifymelanatedvoices @reikiandflowhealing
Ronit LeMon
Ira Glass quote
Native American Tribes in North Texas
Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

What if making mistakes is actually a gift to the world? When we make mistakes we allow ourselves to be humxn, to experience being fully humxn, and be fully expressed. Mistakes give us a chance to KNOW first-hand what it’s like to feel all that comes with making mistakes vs just having it be a concept in your mind. Making mistakes gives us more depth of understanding of what it’s like to be more fully humxn. When we have a deeper experiential understanding of being humxn, we can be more aware and available for others as they are also learning to be humxn. What lessons are lost when you avoid making mistakes?
Where in your life are you allowing yourself to be fully seen? We talk about self-help, but there is so much power in community help that can be missed in our attempts to get all our needs met on our own and be so independent. Don’t get us wrong - that is absolutely important - and it’s also important to find groups of people where we can be fully expressed and witnessed as we are, as well as fully witness others do the same. There is a collective grounding when we can be who we are, and be with who others truly are, too, without trying to change or fix or avoid or rush past anything. Where can you slow down, self manage your own inner world, + acknowledge another humxn exactly as they are? Where can you find + embrace the communities that exist for you to be fully seen as you are?
When you’re growing, there will eventually be a gap between how people expect to experience you from the way you used to be to the way you actually are now. It can be jarring, confusing, and frustrating to know that internally you are changed, but external environments still bring you back to your old ways so easily. This is normal and ok! Just keep showing up and practicing being the new you until it becomes your new default. And invite grace when you forget. Because you will - because you’re humxn. :)

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:25] A good cry
[2:00] Clearing
[4:00] Power of ritual
[6:50] Acknowledging + honoring death
[11:00] When/how to bring up trauma in social situations
[13:50] What if making mistakes was actually a gift for yourself + others?
[17:15] Fully seeing + being fully seen
[19:00] Feeling like a burden on other people
[20:47] AD: As you know, Rachel is a life coach, and to wrap up this crazy year, we’re excited to offer our TNC community an exclusive 10% off any/all life coaching packages/sessions purchased with Rachel between now + 1/31/21. Simply email rachel.unstuck@gmail.com + mention promo code TRUENORTHHOLIDAYS. <3
[21:47] Loneliness + vulnerability
[25:50] Lack of connection
[29:20] Numbing out
[32:40] Power of true community help
[36:00] Voice your authentic love to those around you
[37:30] Re-experiencing childhood environments + experiences
[40:10] Internally processing to influence the external world
[44:00] Being humxn is hard when the goal is only to be happy
[44:40] Own your shit
[49:40] AD: If you love listening to us each week, we would love it if you’d share us with a friend that you think might also love the content! Or leave us a review on iTunes, Apple Music or wherever you listen to us + help us grow this podcast + expand our reach!
[50:00] The elephant in the room + feeling like an outcast for being real
[52:54] INTERMISSION: Join us next week for part 2 of this conversation!