Emo Sunday: Birthday Edition

Emo Sunday vol. 3, brought to you on a new moon, Mercury retrograde Monday

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I took the weekend to enjoy another turn around the sun, spend time with family in the mountains, and get lost in a novel. I reflected on the last year and all it brought, from multiple role changes at work and a new direction in my spiritual and entrepreneurial practices to time spent healing from mold illness and building a stronger relationship with my inner voice and authority. 

Last year, I did a tarot spread to help guide this new year of my life. It guided me toward striving for equilibrium in all aspects of life: emotional, creative, and ethical. This balance would require patience, honesty, and understanding. Moreover, it would require letting go of control to see the bigger picture. 

Control and I have an interesting relationship in that I love to be in control and have control. The past year has allowed for anything but. I had to practice surrendering, to some degree, in layers. 

It started with my health and lofty expectations for the speed of recovery. I thought for sure I would feel better with treatment within three weeks, but it definitely took 6 to 8 weeks before I started feeling clearer and healthier. Eight months into treatment, I am still not mold-free, and I am continuing to make adjustments to my lifestyle and treatment to try to move one of the more persistent molds. But more on this another time.

And just last week, I concluded that there is no sense in gripping the reins so tightly when it comes to my corporate career. Aside from recognizing this is not my path, I also noticed a pattern. Whenever I speak up about what I want and don’t want, I end up receiving what I don’t want and having what I want taken away from me. This has happened in nearly every company I’ve worked for, primarily because of the depth and breadth of my skills. Surrendering to simply going on this ride and letting it be an adventure while I focus most of my energy on being of service through my business has felt the most aligned for me. 

Speaking of being of service…

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The Emo Sunday Love List

I'm on my feet, I'm on the floor, I'm good to go

All I need is just to hear a song I know

I wanna always feel like part of this was mine

I wanna fall in love tonight

For this month’s love list I wanted to focus on the folks who have had and continue to have an impact on my spiritual, emotional, entrepreneurial, and creative aspects. This year was infinitely more powerful because of their offerings. 

Vaness Henry: I’m not exactly sure how I found Vaness, but I followed their work for several years because they, too, are a Manifestor in Human Design. I loved listening to them chat with the ensemble cast of the Human Design podcast Each Other and delighted in the app they built with others in the human design space. When Vaness launched The Frequency Hotel, I was hooked on their unique approach to shamanic journeying and received profound healing. Today, I am in love with their Wellness Club offering, diving deeper into my variables and translating nature’s omens as they come my way. I even had the pleasure of participating in 1:1 mentorship with Vaness, which brought me home to myself. 

Lavishly Jackie: Jackie Aina is…everything. Her Instagram account was a suggestion for me from Vaness because Jackie’s birthday is one day after mine, and we have an eerily similar Human Design. To the best of my knowledge, Jackie started as a beauty influencer and has built a luxury candle and fragrance brand, FORVR MOOD. Her Instagram account, Lavishly Jackie, gives glimpses into her life, which seems to be focused on absolutely luxurious self care. Jackie is a powerful role model for me because she speaks her mind, takes no guff, and prioritizes her lifestyle as a creative aspect of her work. I binge her content every Sunday, and I suggest you do, too.

Phyllis Curott: I discovered witchcraft at a young age, and in my late teens at Pyramid Books in Salem, MA, I stumbled upon Phyllis’ book, Book of Shadows*. I loved that she was a witch who saw the magic in the mundane, but she was also a lawyer with a healthy dose of skepticism. I could relate to this: I loved and believed in the power of magical ritual and intention, but I was also learning to be a journalist who questioned absolutely everything. This past year, I had an urge to look into how I could connect with Phyllis and landed on her mailing list just in time to get early access to her live Witchcraft Masterclass. Practicing in the tradition of the Temple of Ara felt, again, like coming home. It’s practical and allows for as much or as little “fuss” as you want. One of my favorite teachings, which Phyllis reminds us of in each lesson, is that the first thing magic changes is you. Change me, it did. 

Era Society: If you’re unfamiliar with Jasmine Nnenna, I highly recommend changing that. Jasmine and her husband co-founded Era Society, which changed my view on building my business and how to live my life. Jasmine has this magical way of breaking down your Human Design chart, with particular emphasis on Gene Keys, so that you can really see yourself and create from a true place of authenticity. Jas’ offerings helped me to build the Code of Ethics on my About page, based on my Human Design chart, which helps me to stay rooted in how I am of service in the world. 

Molly McCarthy: Molly and I became connected on Instagram because of our shared Sjogren’s Syndrome diagnosis. Sjogren’s typically impacts women later in life, but she and I both received the diagnosis at a much younger age. It’s rare to find that kind of connection, and even more rare that she also lives in Massachusetts! When Molly began writing romance novels and was looking for beta readers, I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve fallen in love with the characters in her novels, starting with the McNally Men*. But her latest book, In Your Eyes*, reminded me of the healing power of fiction. The main character lives with multiple chronic illnesses, and to be able to read a love story that I could relate to on this level was so nourishing for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jeanna Kadlec: I stumbled upon Jeanna’s Substack newsletter, Astrology for Writers when I decided to get back into creative writing. I was instantly hooked. Jeanna’s writing is thoughtful, thorough, and fun. I signed up for a My Best Writing Practice reading with her, which was illuminating. I felt so seen and it was such a balm for where I was in life, finally accepting that I love fancy things, to be adored, and to just be cool with it. But also that I was actually disgusted with the work I have been doing for most of my career and didn’t realize it. Always fun 😂 Now I know how to create a luxurious writing experience for myself, and I understand better the power of transitions from one aspect of life to the next – among many other powerful insights Jeanna bestowed upon me. 

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