It\u2019s been a while.
\nAnd I have plenty of excuses for why I haven\u2019t been publishing regularly.
\nI think the fluffiest way to put it is, I\u2019ve been in a funk, the kind that is less than depression but more than a bad day.
\nBut ultimately, the reason I haven\u2019t been publishing isn\u2019t as important as the fact that I\u2019m back here today.
\nAnd I\u2019d actually like to extend that thought to you, if you have felt like you\u2019re stuck in a funk, or a walking depression of sorts, or just haven\u2019t been showing up as the self that you\u2019d like to, I give you permission to recognize that the time spent outside of your true or ideal self is less important as the moments that you spend working on being you again.
\nAnyway, that said\u2026
\nI\u2019ve been doing plenty of thinking, and also trying not to think too plentifully. (because let\u2019s be honest, over thinking never did anyone any good)
\nBut I\u2019ve learned a lot about myself
\nEven though I\u2019ve felt like I\u2019ve been in this big deep, funk, I\u2019ve still learned a lot about myself.
\nThat\u2019s one of the really cool things that I\u2019ve found about life, whether we\u2019re moving toward a positive upward motion and productivity, or maybe spiraling in a negative direction, learning more about ourself is always available and sometimes, its during those negative spirals that we learn the most about ourselves and about what we want, who we are, where we want to go and what we want to do.
\nHave you heard of Gretchen Rubin and her 4 tendencies?
\nGretchen Rubin is a researcher, and she has packaged people up into 4 different tendency personalities. These come into play when expectations are on the table.
\nTO give a brief summary, There\u2019s the Upholder, someone who does what they say they\u2019ll do because they said it, they just need to know what should be done and they do it. The Questioner, someone who wants to know the why of everything before they\u2019ll commit, they need justification. The Obliger, this person needs to be kept accountable to someone else, but will do what other people expect of them. And the Rebel, the one who needs freedom to do whatever they want in their own way.
\nKeep in mind, these are tendencies all of us probably have a little bit of each inside of us.
\nBut I learn mostly toward Obliger, and Rebel, depending on the day or the expectation.
\nWhen it comes to my podcast, I find myself leaning toward rebel tendencies. I don\u2019t want to do anything because I have to, because it\u2019s the right way, because it\u2019s how to build a following, etc. But I do want to keep my podcast and I want to express the message I want to share.
\nMy mission with this podcast is to give you tools to live a life with greater perspective, truth and grace.
\nThis is all my long way of saying that I want to keep producing podcast episodes, but I\u2019m going to stop making it such a big deal to keep all the rules (whatever they are).
\nAs an Obliger, one who likes to be kept accountable - this is just my way of keeping myself accountable to you, my listeners, all of this over explanation of where I\u2019m at and letting you know that you can expect something slightly unconventional going forward.
\nThis is me, and I would like to be unapologetically me - a little bit a mess with a passion to share a message.
\nNext episode, I\u2019m going to share a little more about how I\u2019m working my way out of this whatever funk or stuckness I\u2019ve been in, (I don\u2019t know a better word for it, less than depression but more than just a bad day (ahem, months)), my mom calls it walking depression where you look fine, you\u2019re still mostly functional, but not quite living like you want to.
\nSpoiler, next episode will be about finding or living into your purpose in life.
\nBut I anticipate future episodes to be unorthodoxically short, unless they\u2019re not. (No more rules here)
\nBut as always, be watchful and stay curious.