Courage for Sale

More than once, I had gone back on this purchase. I was staring at the product page of the Eve & Keel solar plexus chakra roller. It promised courage for 24 pounds.

I read the description once more:

Silence self-doubt and tap into strength, courage and abundance with this powerful blend of sandalwood, grapefruit, cardamom and citrine crystals. When we are our true selves, anything is possible.

“I might as well get everyone a copy of The Secret,” I thought. And then, “fuck it,” add to cart.

I was organizing the Slow Retreats Reset Edition, buying tools and props. There were items in my shopping cart that I knew would be great, like The 5-Minute Journal and The Friendship Game, while others, like the chakra roller, erred on the crazy side.

At the same time, I was going through a tricky period, and my day-to-day self-talk included blasts of insecurity. Some endeavors I didn’t even start. Others, I got done, but without being very kind to myself. I was demanding a lot without supporting myself much.

At the retreat, I’d be asking plenty from the girls. They were going to be uncomfortable, perhaps even terrified at times. All would step into the unknown with self-inflicted limitations and with enough self-doubt to go around.

With both the retreat and myself in mind, I thus decided to infuse life with more positive delusions. I bought a deck of affirmation cards, ritually pulling one a day for guidance. I resubscribed to a positive self-talk app. I got an absurd self-help book, the title of which I’ll never reveal to anyone. And chakra roller it was.

Like that, I swapped my negative delusions, the “can’ts and not-good-enoughs” with positive ones, and bought my courage back. And the girls, you ask? The roller was their favorite.


Hi, All! I hope you’re doing well. ✨ I’m hitting four years of letters this month. It’s been most humbling to have you around, but sometimes we need to move on. With the end of the year approaching, I can’t think of a better time for you to decide if my emails are still serving you right. So if you’d like to unsubscribe, please don’t hesitate to do so right here (or send me a goodbye letter and I’ll do it for you). Yes, even if you’re my best friend or mom. ❤️


Words

🌊 The Making of Slow Retreats
Sharing the little bets that led to Slow Retreats, the choices I made for the program of the Reset Edition, a look behind-the-scenes, including all the daily practices, workshops, and tools revealed. Basically, everything you need to replicate the retreat at home if you want.

When We Were Young
Inspired by long dinner conversations on the retreat, a missing for Instagram as it used to be, to share, write, connect with like-minded people, and a weekend away, alone, in Lisbon, words came flooding, and I decided to put them down. The first of what may be more good ol’ short travel observations to come.

Quote That’s On My Mind

If you’re going to live your life based on delusions (and you are, because we all do), then why not at least select a delusion that is helpful? –Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic

Wishing you a most wonderful holiday season,
With love,
Mirha
🔮