The Power of Radical Gentleness

Do you ever question yourself? Even in areas that you know that you have a high level of skill or knowledge, experience or ability. I have done a lot of work on remembering who I am and what I have to offer and I still watch myself question what I know to be true about me, even in areas I think I feel confident.

For example, yesterday I questioned whether this course I am offering, the Reclaim Your Space Masterclass, would even interest anyone.

I questioned my ability to communicate clearly on what I was offering.

I questioned whether what I'm teaching even matters or makes a difference.

And then, as I was still questioning all this, I got a notification that someone had signed up for the course!

And I immediately felt better. For a moment.

Isn't that funny? Nothing changed inside of me. I didn't suddenly get more skillful at teaching. I didn't immediately have a new way to communicate the benefits of the course with you. My confidence was affected by something outside of me: I will call it an environmental shift.

Here's what I think happened: the first student signing up for the masterclass offered me a reflection. By enrolling, they were in essence saying: 'What you are offering is of value to me. I want to learn what you are teaching. I value you.'

And that reflection boosted my confidence.

Here's what happened next: I got home and looked around my room and realized that I hadn't been practicing what I teach. My room needed some tending. Over time, objects had accumulated unconsciously throughout my space: on my altar, my writing desk, my bedside table, the floor.

Before Clearing (the view from my bed feeling less than confident and mostly overwhelmed)

And what I know, but still sometimes forget to put into practice, is that when I want to open up flow in any area of my life (such as welcoming a group of beautiful people into a new course), starting with some gentle tending and clearing in my physical space is a powerful tool I can use to get energy moving.

So I spent some time last night using the physical tools I teach: clearing and tending. And as I did, I also used the somatic and mindset tools I teach: gently tending to my nervous system and my mind as stories, emotions and shame came up. As I moved objects around, released objects from the space, and reset these areas with fresh arrangements, I began to remember the power of what and how I teach in Reclaim Your Space.

This morning, after some more clearing, I noticed how much more peaceful the space feels. And I noticed how my room now reflects back to me the creative and other activities I want to prioritize in my life, and the grounded, clear, expansive energy I want to embody throughout my day.

And once again, those reflections boosted my confidence!

In practicing what I actually teach, I was reminded of the power of these practical tools and strategies. In practicing radical gentleness with myself in the process of coming back to those tools, I was reminded of the power of how I hold space for others to do the same without shame or judgement.

Last night, I took a small step forward. This morning, I celebrated that small step and it fueled me to take more steps forward. And now I am once again feeling sovereign in my room and feeling nourished by the environment I reestablished here.

Your home is a sacred space. I believe that it requires a high level of trust to invite someone into your home, whether as a guest or a teacher and guide, and I honor that trust. If you are feeling shame or judging yourself for the current state of your home, I want you to know that you aren't alone in feeling that way. And I also want to reflect that those feelings are not supporting you in moving forward.

If you are ready to try a different way to move forward, my approach invokes the power of radical gentleness in a way that I have seldom experienced in the personal development, self-help, coaching world. And while it seems counterintuitive, I know that it works for many of us, much better than the 'rip the bandage off' approach that you might find elsewhere.

If you think you might be one of those people, I encourage you to check out the Reclaim Your Space Masterclass. When you click the link, you will find the details of the course and you will also get to read what other Reclaimers shared with me about their experience going through it themselves.

Some of the testimonials I share there were written a full year after those people completed the course and reflect the lasting impact this approach has had for my students thus far. I am really proud of what they share there, because creating a long-term sustainable shift in how you relate to your home is what this work is all about. And holding a container in the energy of compassion and radical gentleness is how I show up for you to create space for your authentic expression while staying true to myself and my authentic expression.

I can't wait to meet some of you there!