Say It Out Loud

releasing the toxic energy we're holding in a chaotic world

Hi friends,

You’ll be hearing from me twice this week—once here, where I’m sharing some thoughts on saying the tender stuff out loud and what that does for us, and again on Friday when I’ll be sharing a special excerpt of a book that I’m really excited to tell you about!

Last week, I was struggling for a number of reasons and facing some of my own grief from past relational trauma. In the midst of it, I was worrying about some of my parenting practices, specifically if I’m present enough.

After worrying about it on my own for long enough, I voiced it to my partner, Travis. The thing is, I knew that what I was thinking wasn’t true, but I needed someone else to tell me that.

I needed to say it out loud to someone I trust so that I could release it.

Photo by Artur Voznenko on Unsplash

The time we find ourselves in is dangerous for many reasons, but as a spiritual writer and as someone who identifies as a healer through the words I write, I’m concerned about the energy we are keeping trapped in our bodies, in our hearts and minds, day after day in this chaotic world.

We need outlets in order to release things, from our grief to our joy to whatever toxic energy is being stored up inside of us.

It’s one reason why protests are so powerful, why people showed up in huge numbers on Saturday with their bodies and voices—when we yell together, march together, we are releasing that built up fear and anger. Sometimes we need to say it out loud.

Photo by Sandra Seitamaa on Unsplash

It happened to me again yesterday. I had a great morning working on the last edits for my new book at our local coffee shop, but I was also struggling to keep myself sort of above water, so to speak.

I had to ground myself to lean into the work, because I was feeling guilty that I couldn’t march on Saturday; I had a book event. I couldn’t show up to do all the things, but I could do the thing I do right here, right now. And I’ve struggled to find that this is enough in a world that demands we show up in certain ways, at certain times.

Sometimes, often times, my work is to bring words and poetry forward for our healing.

The graphic below was really encouraging for me to see, the reminder that activism looks like the way we show up, speak up, and release our energy—activating ourselves and one another as best we can when oppression is everywhere.

Maybe, if you didn’t go to the streets to protest, you showed up somewhere else, activating yourself and others toward love and justice. Maybe you’re creating it with your art, or praying it into existence, or having hard conversations with those you love. Maybe you’re finding ways to connect in your local community, to support those not supported by the Trump regime.

Maybe you’re challenging the status quo in other ways. I see that in you. We live that.

So I finished that morning session’s round of edits, then directly after received news that I’d lost a speaking event because of some of my own ethics. The wave I was trying to stay on top of quickly overcame me.

I got home, sat down at the table where Travis and I often play gin rummy together while we have coffee, and began to cry.

I voiced the ups and downs of publishing right now, the worries I have about lack of speaking events in a country that is economically in chaos, and the damage that Trump is doing.

I needed to say all the vulnerable stuff out loud. I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

Travis held it with me, as I slowly released it, as I took a nap, as I carried on with the rest of my day, and began this one with many of the same worries, but a little more grounded, a little more on top of the wave instead of under it.

So, here we are.

This moment requires so much of us, on an individual and collective level.

What do we need to say out loud, and who should we say it to? What are you holding in? How can you release the energy?

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I’m booking speaking events! And I am asking you, my Substack community, to let me know of workshops, retreats or conferences who might appreciate my words and presence. Below are some of the topics for talks based on my upcoming book Everything Is a Story.

And if you’d like to contact me about possible events, please reach out through my website.

Also, now available as an option for those who can’t become a paid subscriber, buy me a coffee as a way to support my work one cup of coffee at a time. Thank you for all your love along the way, I’m so grateful for this generous community.