What you wouldn’t do, could be what you should…
considering the other side
This week, I’m headed to New Orleans for some retreat research (and respite) with some of my besties.
I know that many go to the Big Easy to “Laissez les bons temps rouler,” and while I’m the first person to join a Second Line, I believe what makes New Orleans magic is that it’s filled with people who are there to be them— not who the world expects them to be. My kind of peeps.
Artists, hustlers, musicians, dancers, creators, writers, innovators, visionaries, and party people co-exist in harmony and discord. The line is liminal between deeply caring and not giving a f*ck — a place where both the sacred and the profane co-exist.
It’s hard to imagine opposite things being true in the same moment because our brains are wired for efficiency and quick decision-making to keep us safe and thriving.
Our innate physiology, evolution, and cultural conditioning have primed us to defer to an “all or nothing” mentality.
Good vs. bad. Right vs. wrong. Hustle vs. relaxation. Fast vs. slow. Shortcuts vs. discovery.
The rise of “either/or” has stifled the more nuanced “both/and.”
When we quickly default to reactions and binary choices, it is often to keep us safe from our fears and regulate us toward homeostasis — that state of balance we all need to survive and function.
But what if that balance is achieved by consciously adopting a more nuanced approach?
What if we stopped to pause, reflect, and remember who we really are and how we want to show up in the world?
What if we spent time undoing some of our conditioned stories and reconnected to what we value most?
What if we consciously slowed down to consider the opposite of our normal habits? What if we asked ourselves what we WOULDN’T do with curiosity to see if it’s something we would?
Sometimes the key to building more valuable businesses and meaningful lives is the opposite of what you think.
xox,
Michelle
P.S.: Want space for mindful work like expiring your old stories and getting curious about how to integrate opposites? My 2024 day retreats are live! Use RETREAT24 for a sweet discount through May 15th. Read through all details to ensure it’s aligned before booking.
P.P.S.: When you want to lead with connection and conversion, you know where to find me.
If you missed my email on not needing a website (kind of), find it here.
In front of my favorite walls in New Orleans - see y’all next week!
TELL BETTER STORIES. BE MORE YOU.
If you want to share the love, forward this to a friend. If you were forwarded this email and want more like it, sign up here.
For more insights and interviews, follow me on Instagram here & here, TikTok, & YouTube. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn.
be who you are. the world will adjust.
