Embracing Change and Living in the Moment: My Journey to Nashville
We often get caught up in the hustle, forgetting to savor the beauty of each moment. But life, in all its imperfections, offers countless opportunities for gratitude and growth.
LOVE, LOSS, AND NEW BEGINNINGS
Good morning!
It's been a while, and I've missed connecting with you. We have a lot to catch up on. Since we last connected, I embarked on quite a journey: returning from my six-month semi-sabbatical in Victoria, BC—a place I hold dear—spending a brief moment in Colorado with family, friends, and colleagues, and finally making a permanent move to Nashville, TN.
On May 6th, 2024, my entire storage unit, locked away since 2021, arrived from Texas. On May 7th, my heart ached as I said goodbye to one of the most precious beings in my life: my 16-year-old Maltese, Cooper.🐾
It felt as though he was saying, “Mom, I got you home. Now it's my time to rest.”
Over the years, doctors warned me to prepare for this moment. But Cooper had an incredible spirit and seemed to live on nine lives. Each moment we shared, particularly towards the end, reminded me of a profound truth: we never know how long we have with the ones we love.
This realization can either paralyze us with fear and anxiety or be a precious gift—an opportunity to embrace each moment with love, gratitude, and presence.
In our Western culture, we often avoid discussing aging, death, and dying. We fear it and swipe left when it comes up. However, in cultures like Mexico, where age and death are embraced, every moment is lived with greater vitality and appreciation. By accepting the inevitable, it no longer lingers in the shadows but fiercely reminds us that every moment is unique and precious.
Living in Gratitude + Embracing New Beginnings🙏🏼
Reflecting on these experiences, I realize the preciousness of time and the importance of living in the present. We often get caught up in the hustle, forgetting to savor the beauty of each moment. But life, in all its imperfections, offers countless opportunities for gratitude and growth.
And as I settle into Nashville, I'm excited about the new friendships and opportunities this city will bring. If you know anyone in Nashville who might be interested in connecting—whether for friendship or professional collaborations—I'd love an introduction - so please do not hesitate to reply to this email!!
Exciting Work Ahead🎉
On the professional front, there's a lot happening. At the end of the month, I'll be running two Unleash Mindful Leadership sessions for a global investment bank, an executive presence + public speaking event for a tech company, and several events focusing on how to effectively navigate stress—essential with the upcoming elections—and how to shift from frustration and fear to courage and innovation.
If your organization could benefit from our support and expertise, I'd love to explore how we can collaborate. Now is the perfect time to start the conversation, as we'll soon be stepping into the busy fall and election season. Let's work together to create resilient, mindful, and empowered teams.
An Invitation to Reflect and Connect
Today, I invite you to reflect on your relationship with time and change. Where might you be holding back in fear? How can you embrace the present moment with more gratitude and love?
Thank you for being part of this journey with me. Let's continue to embrace change, nurture our endeavors, and trust in the unfolding beauty of life
P.S. If you're navigating your own sea of change, remember: it's not just about weathering the storm. It's about developing the skills and learning to sail in new directions. If you're ready to embrace and cultivate change, reach out—I'd love to hear from you!
P.P.S. Don't forget to join us for Calm & Connect this Sunday, June 16th at 8 AM PST / 11 AM EST. It's a wonderful way to strengthen the muscle of mindfulness and dive into essential reflection alongside others.
Spring Into Change: Unfolding New Beginnings 🌷
If we give in to anxiety or impatience, digging up the seeds like children, checking in to see how much they’ve grown, we would never actually give them the space and time to take root.
After a number of rather literal dark and dreary days, the sun is shining and the earth is beginning to blossom. It's a reminder of a fundamental truth often resisted: everything changes, always. This season, as we witness the world around us spring into life, it's a vivid, beautiful showcase of change's potential. Yet, this transformation doesn't happen overnight. The silent, unseen work of the preceding months lays the groundwork for the bright burst of life we celebrate in spring. This is a powerful metaphor for our own lives and endeavors.
In recent months, I've navigated through an intense landscape of change. And yet, each challenge has underscored the undeniable truth of transformation's constant presence in our lives. It has continued to remind me, fiercely and lovingly, the importance of embracing change, not as an adversary but as an inevitable partner in growth.
Resistance vs. Embrace
It's normal, human really, to resist, or planning meticulously in the face of change, trying to control what we can and clinging to the comfort of the known. But resistance only postpones the inevitable, often amplifying the discomfort we were trying to avoid.
Spring shows us the beauty of release and the embrace of the new. Just as the earth doesn't rush its awakening, we too must learn the art of patient unfolding. The months of quiet, of seemingly nothing happening, are as crucial as the moment of bloom. They are the foundation of all that is to come.
The Complexity of Change
Our brains are quite literally prediction machines - it's there predisposition to predict. ALWAYS. What's more, our brains seek to be right. Thus their predictions, based on past experiences, play a huge role in how we navigate the future.
While these predictions intend to guide us, they can inadvertently narrow our horizons, as we are bound by our limited experience.
Cultivation and Trust
The journey of change requires us to be cultivators—patient, trusting, vigilant. We plant seeds not knowing exactly how or when they will sprout.
This process isn't just about nurturing the projects and transformations we initiate; it's about nurturing our resilience, our faith in the unseen process of becoming.
An Invitation to Trust the Process
Today, I invite you to reflect on your relationship with change. Where might you be resisting? Where might impatience be clouding your vision? Embrace the changes unfolding in your life, nurture them with intention and care, and most importantly, trust in their eventual blossoming. Even when it's uncomfortable, even when the end result is unclear, there's a profound strength in surrendering to the process.
Change, in its essence, is not just about the new life that springs forth. It's about our growth, our evolution as we navigate the journey. Like the gardener who trusts in the seeds they've sown, we too must believe in the potential of what we're cultivating, even when it's yet to be seen.
In embracing change, nurturing our endeavors, and trusting in the process, we open ourselves to the vast possibilities of what can emerge. And just like spring, what arises might just surpass our wildest dreams.
Let's embrace this journey together, trusting in the beautiful unfoldment of our shared human experience.
Warmly,
Rachel Tenenbaum
P.S. I've felt the tremors of change deeply and vividly in recent times. If you're navigating your sea of change, remember: it's not just about weathering the storm. It's about developing the skills and learning to sail in new directions. If you are wanting support - and ready to embrace and cultivate change, reach out and let's connect - I would love to hear from you!
P.P.S - In our next conversation, we'll dive a bit deeper into the neuroscience of change ;).
P.P.S.S. Don't forget to join us for Calm & Connect - a beautiful 2x monthly opportunity to connect live, meditate and intentionally reflect on life with - and learn from - other incredible individuals.