Your weekly reminder of the truth you already knew: subscribe to 'sugg-JESS-tions' - the newsletter that cusses back 😉
Grief isn’t something we move past; it’s something we learn to move with.
|
A few weeks ago, I hosted my first Friendsgiving for my Sacred Circle girls and decided to spend some time in quiet reflection... and here is what I realized: The more time goes on, the more I understand duality. How I can hold deep gratitude and even deeper sadness. I’m learning to live in the contradiction … where love and loss coexist, where laughter can follow tears, and where the heart can be both broken and open at the same time. I am forever grateful to have all of these beautiful souls in my life AND… I wish that our dear friend, Michael could be here celebrating with us. It is profoundly…. human to feel everything at once. And on top of all that emotional whiplash, there’s the pressure to make it all look perfect. The clean house. The thoughtful gifts. The social plans. The matching pajamas for the photo that everyone will double-tap and move on from. 🙄 But underneath it? So many of us are tired. If you’re struggling to keep your mental health above water right now, you’re not alone. Some people are grieving loved ones. Some are grieving versions of themselves. Some are just trying to survive another dinner with family who still doesn’t get it. Whatever it looks like for you — it’s okay to feel it all. You’re allowed to cry and laugh. To cancel plans and be grateful. To have a holiday that’s imperfect, messy, and still meaningful. |
Jess Leone
Your weekly reminder of the truth you already knew: subscribe to 'sugg-JESS-tions' - the newsletter that cusses back 😉
You may have heard the news already, Reader, but if you haven't... In a few short weeks, I take to the TEDx stage at SUNY, New Paltz! Five and a half VERY long years ago when I decided to leave my career behind in EMS, I had a very particular “daydream” waiting for a light by our old apartment. It was me on a stage. 😳 I didn’t know why or what I was talking about, but I envisioned it clear as day. The image stayed with me as I built my online business, worked with clients 1:1, and then...
I’ve learned that if I don’t give my intentions somewhere to land, they stay abstract. They live in my head, or on a list, or in a passing thought I revisit when it’s convenient. At some point, I realized I needed a way to be present with what I say I care about, not just talk about it. I needed something that asked me to show up with my body, not just my words. That’s where ritual started to matter to me. Not as a performance, and not as a promise that everything will change overnight, but...
The holidays can light up your nervous system like a Christmas tree. 🎄 Family dynamics. Busy schedules. Pressure to “make it perfect.” Even the good things—travel, excitement, nostalgia—can flip the same internal switches that go off when we’re in danger. That’s your HPA axis talking. It’s the stress-response highway that runs from your brain to your adrenal glands, pumping out cortisol and adrenaline whenever life feels “too much.” The problem? Your body can’t tell the difference between a...