Hello there.
Welcome to another episode of The Pause.
I'm your host,
Laia Bove.
This is an accessible and inclusive space created to invite you to take a moment and to learn to connect to your authentic and creative truth through practices like yoga,
Breathwork,
And meditation.
Before we get started,
I invite you to take a moment to center.
Find a comfortable seat,
Lengthen your spine,
Relax your shoulders,
And perhaps soften your gaze down or close your eyes.
Take a deep inhalation through your nose,
Expanding front to back,
Side to side,
And top to bottom.
Open your mouth and let it go.
Welcome to The Pause.
The future is unwritten.
Joy,
Creativity,
And connection as acts of resistance.
I don't even know where to start these days.
Should I acknowledge everything or maybe just ignore it all?
The consensus is that we are at a crossroads and no matter what route we choose,
We are doomed.
We are utterly fucked.
Yes,
And.
I'm going to be my naive and positive self and imagine that no matter what the mainstream says,
Threatens with,
Or does,
I always have a choice.
I can always rise above and I can envision and create a new route.
When I feel overwhelmed by the perceived state of the world or the chaos in my own life,
I remember that the future is unwritten and what I choose to do with every breath,
With every moment matters.
It's not easy to show up for myself and for others because we must show up not just when everything is going smoothly and the stars seem to be aligned,
But also on days when even getting out of bed seems insurmountable.
I remember that in the same way that we can speculate about a grim unfolding of events,
We can also create a narrative where we not only survive,
But we all thrive.
The path forward.
I know they say we're more divided than ever,
And yet in the depths of the one-on-one relationships and small communities I choose to inhabit,
We defer.
The energy I've experienced in these spaces,
Both in person and online,
Is of positive and intentional change.
We choose to imagine and create a world beyond what we're told is possible and where community is a space for true connection,
Empowerment,
And love.
It has taken time to find people I connect with,
Both in the US and in Europe.
It has taken a bit of learning and growth,
Which it will continue to require,
Yet it has been so worth it.
Yes,
It is super uncomfortable at times to show up for ourselves,
Our loved ones,
And our community,
To be vulnerable and ask for help when we need it,
To operate from a place of compassion and kindness even in the most difficult situations.
All that you touch,
You change.
All that you change,
Changes you.
The only lasting truth is change.
Octavia E.
Butler,
Parable of the Sower.
It is often hard to remain hopeful,
Yet it is the only way forward.
I know someone who says you can hope in one hand and shit in the other and see which one feels faster,
And even though I get the point,
And it may often be true,
For some reason hope still seems like the better option to me,
And I hope it is for you too.
Lately,
I've learned that being kind is a choice.
Joy is a practice.
Creativity is a birthright.
Motivation is taking action.
Community heals.
Solitude heals.
Writing heals.
Breathwork heals.
Stillness heals.
Movement heals.
Singing heals.
Art heals.
In case you missed it.
In the last few weeks,
I have been stepping into these new possibilities by taking action in my personal and professional projects.
The only way to make sure that the future looks a little bit more like I envision it.
I finished writing the draft of my novel and sent it to my editor.
I could have taken a little break while I wait for notes and feedback,
Yet I chose to print the manuscript and I'm taking it out for coffee dates to give it a read.
Here are some other things I've been up to.
I've been doing some professional acting and modeling.
I joined a dope group of Afro musicians for a jam session.
I attended several Afro poetry and art events organized by incredible humans.
I've continued to host three productivity and creativity sessions per week.
I've added weekly yoga classes and offerings to my channel.
I've taken long daily walks to tap into my creativity,
Clear my head,
And release stress.
I don't have all the answers.
I know I never will,
But what I do know is this.
Every small action,
Every breath,
Every word we write,
Every authentic connection we make,
And every act of kindness toward ourselves and others matters.
We can't control how the cards fall on a large scale,
But we can choose how we show up in the spaces we inhabit.
The more I see hate,
The more I choose love.
My friend,
Keep creating,
Keep connecting,
Keep learning,
And keep building a reality that is more beautiful,
More magical,
And more exciting than anything they could ever imagine.
Choose to stand in your power.
Until we meet again,
Pause often,
Breathe deeply,
And be kind,
Especially to yourself.
Much love,
Laya.
