KRISTINA'S WEEKLY EMAIL OF THOUGHT-PROVOKING ESSAYS & VIDEOS TO KEEP YOU CONNECTED TO YOURSELF ON THIS JOURNEY CALLED LIFE
A NOTE FROM KRISTINA:
Greetings!

It's so interesting to me how the PGGs I choose to send out resonate in ways I don't anticipate, since I start thinking about what the theme should be at the beginning of each week. This one floated to the top, as I feel many of us are in a deeply transformative time (whether you're conscious of it or not!) and then I realized this Sunday was Vesak , celebrating the birth, death and enlightenment of Buddha! Inherent in the experience of transformation is death in order to give birth to new life. And death has come up in a few ways this week -we lost Doris Day, Tim Conway and I.M. Pei - but we also are watching the "death" of women's rights over their own bodies, having to do with their role in the creation of life. I won't go into anything more about that, was just noticing how things can be both symbolic and literal on many levels.... Anyhoo, if you are someone who is ready to let go of a past persona and step into a new and improved version of yourself, this is a great time to do it so be sure to check out my Meaningful May Power Hour or any of my other packages to get some clarity, direction and support in the process - I'd be honored to be your midwife :). In the meantime, here's my PGG Video of the week where I describe the transformation of a caterpillar, and my Instagram post where the great Dolly Parton is talks about why she is the way she is. As always, please feel free to let me know y our feedback about any and all that I'm doing :) Big hug <3 Kristina
" I love your PGG newsletters - one of the only ones I actually read in its entirety. They are excellently written, and spot on. Thanks for being so inspirational and reflective!" ~ Tom D .
And S/he Was
(Originally published on May 27, 2011)

One of my current clients has done a tremendous amount of work in a very short time: She has had major revelations in noticing past patterns, stripped away unhealthy relationships and is beginning to tap into who she really is , not who she became to please everyone else . It takes an immense amount of effort to do this.

For the caterpillar, transformation literally means disintegrating its old form to become ‘goop’ while protected in the cocoon prior to emerging as a butterfly. You can imagine the energy required to do so, and it can’t be very comfortable being formless and not able to see much, if it can see at all — it’s not easy being goop!

Conscious or not of its eventual destiny, the old self, having served its purpose, is dying a type of death and a natural grieving process occurs. In consoling my client about letting go of her past, I mentioned how Cher had a hard time because intellectually she had grasped what was happening, but she became very upset when she realized the voice of her child was changing; her daughter was now becoming a son. And although the person that she gave birth to was very much still there, she was losing Chastity in order to welcome Chaz.

Chaz Bono , and anyone who is transgender, has to deal with perhaps the most extreme of identity issues. The amount of courage it takes to make such a transition, especially in the public eye, is truly inspiring. Not only did Chaz have to know and be comfortable enough with himself to make such a seemingly drastic decision, but he also had the poise and confidence to articulate so graciously and effectively how and why he needed to do what he did, demonstrating a profound lesson for us all in ultimate self-awareness and love.

Chaz’s story is an important and powerful one because no matter how we identify ourselves, we all go through various forms of transformation throughout our lives - some more internal, others more external - in order to evolve into the best and fullest versions of our own humanity. His experience teaches us to be true to ourselves, accept and honor all of who we are, and trust that those who sincerely care for us will do so as well, even if it does take some time to adjust. Chaz is more content in his new body and his new life than he has ever been; the more of us who get to that place, the better off we all are.

Whether you want to find your voice , be more comfortable in your body , or express more of your Sal or Sally , I can be a mirror and guide for you in the process, peeling back the layers and providing a cocoon of support and space for you to go from goop to glorious , like a Butterfly !

Remember, you can always see PGGs from any month or year going back to 2010 on my website at www.kristinaleonardi.com and visit my social media pages for more inspiration throughout the week! Want to share my PGG? Use my Medium page for friendliest posting version.

Meaningful May Power Hour Coaching Special
Spring is a great time for a tune up! What tweaks can you make to get unstuck and feel more connected to yourself, your career and your life? Are you spending your time and energy in ways that are aligned with your values? Where can you use more clarity, balance and direction?  
I'm here to help!
Session must be purchased between now and May 31st, but appointments can be scheduled through June 15th.
$185 (Regular rate $225)

I felt very trapped in a profession that I didn't enjoy and was unable to refocus my energy into something more meaningful and rewarding. I had a one-hour call with Kristina, and I finally feel like I have more of a clear path with defined tasks to get me started . Kristina is exceptionally impressive with her talent and techniques. She was to be able to understand my situation and my background in a short time frame and turn around some initial ideas to start working on. I'm truly excited to keep working with her and am looking forward to new adventures. ~ Gina B.
WORK WITH KRISTINA



Next Public Talk: June 26th 12pm

Buy Kristina's Books:

Read Kristina's Career & Personal Growth Articles:

"Since I last spoke with you, I've had some pretty dramatic changes - New Job, a Big Move, Healthy Dating Relationship. It's been pretty awesome. Emotionally, I've done a 180, and my life is certainly a reflection of that. My last session with you spurred a lot of wonderful life changes. "   ~ Palanda B.
 
"I can honestly say that speaking to you was one of the most important events in my life. It is almost unbelievable how a 2-hour conversation can have that effect." ~ Bozhanka V.
 
 
PGG VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK
Looking for more PGG inspiration and tips?

Click on the image to the right for this week's video where I describe the transformation of the caterpillar to a butterfly :)


Stay tuned for a PGG TV video series coming soon!
KRISTINA IN ACTION

Click here for a link to full-length clips of Kristina in action or visit and/or subscribe to her YouTube Channel
kristina leonardi - Medium

Looking for more good reads? Check out and follow me on Medium, where you can easily like and share the PGG's that really click. Share the love <3

Read more
medium.com
If you're receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in and have signed up directly for or agreed to be added to this list for mailings and updates related to the work of Kristina Leonardi, PGG/Personal Growth Gab and/or TWM/The Women's Mosaic. Your privacy is paramount, and your email will only be used for communicating with you about topics, essays, events and announcements related to these entities. Please note you can change your profile preferences or simply unsubscribe at anytime using the " Update Profile " or "SafeUnsubscribe" links at the bottom of every email. Thanks for being part of this community and feel free to contact kleonardi@mindspring.com should you have any questions, comments or concerns. 
You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.