KRISTINA'S WEEKLY EMAIL OF THOUGHT-PROVOKING ESSAYS & VIDEOS TO KEEP YOU CONNECTED TO YOURSELF ON THIS JOURNEY CALLED LIFE
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Greetings!
This past week I had a mini-anxiety attack, and learned a few other folks had some head spinning, stomach issues, not being able to sleep etc. Perhaps you can relate? For me, it feels like a wire gets tripped and then I go down an irrational fear spiral that I know is not part of my normal perspective and reality - it’s like a bug got into my system. I’ve learned to observe this and not let it overtake me for long; I nip it in the bud as soon as I realize it's happening with a variety of tools like breathing, meditating, taking a walk, sitting in the sun and/or releasing whatever feeling needs to move through me through crying, sound, movement or some combination of all the above.
Remember there is always a solution to your predicament, and your current situation is never as bad as your mind makes it seem
. Also, the energies in the world are getting more intense, discordant and insane (these days it feels like we are living in an SNL skit, WWE wrestling match, video game and/or gangster/horror/disaster movie), so we need to double down on our own mental health and well-being, because that is what we have most control over.
If you’re a remotely sensitive person you could be picking up on the aforementioned wackadoo world vibes, so your anxiety is not even your own stuff! The parallel news is that I've been getting some lovely testimonials lately to remind me of the reality and truth of what I do (
"
Kristina patiently helped me to discover and embrace my true north"
"
I was struggling with honing in on my direction, and, as a result of this coaching session, I feel clear on my next steps" "Kristina’s coaching expertise is phenomenal — all-encompassing, inclusive of the mind, body & spirit, nonjudgmental, insightful and deeply involved in providing solutions and tools to be a better version of yourself
"
)
so look for some clues of the positive, real aspects of your life, not the bogeyman’s version! For this week's PGG, I acknowledge whatever you might have been dealing with recently, which is likely preparing you for some interesting twists and turns ahead. Another way to combat the crazy is to be grateful, focus on the good, cultivate love, and like I say in
this
PGG Video of the week
, decide to
be the peacemaker not the troublemaker,
but also know when to
channel your inner baddass if battle mode is required
like I show in this
Instagram post.
As always, please feel free to
let me know
your feedback about any and all that I'm doing. Big hug <3 Kristina
P.S.
Need some mindfulness via a coloring book with a groovy 60's vibe?
Check out this cool project
from my sis-in-law :)
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"
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
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The Fog of War
Originally published March 18, 2015
Suffering without catharsis is nothing but wasted pain
. ~
Jim MacLaren, via Elizabeth Gilbert
It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace
.~
Aristotle
If you’re like me, my clients, friends and family, the last three years or so have felt as though you’ve been fighting your way through a series of battles, one deeper or slightly different from the last, but all relentlessly asking you to deal with one particular area of life, even if that area spills over to a few others. And it doesn’t help that our world has been going through its own revolution with major insanity via governments and insurgents, the misuse of technology and military/police force, and the dis-ease that Mother Nature has been rebelling against in her own way …
Maybe a war was being waged against you from the outside – perhaps in the form of losing a job or a loved one, or dealing with a health crisis, breakup, financial issues – or from the inside, i.e., confronting depression, addiction, OCD, ADD, emotional trauma, co-dependency, self-esteem, toxic relationships, negative thoughts and patterns. Either way,
it’s been a time that’s forced you to go to the mattresses with your psyche, getting schooled in something or by someone, but ultimately yourself, in a probably not-so-pleasant way.
If you rose to the challenge and hunkered down to face those adversaries, you will find, as the fog starts to lift, a super-stark reality check; things that you thought to be stable or secure no longer hold that position; things that once gave you comfort, now not so much. We see things now as they really are, not how we wish them to be.
Smooth sailing it has definitely not been, but if you can honestly reflect on all that’s transpired, you will see that indeed it has been quite productive!
Yes there were some casualties, but most likely they were the enemies, real or imagined, internal or external, holding you back from moving forward anyway. We might have some scars, but we’ve recognized and liberated ourselves from our own self-imposed torture chambers and internment camps.
You have decided what is or isn’t important and have begun to adjust some behaviors in order to reflect your new attitude and revelations.
The most dangerous threat we all continue to face is that of “divide and conquer”; of thinking we are the lone soldier in the battlefield and that we have to suffer in silence. Sure, at the end of the day we have to vanquish our own demons, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t call in the troops and rely upon our buddies for support, even if just moral, along the way.
We cannot isolate in our trenches. We must reach out to our platoons – that is what they are there for!
The good news is that after sloshing through this winter’s punch [summer's heat], we can revel in the Spring [Fall] knowing that lighter [cooler] days, both literally and metaphorically, are ahead. Be patient with yourself and others as you enter back into civil society and express kindness, compassion and forgiveness to all you meet, even your so-called adversaries, as we have all been struggling in one way or another with our wounds and probably have a little PTSD that can be cured with a lot of TLC.
It is finally time for a truce, and to surrender to the peace that is waiting for you should you choose to accept all that the Universe has asked (well, more like demanded!) you to change.
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.
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WORK WITH KRISTINA
Stay tuned for upcoming dates, in the meantime you can watch this week's
Authentic Branding: Letting the Real You Shine in Any Situation
Missed my talk last month?
Who Are You & What Are You Supposed to Be Doing with Your Life?
Video from August's talk on YouTube (click on title):
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.
Thank you again for
opening my eyes to a new future
!
~ K. Handa
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PGG VIDEO PICK OF THE WEEK
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Looking for more PGG inspiration and tips?
Stay tuned for a
PGG TV
video series coming soon!
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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
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