Big, beautiful changes are happening in my life 🌱👏😅

Hey guys! Welcome to my blog.

Hurray, we’re here!

For these posts, I’m going to be taking my previous month’s email newsletter and adapting it to a blog. That way, if you miss an email you can still get the goods, or if you want to look back on previous love notes without searching your email, now you can. 

If you want to get the emails when they come fresh off the press, sign up for my email list here. When you sign up for the email newsletter, you’ll also be entered in a monthly raffle to win fun prizes like a zoom call with me, a magic hummingbird from Guatemala, a copy of my book, a free tshirt, and more. 

Happy reading!

What’s inspiring Erica these days?

I'm really inspired by our inexhaustible ability to grow and change, as much as we are willing to lean into the natural cycles of life.

Cycles of moving energy, aka how life creates. Watch my Cycles video for a explanation of this diagram

Sometimes we get stuck (myself included) because we don't want to let something go, or we don't let ourselves fully go into a feeling because it feels so uncomfortable and scary. That’s completely normal for humans to do, but as I reflect on in the Cycles video, our ability to step into our greatest happiness (like a flower does in the summertime) is directly related to our ability to fully go into the inevitable darkness and uncertainty that life sometimes brings us.

It's just how life goes, whether we like it or not.

Right now I'm really inspired by the notion of rebirth and resurrection, especially from those dark places that feel like a kind of death.

The key is surrendering into the process, and understanding that there’s a really natural and normal cycle happening within our lives. The more we can lean into it, the more peace we can have, even in those dark times.

What do I mean? I mean let yourself feel the feels - that could mean actually making the time and space to grieve, even turning off your phone and really going into it and letting yourself have a good cry.

What’s more, we need to learn to not make ourselves wrong for where we are and what we’re feeling, and rest in the trust that things are going to work out - especially if we don’t know how that could happen (hint: when we make the hard choices to finally release and shed what isn't working, we can start moving back to the light)

Our old wings, finally released to decay, provide the energy with which the wings of the new life are formed 🦋

This month, Erica recommends:

I *highly* recommend getting a tarot card reading from Wyld Lee.

She's someone I met last year and who has become a solid voice of honest spiritual counsel at those moments I need it most.

I recently did a reading with her for the new year and she gave me so much validation and clarity around what I've been feeling confused about. She's a good ally to have, especially in those dark places where we need a little extra support to see the path ahead.

She has affordable sessions and she’s offering my friends a 10% discount, just use the code ERICALOVE when you schedule a reading. Her info - www.wyldleetarot.com / Schedule link- https://calendly.com/wyldleetarot. If it calls to you even a little bit - do it - you won’t regret it.

What’s been happening in Erica’s world in Guatemala?

I was starting the work on my land with a group of workers from the farm, but after 3 weeks it became really evident to me that something wasn't aligned. I felt anxious, crunchy, and unhappy with the situation.

Talking about the Cycles premise, I came to understand that I was pushing myself too soon into the active expansive energy that wants to get into action, produce, and achieve, before I had spent enough time on the other side, in that unknown space where dreams are born (read: among other things, I needed more time to plan and create a more detailed map aligned with my true desires before I started the work).

I knew things weren't right - I could feel it in my body and mind, and I found myself trying to push against a situation that wasn't working and trying to force it to work. I was doing this because I didn't think I had any other options...when in reality I just hadn't given it enough time.

Time revealed that my dear friend Ashely, a local permaculturalist, natural builder, and total goddess badass, is taking on new design clients with her business partner Dijan, who is a dear brother who inspires me with the essence of his very being. Upon realizing this, I made the hard decision to break up with the guys and start the design process of working with Ashley and Dij instead. I’m so glad I did!

Me, Ashley and Dijan my dear friends and super talented earth artists on my land

So we're pulling back and sinking into that unknown space together to dream in the darkness, get clear on my desires (which can be really hard to do!), and really activate all my creative juices before we put another pickaxe into the ground.

She gave me the first assignment of getting a special notebook where all my ideas around the land will go and to make it special...so I'm super excited to have whipped out my stickers and to make it personal, special, and awesome.

I'm feeling excited about the ideas that will go in here and all the prompts and homework assignments she'll be giving me to help me design the vision of what I really want to create on this land...and in my life :)

Here's a photo of my new journal to contain all the visioning and dreaming I'll be doing in this next phase of my cycle…

A final message for you:

IT’S OK. All of it. The pain, the uncertainty, the suffering, the struggle.

Things can really suck in the moment, but it's all working out for the highest good - if you trust, accept, and allow the magic of life to unfold.

A wise person once told me:

"Find peace in every discomfort."

I think there’s a lot of truth within those words. Because when we can arrive at a place of peace and contentment with what is - even if our judging mind doesn't "like" it - then we can truly discover the medicine that life wants to give us - and more so the lesson within the pain and suffering.

It takes a lot of courage to sit with the discomfort instead of running away, numbing out, avoiding, or any of the other ways we as humans pull away from the things we don’t like. And yet, staying with those things (except in abusive situations that just feel plain wrong in your heart) can sometimes be the key to arriving at a new place where we can really learn the thing our soul needs.

There are teachers all around us, in unexpected forms and in unexpected places, and when we open our minds and our hearts and go and do as we are called - despite the discomfort - we can go and flow where life wants to lead us.

That's how the mystery of life unfolds.

Surrendering into the unknown is hard, especially when we have our little plans and designs of how we want things to go. But that's not how this thing called God works. 

And it's ok. 

Let go of trying to make it happen the way you want it, and let it be the way it is. Even if it hurts. Especially if it hurts.

Breathe into the sensations of discomfort and look for the lesson that is trying to rise.

Step into the flow of life and hold the discomfort just like you would hold a precious baby, knowing that it's sacred, it's beautiful, and everything is and will be ok - because life always finds a way.

Homework:

Here are some journal prompts for you to reflect on this month:

1. What brings you the most joy?

2. What does your heart want you to do?

3. What is the thing you know you must do, but you feel afraid to do?

4. What do you know in your heart you need to let go of in this next cycle?

Thank you for reading! I hope this blog helps you on your journey to the home within your heart.

Keep dreaming!

❤️

Erica

Ps - Here’s one of my favorite baby photos - thought you might like to see it! I remember how much I loved that necklace because it looked like corn 🤣