Hi! How are you?!
This is a picture I snapped on the way out of the house for one of my morning walks, which I’m beginning to think was the best thing I started doing in 2020. If you remember, when I first came out to Seattle back in early June, I was in a pretty bad place and really struggling to lift my emotions.
I knew I had to get out of my apartment and New York, and coming out to my dad’s felt like the safest, most realistic option. Still, I was worried about it. Partly because I’ve had a complicated relationship with “home” and “coming home” my entire adult life (which is a story for another newsletter) and partly because I knew it would be chilly out in the PNW at that time of the year. and cold weather and I do not mix well.
So as I binge-watched romantic comedies on the plane (my favorite in-flight activity), I made a commitment to myself: I would wake up and go for a walk every. single. day.
At the time, it felt the smallest, tiniest positive action I could take to move forward, to try to begin to shift my energy and let go of all the heaviness I felt. I knew I didn’t have the emotional capacity to commit to working out every day or taking a virtual yoga class but moving my feet back and forth, outside felt like something I could do.
In order for it to work, I had to release any and all excuses I was likely to come up with on a cold, rainy morning, so I decided right then and there that what I wore on these walks wouldn’t matter as long as it kept me warm. My goal was just to get out of bed and outside as quickly as possible, even if the outfit I ended up in would make my 13-year old self cringe with embarrassment.
The first day I walked only for 10 minutes or so. The next day, I went a bit further and stumbled upon a trail I’d never seen before that led down to a small pond. It felt so peaceful looking out onto the water and hearing nothing but birds. The day after that I walked even more and discovered a huge nature preserve with big trees, open grassy areas, a river, and a beautiful wooden bridge. The whole scene reminded me of a scene from a My Little Pony computer game I used to play as a kid––it wasn’t just pretty, it felt magical too.
For weeks this nature reserve became my hidden escape. It was so close, less than a mile away from my dad’s condo, a place I’d been visiting for almost two years, and yet it felt like it belonged to another world—during a time in my where it felt I was rediscovering myself and quite literally shedding old skin, the fact that I’d somehow never known this place existed was not lost on me. It was a sign (from the universe, from God, from whatever you believe in) to remind me to open up new space in my life for opportunities, ideas, and places.
It was later during one of these walks that the idea of moving to LA popped into my head. And it really did just pop into my head. I’d never considered living in LA before that moment, and yet as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I knew that was what I was going to do.
And that’s the kind of clarity these daily walks have brought me.
While my 30-year old self is less concerned about her walking outfits (heck, she doesn’t even particularly mind if she’s wearing yesterday’s clothes, which in case you were wondering, she almost always is), she’s never particularly excited about starting the walk. Even when I don’t wake up to an alarm, I am groggy and cranky in the morning, and I don’t enjoy getting out of bed.
The first few minutes of my walk are never all that enjoyable. I’m cold. My brain is foggy. My body is tight.
But like clockwork, about halfway into the walk, my energy starts to change. I start to feel alive, excited, happy about the rest of the day. Around this time I’ll usually turn off whatever podcast I’m listening to and switch to a playlist I love. I’ll start dancing to myself in the middle of the bike path, pausing to hit a move here and there. Out of nowhere, ideas — for my business, my clients, content pieces, and projects— start to flow to me.
And there is always a moment of clarity, a moment that allows me to let go of something making me feel anxious, to stop trying to “get it right,” and remember that everything will be okay if things don’t go exactly according to my perfectly laid plans.
What kinds of things have you been doing to bring clarity into your life? I’d love to know what works for you, and if you go on morning walks do you listen to music? Sip coffee as you go?
On another note, someone mentioned the idea of adding a Q&A section to this newsletter, and I’m curious, is that something you would like to see? Do you have any questions you want me to answer in the next issue? If so, please reply to this email and ask away!
Finally, if you’ve enjoyed getting these monthly newsletters in your inbox, if the stories I share have brought value to your life, please consider supporting this project financially here for as little as $5. You can now also read previous editions here.
If you’re celebrating, Happy Halloween! & may November 3rd usher in a new era of unity, love, and change in the United States.
with love,
Brielle
A Few Other Things…
🗳️ If you haven’t voted yet, it’s not too late! Read this.
🍎 10 facts about your gut (and how it impacts your mental health) you probably didn’t know.
💖 A morning affirmation recording I absolutely love
🤣 Whether you rent or own, this one will make you laugh
🙏 Help my Grease remake video get to 1,000 views (it’s so close!)
🧠 I’m having my first EFT session next week and after listening to this podcast, I’m even more excited about it