Hey Reader
Is it just me, or did September fly by at light speed? Q4 begins next week… the final stretch to make this year count, and yet here I am, fighting to not get distracted by the chaos around us.
Cuz every time I see a news story lately it feels like another blow to the gut.
The barrage of political chaos coming from my home country, our first amendment right to speak freely being threatened, the always unacceptable yet never-ending gun violence battle, and the refusal to acknowledge that bombs are dropping and people are being senselessly murdered by the minute in other parts of the world?
It’s A LOT. And if you’re a creative person like me (or have any OUNCE of empathy in you whatsoever), I can imagine that you are feeling this weight, too. The difficult pull between staying informed and protecting your peace; between caring about the world and caring for yourself.
What's brewing
We’ve officially entered Libra season… a time traditionally meant for breathing deep and finding balance after the structured intensity of Virgo. Yet finding that balance feels nearly impossible when the world seems to be spinning off its axis.
Cuz let’s be honest, it’s infuriating to feel bombarded by stories of current events while watching our leaders fail us. It’s enough to keep anyone awake at night.
And it’s totally okay to feel furious about what’s happening globally.
But here’s what they don’t want us to realize: our constant outrage serves their agenda PERFECTLY.
Furious keeps us distracted. Distracted keeps us powerless.
The more we spend our precious energy fixated on their manufactured chaos, the less we have left to actually LIVE our lives. And that’s exactly the point - keep us so busy reacting that we forget we have our own lives to create, our own dreams to pursue, our own joy to experience.
If we’re always in reaction mode, we never get to be in creation mode. And creation is where our REAL power lies.
Here’s what I’ve learned through my own journey and working with incredible people like you:
Without YOU being present and living YOUR life fully, none of this stuff really matters the way it needs to.
We are the ONLY ones who get to say how our lives go. We have jurisdiction, on a day-to-day basis, to choose where we focus our attention and energy. And our energy? It’s our most precious resource.
We must be our own lighthouse right now.
A lighthouse doesn’t abandon its post during a storm. It continues to shine, becoming a beacon that guides others to safety.
That’s what we need to be. First for ourselves, then for others.
That doesn’t mean turning away from what matters or being complacent. You can still protest, cancel your subscription and speak out against your oppressors.
But the key here is making sure you keep your eye on the prize: YOU.
How you spend your energy matters. You must fill your own cup first so you can be present and effective when you choose to engage.
JUST FOR YOU:
Creative AlCHEMY EXERCISE
The Lighthouse Practice: Discerning Your Energy Flow
This month’s practice is all about discernment, and learning to distinguish between the energy that depletes you and energy that sustains you, especially during uncertain times.
Step 1: Energy Audit (5 min) Grab a pen and paper. Draw a line down the middle. On the left side, write “DEPLETING”, on the right, write “ENERGIZING”.
Set a timer for 5 minutes and on another sheet, write down everything that’s been on your mind lately; news stories, social media, work projects, relationships, creative pursuits, activism, all of it. Leave no stone unturned, getting it out on paper is the first step in taking your power back.
Step 2: Feel and Sort (5 min) Now, go through each item and place it in either the DEPLETING or ENERGIZING column. Don’t overthink it… let your body tell you. Which items make your shoulders tense or gut clench? Which ones make you feel expansive and free?
Step 3: The Lighthouse Question (2 min) For each item in your DEPLETING column, ask yourself “Is engaging with this helping me be a stronger lighthouse, or is it dimming my light?”
Step 4: Boundary Setting (3 min) Choose ONE item from your DEPLETING column that you can set a boundary around this week. Maybe it’s limiting the amount of news you consume to 15 minutes a day, unfollowing certain social accounts that trigger you or saying no to that energy-draining commitment.
Remember: You can care deeply about the world AND protect your energy.
In fact, protecting your energy makes you more effective when caring about what truly matters to you.
Until next time, remember: The world needs your light. But you can’t share what you don’t have.
Be your own lighthouse first.
With love, light, and creative resilience,
Kat
P.S. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by everything that’s happening in the world and it’s affecting your creativity, my 21-Day Energy Alignment Collection is the perfect toolkit for times like these. 7 targeted sound healings each designed to restore your energy centers, rebuild your creative foundation and help you stay lit up no matter how dark things get outside. Get started HERE.
“Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining.”
— Anne Lamott