Greetings from San Francisco! I'm here for a conference and to see my sister and her wife --- the best!

My sister Carrie and I went to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and I had the opportunity to see the Ragnar Kjartansson installation, The Visitors. It's an experience that will stay with me.

The installation is a dark room with screens projecting images around the room. In each screen is a musician in a different room of the house, playing an instrument or singing. Each one is intimate, raw. When you stand in front of a screen, you hear that person distinctly. You are with them. And also, you hear the rest of the song, ethereal, haunting.

There's so much I could say about this exhibit, but what I want to say is, simply, your humanity is a gift. We see it in other people but often forget it about ourselves. The intimacy of this piece, its longing, humanity, and desire for connection, is a gift. That it is recorded in an old house and not in a studio, is a gift. We don't always see this in ourselves, that the things that we most want to hide from others are, in fact, what we most share with them.

Its title, The Visitors, put me in mind of this poem by Rumi:

The Guest House

Translated by Coleman Barks

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Jalaluddin Rumi

from Rumi: Selected Poems, trans Coleman Barks with John Moynce, A. J. Arberry, Reynold Nicholson (Penguin Books, 2004).

This week, consider one thing about yourself you hide away, or wish you could change --- Is it your insecurity? Your fear? Your desire for more? Welcome it in as part of beautiful, glorious, human you. When you notice them, simply say to yourself, "Welcome, insecurity," "Welcome, fear," "Welcome, desire for more," "Welcome, humanness." They can pull up a seat without being the center of attention. And remind yourself that everyone around you also feels this way, at least some of the time. What we most want to hide away is what we most share. ❤️

My time in San Francisco has been rich with human connection --- the Ragnar Kjartansson, the conference, seeing old friends, and, of course, my sister and her wife. It feels like a meaningful way to begin the year, remembering how good it feels to be myself with other human beings. I also started the year of my podcast with a guest!, and plan to do much more of this in 2024. What a gift it is to be with other humans, in all their humanness.

Episode #84: Satisfied AF in Midlife with Kori Linn

Would you describe your life as delicious? When you imagine getting closer to something you want (whether eating more greens, doing yoga, or reading more) does it feel more like flirting with an attractive stranger or a drill sergeant getting up in your face? If you want more flirty deliciousness in your life, you'll want to listen to this episode with life & career coach Kori Linn. It was so fun talking to Kori Linn. She's host of the Satisfied AF podcast and she came onto my show to talk about what it means to be satisfied, how we can welcome in more satisfaction and deliciousness into our lives, making goals sexy, and so much more. You don't want to miss this one! In this episode:

🔥 How to go on a pleasure hunt to find what feels good

🔥 Why celebrating yourself gets you to your goals faster

🔥 How sexy banter self talk gets you closer to your goals

🔥 How to get things done by making them “doable and delicious”

As a special gift, Kori Linn is offering my listeners her Satisfied AF Audit, a way to identify all the sources of satisfaction in your life. Get the Satisfied AF Audit here!

Listen to the episode here.

Love, Rachel

P.S. If you enjoy the podcast, be sure to follow it in your podcast player so you'll get notified every time a new episode releases (and having followers helps more people to find me) - And please leave a review on Apple Podcasts -- thank you for helping more people to find me! This is the year I get my podcast into more ears, so I can help more people find greater self-compassion and delight in their lives!

P.P.S. I had so much fun dreaming about my plans for 2024 -- I've started working on an online course, planning podcast guests, and am considering a small group coaching experience. If there's a topic you want me to cover, reach out and let me know!

⭐ I love being connected to you ⭐