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Are you navigating a season of change? This episode is here to provide inspiration and guidance.

Join in as Monique revisits a transformative period in her life, reflecting on a throwback episode from her earlier audio newsletter series, "Letters from Monique." She shares insights from her journey of allowing herself to be changed, especially during significant life transitions like the birth of her second child and the early seeds of this very podcast. She also emphasizes the importance of allowing oneself to be changed, the power of community, and the necessity of support and presence.

Monique dives deep into the messy and beautiful process of change, offering a raw and honest account of her experiences. Whether you're in a season of transition or just seeking inspiration to embrace change, this episode is dropping gems.

So, grab your tea, journal, and a cozy spot as Monique takes you on a journey through personal evolution, resilience, and the beauty of embracing change. Enjoy, and may this episode meet you exactly where you need to be met.

GEMS DROPPED

“You ​can't ​want ​change ​without ​permitting ​yourself ​to ​be ​changed.”

“Our ​thoughts ​are ​anchored ​upon ​ ​the ​changes ​that ​we ​get ​to ​experience ​externally, but ​what ​has ​to ​happen ​internally ​we undersell, ​we ​undershoot, ​and ​oftentimes, we ​don't ​fully ​anticipate ​because ​it's ​something ​that's ​new. So ​you're ​not really ​able ​to ​preemptively anticipate ​what ​those ​internal ​changers ​are. So ​to ​be ​changed ​is ​something ​that is ​easy ​to ​struggle ​with.”

“We ​want ​the ​external ​product ​of ​change, we ​want ​the ​external ​experiences ​of ​change, but ​it's ​not ​all ​upside ​to ​get ​there. ​​It ​can't ​be. There ​has ​to ​be ​some pain. ​And ​I'm ​not ​gonna ​say, ​full ​on ​suffering, ​necessarily, but ​pain, ​loss, ​absolutely. ​And ​this ​comes ​with ​any ​kind ​of ​change.”

“When ​we ​ask ​for ​change ​be ​ready ​for ​everything ​that ​comes ​with ​that, ​but ​also ​recognize ​the ​beauty ​in ​it.”

“Permitting ​ourselves ​to ​be ​changed ​is ​to ​​permit ​ourselves ​to ​have ​permission ​to ​change, ​to ​have ​permission ​to ​create ​in ​the ​midst ​of ​change, ​to ​have ​permission ​to ​re​envision, ​to ​pivot, ​to ​shift, ​to ​reimagine, ​to ​want ​differently. And ​it ​requires ​support. ​I ​think ​for ​most ​of ​us, ​particularly ​so ​for ​women, ​we ​are ​so ​practiced ​at ​not permitting ​ourselves to ​want, ​to ​create,​to ​build ​freely, ​ ​unapologetically, ​and ​inviting ​in ​the ​support ​to ​do ​that. ​And ​not ​even ​the ​support ​to ​do ​that, ​but ​also ​just ​making ​sure ​that we are ​part ​of ​​communities ​where ​that ​was ​heralded ​and ​encouraged ​and ​modeled. It ​means ​everything.”

“It ​is ​very ​easy ​to ​scale ​back ​on ​our ​self ​investments ​when ​we ​think ​we ​can't ​produce ​as ​much, ​or ​we ​think ​that, ​like, ​oh, ​I'm ​stepping ​into ​a ​season ​of ​less. ​So ​then ​we ​start ​giving ​ourselves ​less. ​Girl, ​you're ​doing ​the ​opposite ​of ​what ​needs ​to ​happen. This ​is ​a ​season ​where ​we ​give ​ourselves ​more,much, ​much ​more.”

“If ​you ​want ​change, ​you ​have ​to ​permit ​myself ​to ​be ​changed. ​So ​ask yourself, what ​needs ​to ​be ​true ​in ​this ​next ​season ​in ​order ​for ​you ​to ​get ​prepared ​for ​that ​season​? There's ​a ​new ​version ​of ​you ​that ​is ​waiting.”​

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