It's time for more integration...
...The space between doing and becoming
Hey there! It’s been a minute. How are y’all doing?
As I shared in my Kit newsletter, it’s been some time since I was in a writing mode, but as of late, my creativity, my flow, my desire for play — and finding more of my inner child — has been coming forward.
Like a lot of my projects, this newsletter has evolved into many iterations. And finally, I feel like this space is one that aligns with my book (which I’m excited to share more about here; if you haven’t checked out my LinkedIn in a while, that’s where I share a lot of the real-time updates). But mostly about the things I’m seeing that connect us as founders — the push and pull of being so many things in our businesses and in our lives.
The push to build ←→The pull to be.
What really prompted me to come back into this space again was actually the opposite of posting anything.
I recently attended a writer’s retreat led by my book coach in Austin, and attending a retreat was on my “one day…” list. You might call this a “bucket list” item, and for me, I would often see authors and writers talk about these life-changing experiences they had while attending a retreat.
I always thought it was super cool—to be in company with people who are doing the same type of craft, and finding these spaces to work on your craft.
And I finally got to do it, might I add, because I am an author who is querying agents for my debut business book.
(Still wild to say that out loud.)
I finally wrote about my experience on LinkedIn, but before I could even get the words down, I really struggled with wanting to share my experience immediately when I came back.
My mind was up for it, but my body wasn’t. And day by day, I would make the attempt and never get the post out.
Every time I sat down to write, something in me just couldn’t do it. And in time, I realized — I needed to take the time to integrate.
I needed to be present with these amazing accomplishments I made with my book: Pitching my book to an agent.
Talking about my book out loud to people (which is totally different from sharing it online for some reason).
Beginning the draft of a new book idea (excited to share that with this community too).
All while living my life, keeping up with my business, and being an employee in a 9–5.
Side note: I’m just seeing how these Spongebob memes are a throughline in my book and now here too.
There was time needed to take in the information that was shared with me at the retreat by the amazing Jenni Gritters and Jennifer Griffith.
Hearing their publishing journeys — how in many cases, they are making impact and sparking conversations with their books.
I met some incredible, inspiring women who are writing business books, poetry, memoirs, and honestly, the rooms we were in were just: magnetic.
How could I just go into a mode of creating a post about this when there was still so much magic and joy and freedom and flow that emerged in this three-day container?
Burnout is everywhere. We’re seeing it. We’re feeling it. We’re watching some of our favorite people online make the choice to step away.
And burnout is one thing, and very real, but I think what we need to incorporate more of is…integration.
I first heard this concept of integration from my mindset coach, where in her programming she would create space for both the work and the pause. There would be weeks dedicated to the doing: the learning, the building, the applying.
And then the last week would be about integration. At the time, I thought it meant reviewing what we learned, which was fine, but I wasn’t using that time intentionally. Now, I understand it differently. It’s taking the time to fully submerge and absorb what we were taught and what we’ve been working on in the weeks before.
Allowing whatever needs to come up, come up. Allowing space for play. For creativity. For release or just to pause and stop.
Allowing that feminine energy to work in partnership with the masculine energy that we find ourselves operating in, constantly.
We’re constantly finding ourselves on the go. Working towards the next thing, where we don’t even recognize the time or the day it is. Where we reflect during moments like the end or the top of the year and can’t remember what we were proud of ourselves for accomplishing.
I was chatting with an amazing creator who shared this, and I could relate wholeheartedly, especially in 2023–2024, when I turned 30.
I was pivoting my business but also holding onto this pressure that I needed to reach these overachieving, high goals—doing whatever I could to get there.
I was in so much doing, hustle, overworking that so much of that year felt like I was allowing everything around me to control my life.
I wasn’t in the driver’s seat anymore.
For my fellow business owners out there—especially my multi-hyphenates who are doing this, this, and the third: Often times we either need more time. Or we’re just happy the day ends because it means we can stop the madness of all the balls we’re juggling.
We’re working our 9-5s. We’re finding our next client. We’re launching a new product. We’re scouting for our next brand deal.
It never stops. So we have to pause. We have to integrate.
We must be present. We must take into account the amazing things we are doing every single day—even if that is just waking up.
Or waking up and allowing some sun on your face.
Or waking up, allowing sun on your face, and making breakfast.
These moments matter. And if we don’t acknowledge them, we move right past them.
It’s time for us to be present. To allow integration with ourselves. To sit with what we’ve done, what we’ve created, and who we’re becoming in the process.
Because if we don’t, we’ll keep building,
and building,
and building without ever fully experiencing the life we’re working so hard to create.
Because what’s the point of building a life…if we never take the time to actually feel it?
We’re almost halfway through the year. Instead of asking what’s next, try this:
What have you already done this year that you haven’t acknowledged?
What’s one moment from this year you haven’t fully taken in yet?
What did that one moment or moments feel like?
I’d love to hear from you—what’s one moment you haven’t fully taken in yet?
I’m planning to return to these on Fridays, so I’d love to stay connected here.