Stepping out of my head and into the world
Learning to embrace the micro moments of life
I can’t remember when I stopped feeling connected to my body. I do, however, remember when I was made acutely aware of the disconnection.
A few years ago, my former life coach asked me: “How does excitement feel in your body?”
I like to think that I’m generally pretty smart and quick on my feet, but this question stumped me. I didn’t even know where to begin.
“Okay, here’s an example. For me, excitement feels like a bubbling. I can feel in my stomach and it bubbles up through my body,” she said with an air of hope that maybe, just maybe, her example would unlock something for me.
It didn’t.
My mind stood at a standstill. It felt like watching a foreign film with no subtitles or context clues. While I didn’t think too much of it at the time, the concept of feeling disconnected to my body remained in the back of my consciousness for years.
Since that session back in spring 2020, I learned a few more things about myself, like how 99.9% of life is experienced from my shoulders up. My default for processing emotions is through my mind, rather allowing them to wash over me. During my early days of therapy, I used mind mapping to dissect what I was feeling and why. Today, I know that feelings are simply meant to be felt (no why required)—and that learning to be present is the easiest way to awaken the connection between your body and mind.
Post-Guatemala, I’ve been trying hard to embrace the invitation to fall back in love with life, but late-stage capitalism makes it too easy to slip back into rushing waters of endless to-do lists that inevitably take me out of the present.
This summer has been uncharacteristically intense, and it’s helped me realize that unlike the initial, fiery stages of falling in love, deep and long-lasting love is cultivated in the micro moments—and it happens when we stop thinking and allow ourselves to feel.
It’s moments like the al fresco lunches under a giant magnolia tree in my backyard, solo dance parties in my car during my weekly commute, impromptu hugs with my dog, and the painter’s sunsets in California that make me feel connected to my body and the world around me.
In this month’s newsletter, I share a few ways to awaken your senses so you can feel into the micro moments that remind you how it feels to be truly alive.
In my feels,
Krystie
Creative warm up
This month’s creative exercise is inspired by an activity I read about in , a newsletter by my friend , and my rescue pup, Hunter!
My mom recently got diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, making it tough for her to take Hunter out for his morning walk. I love a good hurkle durkle, so I wasn’t too jazzed about having to take over morning walk duties.
Initially, I made the walk as short as possible so I could “maximize” my work day. I would get frustrated when Hunter spent a little too much time sniffing a patch of grass. But once I learned that dogs see the world through scent, I couldn’t bear the thought of taking that away from him.
It reminded me of awe walks: walks taken with the explicit intent to see things through the lens of “awe” to evoke a sense of novelty and wonder.
Now I let Hunter sniff any bush, patch of grass, or random mound of dirt for as long as he pleases—and I allow myself to engage with the world around me with the same sense of curiosity. I close my eyes and take a few seconds to feel the sun on my skin. I stop to admire a new wildflower—and often gasp when I see a new explosion of color on a tree:
In my family, we have a catchphrase for when we want to explore something: “Make like Hunter and go check it out!” So, this month, I invite you to make like Hunter and take yourself out on an awe walk!
The instructions are simple: Block off 30 minutes in your calendar this week for an Awe Walk. It can be a path you’ve taken a million times (like a trip to your favorite coffee shop) or a path less traveled (like a visit to a nearby park). Don’t listen to a podcast or music, just take in the world around you. If you feel called, snap a photo of anything that catches your attention and share it in the comments!
What’s on my nightstand
I read
’s first book, The Happiness Project, during a totally shit time in my career, about 10 years ago. As cheesy as it sounds, that book gave me the kick in the butt to take my happiness into my own hands (so much so that my first tattoo was a line from her book).Fast forward to present day, a few weeks after being inspired to explore my five senses as a means of falling back in love with life, I remembered that Gretchen also wrote Life in Five Senses.
“My senses were precious because of the sheer pleasure they gave me, but even more precious was their power to tie me to the people, places, and ordinary moments that I wanted to experience and remember from the drifting, ephemeral material of life.”
In true Gretchen Rubin fashion, she embarks on a self experiment that involves exploring all five senses—taste, smell, sound, touch, and sight—to reconnect to herself, her loved ones, and humanity.
From visiting the same place every day for a year, to trying out new experiences like sensory deprivation chambers or “dining in the dark,” this quick read provides a great starter list of ideas, prompts, and exercises that inspired me to think about all the ways I could awaken my creative soul.
PS: I created a virtual bookshop to house my favorite books on creativity & personal expansion. When you buy a book through my link or from my page, you not only support indie bookstores, but also me (I get a teeny tiny cut of the proceeds at no additional cost to you)! It’s a win-win-win, imo!
Upcoming events
I’m closing out the summer with a series of community events (both virtual and in-person) that will inspire you to tap back into your creative center:
8/24 (This Saturday) Sensorium: Scent Origami (Los Angeles): A perfume-making daytime soiree featuring a scent swap, aromatic mocktails, and more. Hosted in partnership with KODO: Way of the Fragrance.
8/29 Creative Power Hour (virtual): I’m hosting monthly donation-based versions of my signature co-working sessions with Manifest House, a virtual wellness studio for BIPOC women and femmes. These sessions are perfect for anyone looking for some gentle accountability or time for their creative projects.
9/8 Sensorium x OOO Field Trip: Head in the Clouds (Los Angeles): This special creative field trip with
is all about tapping into your sense of sight through an afternoon of cloudspotting and artmaking.
Burn the Good Candle is a space for us to walk each other home to our creative selves, so I encourage you to share whatever is on your heart and ask for what you need in the comments or via email ❤️
〰️ Book a free coaching chemistry chat and let’s see if we’re a good fit (I’m currently accepting new 1:1 private coaching clients!)