Welcome to THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE℠ PODCAST: SEASON 3! With co-hosts Rachel Bellotti (she/her) and Jenell Riesner (she/her), this is a gathering of un-sugar-coated conversations celebrating the untold stories of everyday people fearlessly finding and living their true north. 

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

Today, we talk to Emily Ortiz (she/her), the calmest soul you will ever meet with the voice of a grounded, wise angel (seriously!). She’s a yoga + meditation teacher, the Studio Manager of Breathe - Meditation and Wellness, and she’s going through the steps of becoming a Midwife, currently in Doula + Placenta Encapsulation Training, to help womxn holistically move through maternity, birth, and postpartum healing. We chat ultra-independence, sharing your weird secrets, learning to receive love + not just give, finding your soul friends, coming from a place of worthiness, knowing + saying what you want, monogamy + being single, choosing yourself, changing up your typical patterns, finding your equal, being self-fulfilled AND still wanting companionship, and embracing wild transformation.

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• #amplifymelanatedvoices @sexuallyliberatedwoman
• #amplifymelanatedvoices @kierandthem
• #amplifymelanatedvoices 
• #amplifymarginalizedvoices @glitz_inc
• Valkyrie Tattoo Gallery
• Urban Hippie Yoga
• Chelsey Charbeneu’s meditation teacher training
• Expanded podcast
• Breathe at home (use RACHEL5 for $5 off your first month!)
• Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. Whatever it is that you are going through that you think is “too weird” to talk about, this is your invitation to share it right now with at least one person in your life that you trust. And then when your ready, share it with more than one person. Because most likely the thing you think that only you are wrestling with is what a lot of other people are also wrestling with in silence, too! And if we can all courageously get vulnerable and share what’s going on, we can shed light on the normal humxn shit that we are all dealing with that we all keep hidden that we don’t realize is the stuff that actually connects us and is simply humxn and not some personal flaw. Sharing what’s real connects us in deeper ways and allows us to feel less alone and gives the collective permission to be more real , more true, and less curated, hidden, and isolated.
2. Find spaces + people where you feel safe to practice being the person you want to be + then as it becomes comfortable, allow your new normal to expand into new areas of your life that previously felt difficult. Laying a foundation of finding friends who genuinely love + care about you + are on that same path of seeking or soul searching is a great first step to figuring out who you are + what you want. Consistent baby steps over time are what truly create sustainable change. 
3. Whatever you are used to doing, maybe try something totally different + see what happens. What are you avoiding in doing what you have always done? What do you have to lose by doing something different? What do you have to gain? Give yourself the chance to gain a new perspective + grow confidence + trust in yourself within this new experience or way of doing life.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [1:10] Prematurely greying hair
• [3:35] New tattoos + potential piercings
• [6:58] AD: If you love listening to us each week, we would love it if you’d share us with a friend that you think might also love the content! Or leave us a review on iTunes, Apple Music or wherever you listen to us + help us grow this podcast + expand our reach!
• [8:00] Welcome, Emily!
• [12:49] Placenta encapsulation 
• [14:30] Memories of sex ed + opening up about the realities of female parts + female sexuality + all female shit
• [19:30] How to be yourself in your intimate relationships?
• [21:34] Ultra-independence as a trauma response
• [25:00] Receiving + accepting love
• [31:00] The rising tide floats all boats - finding your soul friends
• [36:00] What were your examples of healthy relationships growing up?
• [38:00] Creating a line of “this is what I need + this is what I want”
• [42:09] AD: Did you know that we’re on YOUTUBE now?! With a year full of zooming, we thought it would be fun to show you our fun faces as we record. So, if you are more of a visual content lover, make sure to check us out on YOUTUBE. Enjoy!
• [46:00] Self-worth 
• [49:00] Evolving in partnerships
• [56:00] Being single for long periods of time
• [1:00:00] Do the thing you don’t typically do
• [1:03:30] Finding your equal
• [1:07:00] The 3 questions Jenell always asks a new person she’s dating
• [1:08:20] Why be in a relationship with someone else if you are self-fulfilled?
• [1:13:50] Giving vs sharing
• [1:16:30] How do you live your TRUE NORTH?
• [1:18:20] Reach out to Emily via IG @emilykayortiz or listen to her meditations here