Welcome to the TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE PODCAST: SEASON 2! With co-hosts Rachel Bellotti and Jenell Riesner, 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 have met so 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 continue to connect with and 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 with Brooke Conley - Meditation Instructor; Vinyasa, Yin, and Restorative Yoga Teacher; Writer; and Mama. From swimmin’ in the bayous of Louisiana catchin’ baby gaters to guiding the most beautiful healing spaces, we talk about bringing your authentic voice to all that you do, whether you are loud and boisterous, sweet and subtle, or anything in between. 

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

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Yosemite Half Dome Hike
• St. Jude Children’s Hospital 
• Pema Chodron meditation
• Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
• The Clair’s or Intuitive Senses
• Bree Melanson
• Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. To choose a path of growth and learning to hold space for yourself is not all butterflies and unicorns. It is brutal, it is hard, it is laying on your mat sobbing, gut-wrenching, not for the faint of heart. It forces you to look inside - the only place where the answers truly lie. And when you look inside, it forces you to see ALL the dirty, dirty shit too. But when you shine a light there, you can see what is holding you back so that you can start to move through it instead of against it.
2. Identity and labels and what we expect of people is an interesting game. We put people in boxes to make us “feel better”. And sometimes we put people in boxes that we don’t even realize we are putting them into and it is limiting for everyone. When we expect people to NOT be who they are, or we expect people to be lesser versions of who they can be, we aren’t allowing the full expression of life to exist in the world. And we limit our own possibilities in that reality as well.
3. Strength comes in all shapes and sizes. It can look quiet or it can look loud. It can show up solidly or as a sliver of light. It can be present in contrasting experiences and in the flowing experiences. There are infinite expressions of strength, and it’s a muscle you can strengthen by paying attention to it and choosing it. Allow yourself to trust in your unique way of strength.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [1:00] Tongue twisters + hidden talents
• [7:00] Hiking half dome at Yosemite
• [11:00] Introducing Brooke Conley!
• [15:00] When everything changes + you are in the depths of despair
• [20:00] Growth is hard + brutal, learning to hold space for yourself
• [35:00] People wanting you to be OK so they can feel OK vs just being who you are
• [41:00] Discovering your purpose later in life + learning to just LET GO
• [48:00] Finding a partner/job/community/life who allows you to be YOU
• [56:00] Protecting my energy and who I am - from people, places, social media…while also learning how to respect who other people are as well
• [1:10:00] What I am perceiving is not always truth
• [1:16:00] Being sober + not being in “recovery”
• [1:22:30] The CLAIR’S - subtle intuitive senses we are ALL born with + how to strengthen yours
• [1:33:00] Listening to yourself, ignoring yourself, + free will
• [1:36:30] How you live your TRUE NORTH
• [1:36:00] Contact Brooke via brookeconley..com + IG via @brooke__conley or @brookeconleyflow