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 Arleen Milian, a Vision Life Strategist, proud mother, Cuban refugee, and successful businesswoman. We cover a lot of ground on this episode - from being the parent you think you should be to the parent you actually ARE, to vaginal atrophy, to gentrification, to recovering from addiction, to using authenticity as a crutch, and all the dots in between. A beautiful story is woven that is real, honest, and embracing all of life’s blunders and stumbles, ultimately inviting each of us to recognize that our trauma doesn’t have to define us and that pain can actually have a purpose. Buckle up, it’s a really good one!

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

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Chelsey Handler documentary White Privilege
• Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
• Fleabag
• Marco Polo app
• Future Self Journaling
• A Refugees Heart documentary
• Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. Your stumbles and your mess and your zigs and your zags might seem random and confusing, and they are still getting you where you are going - trust them.
2. We think that we want the mom, dad, a family that WE want and not the ones we get. And actually who we get is a part of OUR journey. The older we get and the more our journey unfolds, we might be surprised by what we can learn about ourselves from the childhood that we ACTUALLY got, from practicing ACCEPTANCE of who we are and where we came from, from learning to CHOOSE which narratives we want to continue to live into (trauma or otherwise) and which we are ready to re-write. Maybe invite a sense of curiosity, and see what you can uncover about the family that you ACTUALLY got and the person that you ACTUALLY choose to be today as a result. 
3. Being able to learn to admit who you are - recovered traumas, strengths, perceived flaws, boring parts, magical parts - to yourself is the most freeing experience in the world. It opens you up to truly living and connecting with others through your honest and vulnerable story and allows others to do the same.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [4:00] living in diverse neighborhoods + gentrification
• [7:00] Chelsey Handler White Privilege
• [14:00] Hair confessions
• [22:22] Introducing Arleen!
• [26:30] What is a vision life strategist? 
• [36:00] Using authenticity as an excuse to do crazy shit
• [42:00] Having Cher as my mom…
• [49:00] My kids are MY teachers! 
• [53:00] What the heck is vaginal atrophy?!
• [59:00] Importance of laughter
• [1:04:00] Normalizing menopause 
• [1:10:00] Addiction, euphoria, avoiding emotions, + cravings
• [1:18:00] Holding space for self + others
• [1:24:00] Boundaries + victimization
• [1:30:00] Feminine + masculine narratives we learn as kids
• [1:35:00] Creating a documentary about being a Cuban refugee + realizing that your story matters
• [1:44:00] Mental illness + trauma doesn’t have to define you
• [1:49:00] Saying yes vs protecting yourself
• [1:52:00] Being on a spiritual path
• [1:56:00] Living your TRUE NORTH 
• *Contact Arlene via email arleen@arleenmilian.com or DM IG @arleenmilian