Getting a Grip, Grist for the Mill, and the Mighty Meek
These days I try to simply love everything that comes my way, whether animate or inanimate, pleasant or painful. I hope you too can learn to absorb life’s ecstasies and distresses into your spiritual practice so they are just more grist for the mill. ~ Ram Dass
Well, 2025 has started off with no shortage of grist. I hope that if you or your loved ones are in the L.A. area, you are doing as well as possible under the sudden and shocking circumstances. Whether or not you were directly affected by the fires, because of the sheer magnitude, we are all going to feel the repercussions of this tragic event in one way or another. (One of my oldest, closest friends lost their home in the Pacific Palisades. If you are looking for a GoFundMe to donate directly to a family, they are a special one of talented artists :).
And with a new administration that thrives on creating drama, adding fuel to an already divided country on political fire, millions will be affected by all the forthcoming changes — positively or negatively, directly or indirectly — in ways we cannot foresee or comprehend.
But, just in time for the Lunar New Year (Gong Xi Fa Zai!), let us be reminded that the Chinese character for “crisis” is made up of the characters for “danger” and “opportunity” or “inflection point.” An oyster can only produce a pearl with the irritating grit of sand; a piece of carbon only becomes a diamond under extreme heat and pressure. And just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.
And as Ram Dass said above, it’s all grist for the mill in our spiritual evolution — as individuals, as a nation and as a species. We are in an accelerated period of growth, spurred on by various and extreme external factors both within and beyond our control.
In many indigenous cultures, fire is a purifying element that allows for the phoenix to then arise from the ashes. Whether in your own life, our government, or in our values as a culture, there is no lack of things that need to be purged and/or purified, however painful a process it might be. An analogy I use with my clients when I suggest the detox of old emotions is that no one likes to feel nauseous or vomit, but you feel so much better after!
I understand it’s easy for me to say all this when I have a place to live and all my possessions, or when I’m not wondering if today is the day I or a loved one will be deported, or let go, or denied medical care. But for those of us who have the luxury of not dealing with an immediate, visceral crisis, we must make the most of who we are and what our unique situation is.
In my talk on January 22 about Navigating the Nebulous New Year, three themes emerged. The first was to “get a grip on your own reality.” It already is nearly impossible to know what is fact, some skewed version of it, pure opinion or outright fake, and it will only become more difficult to discern. So we need to be hyper-focused on what we can control and have some degree of authentic, truthful engagement in our own daily existence, in our sphere of influence, and in the truths or lies we tell ourselves and each other.
We must find ways to maintain our own inner calm, sanity and sense of center despite what is happening around us, and find ways to embrace living in the unknown of such uncharted and turbulent territory.
The second theme was about all this change and upheaval being “grist for the mill” in our personal and collective transformation, as already discussed above.
And the third was how “the meek shall inherit the earth,” meaning it will be all the regular folk without fancy titles, huge bank accounts or far-reaching influencer platforms who will actually be the make-or-break factor in how this all turns out.
Beyond any political, volunteering or other direct actions we can take, or creative ideas we manifest to solve the looming problems of our world, it’s in the smallest details of how you and I show up in every situation — what energy we are carrying, how we are employing the virtues of kindness, care, connection, generosity, peace, integrity and love in all that we do. How we do the work to heal our inner wounds so that they don’t project outward. How we keep our hearts open while protecting our well-being. How we find joy in simple pleasures and in the beauty of nature and music. How we smile at strangers.
WE MATTER. Everyone contributes to the whole, both in the flesh and energetically to the quantum soup we all share. You are that important, so start acting like it! We will form the foundation by which the phoenix will rise from the ashes of the next several years. (And to be clear, it is my belief that we would be in this situation regardless of who is sitting in the Oval Office; it would just look and feel very different. Evolution is happening no matter how you slice it; it’s just where we’re at. You could also argue that the more extreme or weird things get, the faster the evolution, albeit more uncomfortable.)
In times like these, we need to “be where are our feet are at” and deal with all as it arises. (I have gone from taking things one week at a time, to one day at a time, to now 10 minutes but often one minute at a time!) Even so, it may feel like a roller coaster of emotions varying in length of stay; some are just old ones coming up for release in order to create new space for the new. Some will feel good, some not so good, hence the photo grid from my talk as an illustration for moving through it all …
We have always seen and experienced in the past how our biggest challenges, changes and disasters — whether man-made, natural or somewhere in between — can bring out the best in humanity, grow our hearts and expand our capacity for compassion, community and innovation. It is more important than ever to keep our focus and contribution there. Will you join me in doing so?
(Originally published as a PGG newsletter on January 29, 2025.)
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Kristina is more than a career coach. She changed my life. She made me realize how disconnected I was with my inner-self and how that was a root cause of many issues I faced, including my career. I have spoken to a number of professionals and career coaches, but Kristina is the one who truly helped me get unstuck and re-evaluate my values. Her recommendations were vital and enabled me to reorient my life. I am so grateful that I had a chance to work with Kristina — book a session with her to rediscover your life and career! ~ Esther J.
The bottom line is if you are feeling stuck, out of balance and/or looking for a new direction in your career and life and need to discern the next steps, my work as a holistic career coach and personal growth expert can help in many different forms.
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Kristina Leonardi is a nationally recognized career and life coach, speaker and author who for over 17 years has empowered individuals to make lasting professional and personal changes aligned with their true passions and talents while fulfilling their role in the world at large.
With a holistic and personal growth-oriented approach, she has helped hundreds of men and women improve their job performance, enter or re-enter the job force, change careers, better manage their time and stress, and live happier, more meaningful, balanced lives.
Her specialty is working with people who feel stuck or are in transition and can help you clarify exactly what you want to do, identify blocks, issues, and patterns in your way, and offer proven ideas, resources, and action steps to get you there.
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