Spooky Vibes, Spidey Senses & Superstorms
In my 2014 essay called Election, I write how Marianne Williamson, after running for Congress that year, said in an interview with Oprah that the higher purpose of democracy is that “people are guaranteed the opportunity to self-actualize.”
However much or little you are engaged with the process or invested in the outcome of either side this year, I think it’s just as important, if not more, to focus and work on becoming the leader and authority of your own life and developing into the best version of yourself.
Beyond your civic duty, be the change you wish to see, which includes expressing and sharing your unique combination of gifts, talents, abilities and passion. This is how you can contribute in a positive way to the whole, no matter what form those gifts and talents may take or how big or small you perceive them to be, or who sits in the Oval Office.
Because it’s “We the People” who make up this country in order to form a more perfect union. Therefore, that union is only as good as the people in it.
And as I write in another essay Wherever You Go, There You Are, “like the end of a scary movie, it comes down to you and only you to fight for your life. There is no magic formula or genie in a bottle, no Calgon or knight in shining armor to take you away. Taking responsibility for your life centers you in who you are and what you want — fantasy and illusion, or simply ignoring things, move you further away. It’s up to you to create your own happiness and what you want in your life, and to ask for help along the way.”
So no matter what the outcome of our upcoming election, remember that we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.
Because as we can see from the most recent literal and figurative superstorms and humanitarian crises in our country and beyond — regardless if they were natural or human-caused via an agitated Gaia, government official or army general — when it comes down to it, all power and politics are local. At the heart, it’s neighbors helping neighbors (even if they come from outside the neighborhood).
We each have our own sphere of influence and can do our part in strengthening our communities and various associations to form a stronger human network that can weather (pun intended) anything that is thrown at us from the external. We can create a tsunami of love.
The way to work on that is to be as conscious and aware of yourself and your inherent humanity as possible, and be connected to yourself internally on all levels. This sounds obvious, but with all the myriad distractions and technology we are immersed in, the lines can become very blurry and it’s easy to “check out” without even realizing it.
When you commit to this kind of personal growth, you build inner “muscles” and intuition, developing your spidey senses to detect anything that is not real or truthful — whether it’s an AI chatbot, deepfake image/video/voice, or outright lies or propaganda from social or mainstream media, or perhaps the people around you. Forget about Halloween, our everyday life has plenty of spooky fun-house vibes to navigate!
Halloween is also the time of year when many cultures and various traditions believe that the “veil” between the worlds is very thin, meaning we have more direct access to our loved ones and departed beings who are on the other side. (Coco anyone?) So if you adhere to that notion, you can have some nice connections and ask for help confronting your challenges (again where the spidey senses come in;) and keeping any real or imagined boogeymen away.
But whether or not you believe in life beyond the grave, this is the time of year that represents death and dying. Like the leaves on the trees or with people, relationships, jobs, institutions, habits, etc., life is a multitude of cycles, and transformation requires that we symbolically die and are reborn many times throughout our journey until our ultimate end. And death itself is one of the best motivating factors when you start to view your life from that perspective, as I always state at the beginning of my popular talk called “Who Are You & What Are You Supposed to Be Doing with Your Life?” (which you can watch in full on YouTube with other talks here, or just this clip).
So if you need one-on-one help figuring out what your current purpose might be, want to face your fears, find meaning and fulfillment at this juncture, or if you are feeling stuck, out of balance and/or looking for a new direction and need to discern the next steps in your career and life, my work as a holistic career coach and personal growth expert can help.
It’s always been easier for my clients to describe what I do, and this review, which you can find along with others on my LinkedIn profile, seems to capture it well:
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.
I also offer a little inspiration and positive vibes throughout the week, so be sure to follow me on social media. You can watch many video clips and talks on my YouTube channel and Instagram. (Follow my IG stories for what I’m sharing and experiencing on a regular basis and be sure to subscribe, like and follow ‘cuz #algorithms)
And if you or someone you know is in the NYC area, I offer a cool opportunity to meet folks IRL on a weekly basis. See below for my collaboration with The Greats of Craft and come on down!
(Originally published as a PGG newsletter on October 25, 2024.)
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Looking for one-on-one help? I can identify your patterns and provide unique perspectives to find your current “why,” so you can live with more purpose, joy and peace. Book a coaching session with me via my website, with current options.
Need a tool to create a positive mindset through any challenges at work or in life? It was so thrilling to find out how a client uses my book Say It To Make It: Affirmations to Empower Your Heart, Mind, Spirit and Soul. He let me video him talking about it, which you can watch here, and you can purchase your copy here :)
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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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Read more about me and my work in these past PGG’s:
15 Candles |All Roads, Same Place | And Now, A Word from Our Sponsor | Strong Medicine | 10,000 Hours | A Decade of Doing What I Do | Express Yourself