The Fabric of Our Lives
Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives. ~ Brené Brown
kismet (noun): a hypothetical force or personified power that determines the course of future events: fate, destiny
This past month has been chock full of meeting numerous new people and reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances. Whether the meeting was a first or the 50th, lasted five minutes, five hours or five days; whether on the street, in a store, on the phone, during my local office hours, at a small-town talent show or backyard, a boutique or bookshop in East Harlem, a community builder coworking space, salsa dance floor, park bench or the street, old-school Ukrainian restaurant or Italian Bakery, each interaction seemed to be filled with wonder, magic and perfect timing — what the Arabic/Turkish word describes as “kismet.”
In last month’s essay, Life as Art & The Road More Punk, I talked about the musical Redwood and its focus on how important connection is with ourselves, each other and Nature. I also wrote, “As humans, whether conscious of it or not, we are all artists creating the fabric of our lives, and we each have our own tolerance level and courage in putting ourselves out there.”
When we are in the flow of our own unique unfoldment and allow life to “life” us — while also being the co-creators of it — we will evolve and grow in ways that might change how others perceive us. It means being brave enough to continually express your authentic self no matter how that looks or feels, and to expand your horizons in every way, including your social circle, especially IRL.
Back in April, while at Greats of Craft, I ran into my TWM intern, whom I hadn’t seen in 20 years! (See a fun reel of that here.) She told me about a place called Fabrik, and the timing of this was perfect; after being a hermit for nearly a decade, I am ready to once again be a bit more out and about in the world, letting more people experience who I am and what I offer, especially young professionals, to help them have a sense of peace and fulfillment and find their purpose and path in life.
In a world that is profoundly and dynamically transforming by the minute, we need all hands on deck — STAT — to do what we came to do to make sure that transformation is a positive one for humanity.
Besides working out of their very cool space — both aesthetically and literally (i.e., AC and people) — in Tribeca last week, I also attended Fabrik’s Social Connection Summit at their Dumbo location. One of the panelists, Julia Hotz, author of The Connection Cure, talked about the concept of “social prescribing,” which promotes the idea that better health can be achieved through five categories: movement, nature, art, service and belonging. It was so interesting to hear about her experiential research on how this is becoming more accepted by health care systems around the world to combat an epidemic of loneliness and enhance overall mental wellness.
I found it affirming (and also par for the course as I seem to always be about 12 years ahead of the mainstream …) that I had already been “prescribing” such things to my clients since 2007 — I just called it “homework.” If you have ever worked with me, you know what I’m talking about! (The Rx part does however go with the “Strong Medicine” analogy I made in that 2016 essay ;)
It was a wonderful gathering of people who understand the value of and want to proliferate in-person social connection in a variety of ways. It was no accident and was truly a full-circle moment to be there thanks to Pam, a former intern for my nonprofit organization that brought women of diverse backgrounds together IRL via almost 100 events over 10 years (another case where I was ahead of the curve, having founded The Women’s Mosaic in 2001 …).
And this is only one example of numerous recent meaningful “no accident” connections and incidents. What each of them required from me was some combination of an open mind and heart, a willingness to step out of my comfort zone (kind of like breaking the fourth wall), listening to my gut and using some elbow grease to make myself presentable and push myself out the door.
Whether they are meant to be lifelong or for that moment only, the exchanges have been precise and potent because we are meant to share our energy, words, information and hugs with one another. Like a huge human nervous system, it seems like all the similar synapses are starting to find each other to wire and fire together. THERE’S NO AI OR APP FOR THAT.
In this increasingly technological world, with the internet, social media and Zoom already drastically changing what it means to communicate and connect — with all their pros and cons — we don’t yet know what the addition of AI will mean. I hope as a society we can maintain an influence over how we interact with AI and use it only as yet another tool, and not let it use us, or worse, consume our inner authority and inherent abilities. It’s a slippery slope. And we must maintain our internal independence if we are to have a nation that is truly free. (Happy Fourth of July!)
Meaning, my main concern is that the most essential connection to be lost is the one we have with ourselves, our own divinity, agency and influence; all that makes us conscious, sentient human beings. But if we don’t know how to express our full humanity or understand our place in the Cosmos, then we won’t know what it is we are giving up. That is one of the reasons I am offering my new six-month course, How to Live a Spiritual Life.
For a while now, I have observed that more and more people are ready, open to and looking for this kind of insight and direction/context/framework for creating a life that feels good, reflects their values and brings a sense of contentment and connection to the why of their existence. The topic is a very personal one that I claim no authority over other than for myself, but I do feel it’s the missing piece that many folks who are stuck have often not identified. Or perhaps they have and are not sure what to do or where to go, so I am happy to share what I know, understand and have practiced, embody and continue to develop, evolve and grow as a work in progress on a daily basis for over three decades.
Back to that summit. All the panelists talked about how one of the best ways for people to create social connection is through shared activities and interests. So what better way to come together than with a group of curious souls who want to create some focus and structure around spirituality and explore aspects of themselves more in that way? If that sounds like you, then this is your chance! Click here, watch this video or scroll down for more info and join the free intro class on July 9 to learn more and ask questions and get an idea of my vibe and intention.
And if you are looking for one-on-one support, I have nearly 18 years and hundreds of client hours of professional career and life coaching and now six months of readings behind me. Whether you choose coaching or a reading, you get “more bang for your buck,” as having both intuitive abilities and coaching skills are what set me apart from many other practitioners out there.
In other words, I skew woo, but with a practical, down-to-earth style, expertise and perspective.
(Originally published via my PGG Newsletter June 30, 2025)
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Connect with a group of like-minded folks focusing on spirituality here beginning July 16, free intro class July 9.
Looking for a great 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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