Founder Letter: Being Full of Yourself

Dear Rosies.

I stretch out of the dream state and orient to the day- scan my body from head to toe - let the world in - there is the rain on the roof, the morning birds, the breeze moving through the cabin, my own vague dampness from the humidity and night sweat. I go through the rising rituals (pee, splash my face with the coldest water, scrape my tongue, brush my teeth, put the kettle on to boil, set intentions, etc.) "Today’s going to be smooth sailing," I say to myself, "I’ll get a chapter edited, do an interview, finish the designs on our new altar cards, do a full yoga practice, make a beautiful dinner."

But then I check my device. The incoming messages begin to rearrange my plan for the day. A child needs attention, a colleague has concerns, the government demands compliance, and then there’s the petty drama of daily gossip. Notifications from the bank, the lawyer, all looking for a piece of my peace. The apps chime in: log your food, do your exercise, mind the solar noon. And the news—always the news—a relentless stream of wars, crimes, celebrity antics, and political outrages. The daily fragmentation, the dissipation of attention, has begun. Suddenly the list if twice as long, the day is too sort, and I feel like I'm starting out behind. Over and over again, it takes practice to pull myself back to center, to be whole and focused on what truly matters. 

Can you relate to this pulse between fragmentation and integration?

Fragmentation breaks our experiences, identities, and environments into disparate parts, and can bring a sense of alienation, and inner conflict. We might feel split into parts, instead of a cohesive whole, with a sense being lost, incomplete, or perpetually out of sync with our environment and inner being.

Fragmentation  brings a dissipation of energy, where instead of channeling energy towards a unified purpose, it leaks out in multiple directions, often resulting in fatigue, stress, and a reduced capacity for concentration. It can also feel like a loss of essence- where the core of who you are is obscured amid the multitude of personas and roles you might adopt. When life is fragmented, we might also act unconsciously, or inconsistent with our deepest beliefs or desires.

A lot of the women I talk with also speak to a feeling of giving themselves away. This over-extension can manifest as people-pleasing, overworking, or continuously shifting behaviors and attitudes to suit different groups or situations, leading to a loss of personal boundaries and self-worth. Essentially, you give so much of yourself in parts that there is little left for your own core purpose, including personal growth and self-care.
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Coming back to center and wholeness might start with a pause to remind yourself or reconsider what you are currently aiming to achieve in the broader sense—whether it’s professionally, personally, or relationally. Identifying what is most aligned with your overarching aims can help clarify what you should focus on today. (Personally, I’ve always been a multitasker - and I have learned a lot about sticking to what really matters for my life dharma and purpose. I ask “What is the most important thing I can do today?"  to help focus my energies and prioritize my actions.  Asking this question daily helps me align my actions with spirit and with my larger life vision.)

Often, the most important thing you can do isn't related to productivity but rather to self-care. If you’ve been neglecting your health, perhaps the most crucial task today is to rest, exercise, or prepare a nutritious meal. Or even more simply, recognize when your energy is being drained and turn instead activities that replenish and restore.

I see how hard so many of you work, and how many people’s deep gifts remain unexpressed, left in the shadows of daily fragmentation.

Today I wish you the most integrated, fluid, energetic, and authentic experience possible. 

May you stand in utter peace and power and clarity and do what you need to do today, with a soft heart and an open mind,

All love, 

Christine

XO

Christine Marie Mason

Founder, Rosebud Woman

Host The Rose Woman Podcast on Love and Liberation