Say Yes to Your Vision: Birthing EGO + SIS Session Recap
Updated: Mar 21, 2019
Three years ago, I decided I was going to actively grow myself…intentionally. The words active, grow, and intention seem to all mirror each other in a sense that they work the same proverbial muscles. Each of these words call for movement and practice. They go hand in hand.
Five years in, in a new city (by way of Vancouver) and I still did not feel like I was in full control of my life. And I no longer wanted to feel like moving here was just another excuse to run away from my problems. So, three years ago I said yes to an idea a friend and I co-created. That original idea lasted about a month; my friend moved on to other things and I dreamt up a different path for my idea to take shape. Three years ago, in 2015, I birthed Ebony Girls Obsession.
This journey has very much felt like motherhood. I try and (sometimes) fail everyday, yet I continue to see and reach for the big picture. After every move I remind myself why I do it all: nobody else is going to show up for me better than I show up for myself. This community of women we’re growing here, I prayed for. And as my coach says: I “pray on my feet”. Three years ago, I said yes to my vision and I haven’t stopped praying and walking ever since.
One of EGO’s mandate is to practice self-care in community. We fulfill this every month at our Self-care ‘n Sisterhood (SIS) Sessions. Here, we hold space + each other accountable in our respective healing journey. Over the past few months we’ve explored themes such as: creating a clear vision, working through self-sabotage, finding/re-aligning with your purpose, reclaiming your identity, repainting new stories/perceptions of yourself, navigating female friendships, and practicing emotional intelligence. Each session: we share space, tell our stories, and grow with one another.
A few weeks ago we gathered for Session 7. We were a small but mighty group; this made the evening feel very much like “an intimate dinner with [your] girls”.
On the theme of improving emotional intelligence, our guest speaker: confidence coach Jillisa Brown shared the following three tips:
Don’t take anything personally (source: “The Four Agreements” – Don Miguel Ruiz)
Separating your emotions from situations…for a difference in perspective
Mastering self awareness…understanding who you are can help you understand why certain feelings come up, how to navigate them, and then communicate your needs.
Other tips included: a short pause to engage in intentional breathwork, letting go when necessary, and employing relaxation tools (i.e., jazz music, incense, going for a walk etc), asking yourself certain questions about the underlying need behind certain feelings. To help facilitate what the process of investigating our needs could look like, we engaged in a storytelling exercise, using grok cards.
What’s beautiful about these sessions is that we all come in with our different stories and expertise. No one person is meant to have all the answers. I myself, do not claim to be an expert on any particular theme. What I do offer is the curated space to have intentional conversations about how we can be active in our growth and healing. My goal is that we all leave each session with new resources to grow better.
Here’s to more growth in sisterhood.
Our next session is coming up September 16, and I cannot wait to exchange more stories with new and old sisterfriends. Click here for details + RSVP for Session 8.