Real Vibes Only

On Valentine's Day, it feels fitting to talk about love. But let's expand the definition to include revolutionary love. Love that defies violence and control and oppression. Love that is not submissive but kryptonite to hate. Love that includes love towards self and others. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the concept of revolutionary love (a concept created by Valerie Kaur) and how it is the antidote to the world we are all navigating.

As children, many of us learned that it was unsafe to talk to strangers. But was this fear-based conditioning reality? Statistically speaking, most children experience harm at the hands of people they know. So how do we break this conditioning? We begin by acknowledging we are more alike than we are different and strangers are just friends we haven't met yet. Join Lynn and Karen as they share how talking to strangers has enriched their lives and helped to create connections in their community.

It can be incredibly hard to find moments of joy when the world can seem so heavy and dark. It can also feel "wrong" to be joyful. But here's the deal. It is never all dark or all light. Even funerals will have moments of laughter. Sparks of joy can happen when we allow ourselves to be present to what is happening around us. Join Karen and Lynn as they share their own recent sparks of joy and how we can allow for joy in our lives.

This has been a full, hard week. In fact it feels like the 76th week of January with all that has transpired this week. Couple the national news, with anything hard happening in community, and then add in any hard personal pieces and the layers are overwhelming. We feel you friends and you are not alone. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through how long their week has been and how connection is a way to lighten our loads.

Being a human can be hard. Especially when we realize that we have made a bad choice ... or said something hurtful ... or missed an opportunity. As humans, we all have moments of regret or wishing we could ask for a "do over." Embracing our full humanness means recognizing that we too are imperfect. Join Lynn & Karen as they talk through accepting our humanness and recognizing that we can make repair ... both to others and ourselves.

Did you know there was such a thing as "Quitter's Day?" It was created in direct response to the many New Year's Resolutions people set and the amount of time that passes before people fall back into old patterns. As they used to say on the TV sitcom Full House, "How rude!" If you feel the shame and guilt that comes with the judgment and ridicule of New Year's Resolution, hold tight. Karen and Lynn reframe our journey of change with self-compassion, practice and much more "being" than "doing."

In our day to day life, we are often met with responses to "see the bright side" or "be more optimistic" or "you need to get over it" when navigating challenging times in life. This toxic positive messaging seems to get amplified even more during the holidays when happiness or merriment is the only acceptable way to be. Enter Real Vibes Only. Our lives are complex and are composed of layers of impact. We hold emotion for our individual lives, as well as our families and friends, our communities, our country, our world. To say that it all needs to be positive is to avoid the realness of being human. Join Karen and Lynn as they unwrap the gifts of the season and honor all of the emotions and experiences we carry into the holidays.

It can be challenging to offer support to someone who is struggling or in deep pain. Many times our first response is to offer advice to help shift the person away from their pain. We do this, not necessarily for the other person, but as a way to alleviate our discomfort from the pain they are expressing. But offering advice, rather than being present with the person, oftentimes misses the mark for both people. Join Karen and Lynn as they talk through the pitfalls of offering advice and how both people can enhance their connection.

As our November 5 election approaches, more and more people are feeling the stress and anxiety of the current state of our country and the possibilities that lie ahead with the outcome of the election. Politics and

Virtual - Wednesday, 10/16 from 11-1pm on Zoom

Zoom link:  https://us06web.zoom.us/j/96147135643?pwd=REk4NjA2M01yS1lLVTloVXBXMkd1Zz09

In Person - Tuesday, 10/29 from 4-7pm in our new space:  113 W Harris St, Appleton, WI