The head, heart and body connection, do we really know it? 

In this episode we explore the body from its physical image to how we can use it to ground ourselves. Get out of that heady space we often find ourselves in, when over analysing or thinking too much, rather than operating on instinct. How do we use body language as cues to relate to one another as the social creatures we are? Why do we disassociate from a present moment in order to numb ourselves instead? Can our feelings become too much and why are we scared of being emotional (the horror! ;)? 

Given where we are in society today, inundated with constant new inputs, maybe it’s a natural consequence that we lose touch - with one another, but very significantly with ourselves. We discuss how we ignore what our body tells us - a ‘yes’, a ‘no’, a need, a boundary - and dive into how we can “turn the lights back on” and feel the interconnection between the mind, body and emotions, to become better at listening to our selves.  

We unravel personal stories on body image, showing up alone to a party, following that gut feeling - and how we deal with the (irrational) inner dialogue that follows, in raw vulnerable moments. Including quotes like: “I rationalize myself out of my feelings…what a waste of intelligence.” / “you know.. I was just pretending to NOT be there alone.” / “Hey friend, what’s your programming?” / “I’m trying to be less perfect, cuz you know I’m perfect, as I am.” / “Full expression of sexy!” / “Just rollin’ with the fat.” / “Decorated boobies.. glitter cleavage!”

Coddiwomple (v.) / (kod’a wom pal) / To travel purposefully toward an as-yet-unknown destination.

This episode blew our mind to bits. Kind of like that emoji, where your head pops off? 

The heart of the episode is about the path of a creative, road less taken. The fact is we are all creative, every single one of us. The scientist, the business person, the painter, the social scientist - when we are thinking about a problem, reframing this problem, it involves creativity, that what “innovation” in essence is about. When we think of a solution, it involves putting together some frames in a new way. Creativity affords us that license of freedom, but before creativity can really flow, we have to examine all the doubts the fears, all that blocks us from within.

When starting Variety Pack, we didn’t really know where this journey was going to lead us, we still don’t. This episode is a microcosm of that macro. We start this episode talking about perspective and reference points, how it matters but yet how sometimes it’s just difficult to find the horizon when the seas are stormy within.

This episode is about being, how to find stillness in those waters, and it doesn’t come from suppression, it comes from close self-examination.

A lot of what we discuss in this episode from May 2018, we are still working on, but now we are just a little bit quicker, little bit more knowledgeable, have a few more tools from previous experiences to move through some of the same issues quicker iteratively; like a spiral, we get closer to ourselves.

We talk about all things sex and the ‘pussy daze’ or ‘hungry pussy’ syndrome of an ovulating woman. We try to unbox sex from the penetration act alone, from the techniques, sizes and shapes and take it out into an open space, where we can let it all hang, dry. We discuss the physical, emotional and mental connections that can provide the constraints in order to create a free and safe vulnerable space. That space where there is no judgement for some time. 

Listen in as Mette talks about how she remains free from the neck down, but frozen in her head unable to express herself, while Tina realises more than anything out of all her sexual adventures, the need for close intimacy and touch. This rhythm of this episode follows that of lovemaking between lovers and whirls with its in own sexual energy and power; you’ll laugh for sure, be moved and touched, and maybe even cry.  

We cover the spankbank, pornspirations and the 2am phenomena of picking up other singledoms. We talk about sex as an adventure, one that ought to be explored with curiosity every single time you take up that journey even with the same partner where you are conscious of your insecurities, and in order to overcome them, aware of the journey in that. 

Here are some highlights from this playful episode in terms of quotes / 1 liners:

1.“How you have sex is how you live your life”

2.“Sex is awkward, I mean you put your body parts in each other.”

3.“Sex can always be whirling in the background.”

4.“I didn’t even know his name.”

5.“Sexuality is fluid, far past genitalia”

6.“You don’t need to fuck to cuddle.”

7.“I’m trading Sex for cuddling”

8.“Reverse engineer emotional connections through touch”

9.“I’m a Hugger.”

10.“Cum and Done. Why are we talking about the end or finishing while we’re still in the act?”

11.“Penis Pussy Pairing or Potential Penis Possibilities.”

12.“Don’t Panic you’re just ovulating.”

13.“Pussy Feeding”

14.“KPIs in bed / strategy road maps for sex.”

15.“Transcribing my self talk. Judgement, Judgement, Judgement.

For this year’s first release, we talk about something that lies embedded deep within all of us. In Episode 5 we talk about, * drum roll please * Guilt. You know that weight on your shoulders, called guilt. The guilt of privilege, of taking moments of self care, taking up space in our own lives. Often, we feel guilt for just simply being. Listen as we parse through and deconstruct the web of guilt that limits us, seeps into our decision making process including FOMO (Fear of missing out), that ultimately entraps us from being free. From ghosting, to social media addictions, these are just some of the areas we cover in this episode. More intimately, Tina talks about her guilt of migrational privilege while Mette discusses her own guilt of being addicted to instagram.

In todays episode we dive into that little critical voice in our heads. How does our inner critic look and what does it do to us? We talk about engaging with that inner critical voice, what numbing it does to Tina and how Mette solves everything with post-its, a method Tina has recently adopted. Do we set too high expectations for our selves (probably)? Does the inner critic keep us from doing cool shit due to the fear of failing at life? Or can we turn it from foe to friend. We dive into how our judgement of others may be part of that emotional dataset, telling us what we are uncomfortable with or feeling shame around.

You've got one, we've got one, we all have that lovely little baggage we carry around, you know - the emotional baggage. We call it The Emotional Trash Bag. Why? Because we're working on taking the trash out, one emotional trigger, one trauma at a time. In this weeks episode we explore jealousy that came up between us - yup jealousy happens, all the time, so let's talk about it. Left unexplored it can lead to passive agreesiveness, broken relations and projections - and with the two of us it led to competing over tinder dates among other silly stuff. 

We also talk about the discourse around positive vs. negative emotions. How "negative" emotions can be information about unfulfilled needs and places we need to make a change. Join us as we deconstruct what happened between us, and how we moved through that, all while talking about fuckability. You read that right.

We talk about how our moods are affected by our hormonal cycles. Is PMS just lowering our threshhold for bullshit? Period sex - what happens when a guy goes down on you? Can you feed your plants with period blood? We also dive into how we overthink group dynamics, protect our true selves by only asking questions and societal constructs of masculine and feminine. 

NOTE: We had trouble with the microphones so the sound is a bit messy on one track.

We are the Variety Pack and very pleased to make your acquaintance. Meet Mette a Dane returning to her native land of Denmark after spending 3 years abroad in Vancouver, Canada AND Tina a native New Yorker who has recently embarked on her Danish (no, not the pastry!) adventure in Copenhagen, which is where these two little ladies have collided. After many a night of having conversations over whiskey about authenticity, realness, vulnerability and labels or boxes of society Mette and Tina decided to broadcast their most "intimate" moments. Welcome!