In September 2025 at Cloud & Leaf in Manzanita, we formed a circle. Women arrived ready for the Choose Courage workshop: ready to listen, to speak, to learn from Courageous Being, from one another, and, most importantly from themselves.
Before they entered, the room was waiting, carefully arranged by our gracious host Holly. Each chair held a golden pouch, Courage Cards resting in quiet expectation.
When the circle filled, themes emerged: pain, purpose, transition, illness, grief, confusion, work pressures. We spoke of the power of ritual, and as the cards moved through our hands, those heavy energies began to shift.
Difficulty revealed resilience. Confusion gave way to clarity. The knots of workplace stress loosened into threads of creativity and new forms of leadership.
We agreed that health is wealth, that we are willing to blaze the trail, and that we must listen for a full body yes when making decisions.
We named strengths. We listened to the heartbeat of different situations. We faced resistance. We considered loving actions. The rhythm of sharing turned tender, then raw, then light.
What struck me most was the trust. Women leaned into vulnerability, carried by curiosity and mutual kindness as if they have known each other for eons.
I am grateful to Holly Lorincz for welcoming me into her community with such care and holding the space so we can tune out the noise and realize that none of us does any of this healing work alone.
