I’m putting the final touches on our monthly membership page for the mind-body mastermind that is Expansive Capacity. As I’m editing and tweaking — my own focus this weekend has delayed the usual "go live" moment for this and other offerings in the dojo — I’ve realized that what I’m saying to these leaders also applies to everyone who is currently in a membership with us, here.

So, to be sure everyone who calls the dojo their gym, their workout space, their safe place, their home… has this message from us, I’m sending this quick email and then getting back to finalizing the Expansive Capacity page. Thank you for reading.

There’s a lot going on. This is *always* true in some regard, but it’s acutely evident right now and there’s no version of me that can charge right into our next topic (your relationship with your stories) as though it’s happening in the world we lived in even a few days ago.

In many ways, our work here in Expansive Capacity is uniquely aligned with handling exactly this sort of thing. It is *because* we take a deeper look at things that otherwise could easily trip us up as we navigate our storytelling lives that we find ourselves equipped — as much as anyone CAN be equipped — to have the hard conversations right now.

WITHOUT letting those hard convos turn into our own spin-out, more pain than exists in the convos themselves, or new blocks to overcome later.

THAT is huge.

I want to be sure that everyone here knows we — your facilitators — are ready for the hard conversations. We may not get it right, but we will be here for dialogue. There is no one in our world who should ever be made to feel unseen. Please be sure to reach out if you feel there’s a way we could support you better. Again, we may not get it right, but we will commit to try.

Thank you for letting me share that with you.

We’re under curfew here in Santa Monica. The worst of the destruction yesterday took place about 5 blocks away from our home, with the closest vandalism being 3 blocks away. Please know that while we are rattled and using every single tool in our overflowing toolbox for staying grounded right now, we feel physically safe (and are reminding our amygdalas that we ARE safe) and we appreciate the outreach y’all have been doing because of the proximity to danger.

While there is very definitely organized crime going on (that has NOTHING to do with the peaceful protests nearby), we remain connected to *our* mission as lighthouses to *your* storytelling gifts. The strong emotions that are everywhere right now are evidence of the need for a healing (long overdue) and as storytellers, we have sometimes the best shot at getting that message THROUGH when more overt attempts to come together get splintered and co-opted by opportunists and agenda-holding "leaders" out there.

Please continue to focus on the form of leadership that *is* storytelling. Please know that things won’t always feel this raw. Be prepared for things to feel MORE raw, of course. And please reach out if there is anything within our ability to support that we can offer. Again, I’ll never promise we’ll get it right… I’ll only promise we’ll try. And we’re great with referrals when something is outside the scope of our abilities.

Okay. That’s it. I’ve gotta get back at it. I’m being kind with myself for the tardiness of the Expansive Capacity page for the month and I hope you are being kind to yourself for anything that’s taking a backseat right now too. If there’s anything I can role model like a mo’ fo’ about, it’s showing yourself kindness. So please do that. Always but especially now.

On behalf of all of Team Bonnie Gillespie, be safe. We love you.

Enoughness is an inside job… and sometimes you need a guide to find your way there. Let Bonnie Gillespie get you started.