Connection Is The Medicine

I am convinced that one of the things missing from the health and wellness conversation is our connection to ourselves. It is so easy to dismiss, to downplay or to override this simple yet critical practice. It’s so easy to run our lives on autopilot and to fill our days with more ‘measurable’ things. It is so easy to falsely assume connection or to connect on a superficial level because life is busy and we are always being pulled in lots of different directions.But when we commit to connecting to the way that our lives feel...something shifts, something grows, something within us begins to speak a little louder.One of the things that makes this invitation so difficult is that we cannot outsource it. It is an inside job. And it isn't always warm and fuzzy. Sometimes, slowing down means sitting with things we'd rather avoid. Listening inward might ask us to question things we've always believed, acknowledge what no longer feels right, or recognize just how disconnected we've become. This is not a a small ask or task.It requires us to slow down. To get curious. To sit with ourselves without immediately reaching for a distraction, an answer, or something to fix.The reason that I know how important this is, is because this connection that I am talking about was missing from my life for many years. I had everything I had ever dreamed of, a job that inspired me, a supportive partner, two healthy children, a home, financial security, a loving family and wonderful friends. By all outward appearances, I had it all and yet, somewhere beneath the surface, I felt that something was missing.I was so busy living my life, being who I thought I needed to be, and doing all the things that I believed made for a good life, that I hadn't stopped to ask myself how that life actually felt. I had become much more practiced at looking outward than listening inward. I knew how to show up, get things done, and keep moving. But there is a difference between building a life that looks good and feeling deeply connected to the life you are living.It was a quiet but profound turning point, one that would change the way I understood myself, my relationships, and my wellbeing.And that has been the impetus behind Cedar and Sage -  to bring us together, to slow down, to listen within, to practice connecting to the feeling of our lives, to share that feeling with one another, to be more intentional, to find our way back home, to be curious, to ask better questions, to be vulnerable, to know that this is not an easy task, that this is not always a warm and fuzzy practice, that you are not alone, that these are the conversations that we need to be having, that this has the potential to change the trajectory of our lives, and that this is at the core of our well-being.In a world full of distractions, noise, and endless invitations to look outside ourselves for answers, perhaps one of the most meaningful things we can do is turn inward.To pay attention. To listen. To reconnect.That is my why.To connect in a way that feels true.To connect in a way that feels aligned.To feel connected to others who are on this journey of connecting more deeply within.Thank you for being here.Let’s connect. 

During the pandemic, when the world felt uncertain and overwhelming, I had this vision of creating seasonal wellness care packages all in the name of helping gently guide people back to themselves. Each box would act as a ritual of reconnection, inviting presence through simple, intentional daily practices.  These small simple rituals when done with intention help us feel anchored in our body, reconnecting us with peace, presence, and the rhythms of nature. And then the world opened back up and life pulled me in a different direction for a while but now I am coming back to this vision that I had.  I believe deeply in the healing power of pause and that small intentional acts of presence and connection can change the feeling of our lives.  What if we connected to our heart, as we sipped our morning or evening cup of tea? What if we, as we washed our hands, we asked ourselves 'how are you?  What if we connected to our breath, as we lit a candle on our bedside table? What if each morning we dabbed on an essential oil blend that was called 'Awaken' or 'Love' or 'Peace'?  How would these small changes impact our health and well-being The truth is, how we spend our days, is how we spend our lives. If we want to change the way we feel, we need to change the way we act.  You do not need a big massive overhaul of your life, you just need small intentional micro-moments of love, kindness and connection.  Let's turn simple everyday practices into rituals. 

I wanted to bring people together to share stories, struggles, to pause, to reflect, to connect and to practice opening ourselves to new people. While the specifics of our stories, stresses, and struggles are always different there seem to be a lot of overarching and unifying themes. When we get overwhelmed, the majority of us tend to withdraw rather than lean in. Over time, that pattern of withdrawing can negatively impact our health and well-being.