Hello beautiful people. It’s time to dive in on our August Expansive Capacity exploration! HOW IS IT AUGUST 2024 ALREADY?!?
ADMIN NOTE: Please scroll to the bottom of this page for information about our live interactive mastermind meeting via Zoom. Once the meeting has taken place, its recording will live down there for you to review as well.
No, really.
HOW IS IT AUGUST 2024 ALREADY?!?
And yet, here we are. Oofta!
(For those of you who join me each month for Live Your Chart, you know I’ve been saying for a while now that once a few of our current transits got going, things were gonna speed way up. Welp… here we GO! The FINISH HIM transit is looking yummier than ever. Ka!Ma!La! Ka!Ma!La! Ka!Ma!La! Ka!Ma!La!)
So, last month, we dug in on CHOOSING THE RIGHT TOOL, and that provided us with 5 steps for our 5 categories of tools. (We also solved tackled understanding the multifaceted, generationally entrenched, well-practiced, extraordinarily well-financed stronghold of dominant culture and all the privilege that it creates around a type of person who seems certain no one else should ever be granted access to those privileges. Bottom line: When it feels exhausting to live your life, know that’s a reality of NOT having access to privilege while being measured on a scale that rewards the most privileged [those same folks who created the scale, the system, and the definitions to this whole worldview]. You’re not failing; you’re not less-than; you’re simply living in a system designed to make everything harder for you. ALL THE MORE REASON to provide yourself with lots of love, lots of treats, and lots of rest. Use these Expansive Capacity Tools to help you with that.)
Apparently I have lots of words for inside the parentheses. There’s something deep about that, methinks.
Okay!
As you well know — we have 5 categories of tools in our Expansive Capacity Toolbox:
~ tools we use with others
~ big-picture tools
~ quick-fix tools
~ mantras
~ reminders
And we now have 5 steps for Choosing the Right Tool:
~ notice it’s time for a tool
~ pick one of the 5 above categories
~ look for a reduction in Energetic Load
~ expect the need for recalibration (even with your favorite/never-fail tools)
~ log what you learned/journal about the process
Head back to last month’s page to revisit any of these steps in more detail. And with that, it’s time to head into…
The Tools
Click to enlarge. Keep playing with the ones you’ve seen before. Start experimenting with the ones that may be new (or dusty) to you. Ask for clarification in the comments below, should any of these feel wonky. That’s why we’re here! To work it all out!! Cha-cha-cha!
New slides for August:
And, here are the ones you’ve seen before, grouped by CATEGORY. (Oh, also, if you feel anything in the Expansive Capacity Toolbox would be better-categorized in a way other than what I’ve chosen, please do let me know! Sometimes, I’ve had to toss a coin to decide. š THANKS, LIBRA STELLIUM!)
Looking forward to our time together in our (earlier-in-the-month-than-usual) Zoom! Let’s celebrate what’s working, work through what’s not, and of course practice our loving support of one another’s needs in this phenomenal community. Keith and I were talking about how yummy this group is, as we walked Mala Beads just now. I hope you’re aware of just how special and amazing YOU ARE. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your enoughness workout!
So so so much love flowing your way,
Aligned Hustle Calendar
Yay! August is actually SLOW when compared to July’s BANG! POW! WHAM! of a month. It’s a 7 month, numerologically, so it’s more quiet and internal. A LOT of what’s up there in the sky is performing their retrograde illusion all at once, so that’s more internal processing of what each planet rules in our lives.
Finally, we have a restored natural rhythm of our lunar cycles. (Each season’s Full Moon has been coming BEFORE its New Moon for more than a year now and it’s been wacky, energetically.) That 2nd Full Moon in Capricorn we just had has provided us with a reset that should feel more natural when it comes to our emotions, how we get our needs met, and what makes us feel safe.
Yeah. I feel that.
This month’s Expansive Capacity meeting is happening at this Zoom link at 11:30am PDT on Thursday, August 15th (translate that to your time zone here).
You are welcome to go on camera for this mastermind session, or simply unmute yourself to participate live audio-only. Yes, we will be recording the meeting and putting its replay up here for you to consume within 24 hours of the meeting. Hooray!
If it’s possible that you’ve never Zoomed before, for sure we recommend you get all set up *before* our meeting. Zoom is free, and there’s info on how to get going here.
Here is the replay of our August 15th deep dive. Enjoy!
Your lovely li’l chat is here. Yay!
Another fabulous convo with some specific workouts using assorted EC tools and the support of welcoming souls who know the importance of this work. I just love y’all so damn much!
Takeaways, Homework, Things to Consider:
~ Everything you’re feeling is correct. In fact, that is probably another tool for our collection. Allow the feelings without judgment. Discontinue dispassionate labeling if it cannot be done without judgment in the moment! (Judgment is what makes it no longer dispassionate.)
~ Give yourself a ton of credit for recognizing you’re in need of a tool! Bonus points for being able to use the right one right then. Seriously, lavish praise upon yourself for being on your own damn side. It’s such a big deal when we’re being lured back to survival brain’s ways because we feel unsafe!
~ See boundaries as chicken wire around a garden, not the Berlin Wall. Flexible, porous, essential to keep out serious critters while allowing in the nourishment we need the garden to have!
~ Circles of Safety is not just about people. It’s about situations. Topics. Moods. Planetary transits. Without becoming hypervigilant about checking your position among your Circles of Safety, assess often enough to notice when a convo with people who are in one circle actually shifts your overall presence to a different circle.
~ Doing Nothing is also a tool. I’ll put that on a future slide! It’s so small and subtle (and hustle culture tells us it’s called laziness) but it’s actually one of the more powerful tools we have available sometimes.
~ Being vulnerable has its own Energetic Load. Be sure you replenish yourself with lots of love when you’ve shared openly, freely, deeply. Vulnerability hangovers are real.
~ Thinking, Fast and Slow is the book I was telling y’all about. There are legit a bajilliondy cool images, infographics, slides, and graphic notes from lectures out there in a quick search using Google Images. We’ll spend some time next month talking about System 1 vs. System 2. I think there’s some good stuff there! (Sorry ’bout the math problem. š I know; it was stressful.)
Your Aligned Hustle Calendar for September 2024 will be on the WELCOME page sometime next week (our EC Zoom was early this month, after all). If you want to join me for my livestream about the FINISH HIM transit, meet me at 11am PDT Friday the 16th at this link (and that’s where the replay will live too). My blog post about the FINISH HIM transit is here. Such a great time to have so many tools!
So so so much love flowing your way!
Not directly an Expansive Capacity question, but a nuts and bolts question Iād rather ask in this trusted space: I auditioned for a game that is recording remotely and, in light of the strike, is likely flipping from non-union to SAG Tiered Budget (not a struck title). Is there such a thing as purchasing a one-off work permit with SAG if I am cast?
I know you can purchase a permit for up to 3 gigs with ACTRA before becoming a “must-join”. I also know ACTRA has a reciprocal agreement where members are automatically eligible for SAG-AFTRA membership after one year. Buuuut, Iām not actually ACTRA yet. Only Equity. Going that route would cost way more than the gig itself, so Iām looking at all the pathways available.
Maybe Iām getting ahead of myself, but best to know my options for Next-Tier-Stephanie regardless. If not this gig, it’ll happen on another one day, and I don’t want to be a deer in the headlights when that day comes. The website is pretty convoluted, so I’m hoping y’all can set this Canadian straight. š Thanks!!
Ooh… congrats and fun puzzle! Lemme nudge Keith to come over here and share what he may know from the latest in delegate-land convos.
Thanks, Bon!
SAG-AFTRA doesn’t have anything like a permit to let you work a union contract without joining. If you work a union gig, it triggers the 30-day countdown to must-join status.
Having said that, with the strike happening, it’s much more likely that the project is going the other way, from union to non-union because it makes things easier for production. So double-check.
My advice is to pursue the gig. Right now, you don’t know enough details to make a decision. Eventually, you will, and you can decide then. Being Canadian, you might be able to do the job without joining because you’re outside jurisdiction. You may get cut from the running for the same reason (you and your status may be too much of a hassle for production). They won’t blame you for that.
My real point is that you will likely make new relationships in this pursuit, and new relationships are always good to have. Even if they can’t use you for this (for whatever reasons), they’ll have seen your hard work, and everyone loves people who work hard.
And even if you end up having a negative experience with everything involved in this thing… those kind of experiences lead to great, funny stories later on.
Thanks so much, Keith. You’ve given me the answers I wanted for this stage of the game, and helped me to zoom out a bit and see the larger possibilities/wins as well. Much appreciated!
Just a win to post for the month. My film WORTH, which was on the festival circuit some years (yes, YEARS) ago will be screening at the SimiFEST next month! I KNOW!
Just a serendipity of all sorts of things coming together to make that happen. So, I’ll be in LA in a couple of weeks. Yippee!
WOWOWOWOWOWOW!! I love this!! Talk about the little film that keeps going and going and going! Congrats, Kathi!
Yaaaaaassss!!!! Congratulations, Kathi!!!
CONGRATULATIONS, Kathi!! woofreakinhoo! so darn happy for you.
darlings,
forgive my absence. i won’t be on for myriad reasons–namely i can only handle so much in one day with my current bandwidth. i know y’all understand. today is exactly the day last month was when my mom suffered her stroke, gratefully in my presence. and i was with her for her last moments of consciousness. so doing the ol’ Bonnie bubble wrap. (there really is a reason why Jews take a month to mourn; they got this one down!)
please know i love each of you & i will return to the give & take of all our goodness this fall.
smooches – !
Z.
Sending you so much love, Connie. Big hugs. Big allowing for all that you’re feeling! You are safe.
All my love, Connie. <3
Thanks so much Connie. And so much love heading your way.
Feeling a little next-tier strange at the momentā¦
I was working with a VO coach this morning, one who Iāve worked with for several years on and off. He shared with me today that he uses me as an inspirational example in his group classes when asked about where to get work, and how to succeed. His words included ākeener, works her ass off, and makes her own workā (specifically The Dancer Speaks). I was taken aback by thisā¦ Honored, absolutely. But also jostled by the reveal that he invokes me as a pace car.
I also just received an email from the opera divisionās business rep at Equity, the one I had to step up and talk to when shit went down during my most recent contract at the COC. (I think I may have told yāall the story, basically the choreographer was super condescending and passive-aggressive. I was treated so poorly that I had a panic attack during rehearsal as a result of this choreographerās incredible lack of professionalism.) Anyway, the Eq business rep just invited me to be on the negotiating team for the next COC/Equity agreement. Iām not sure Iāll do it given the kind of commitments they are asking for (a ton of time, commuting, proposalsā¦ no mention of any honorarium), but yeah. Again, Iām honored, and surprised. Who, me? Especially at an opera negotiationā¦?
This is an interesting identity to consider, Stephanie in this capacity. A little scary, tbh. Not sure what to do with it yet! I wanted to just share it here, because I know yāall will hold some gentle space and kind thoughts for me as I find my footing. š
Wow wow wow, Stephanie. Amazing. Big. And I wonder, what does Stephanie-in-this-capacity-WITH-the-energetic-capacity-for-the-load think about all of this?
I’m reminded of my mom’s reaction to the outreach from the Oprah people in 1997, when they were doing regular “Remembering Your Spirit” segments at the end of each Friday’s show. Mom’s enoughness was too low to ever say yes to such a public opportunity to do her thang. But it was interesting to see her reaction to learning she was even on the radar of anyone in that camp. That surprised me.
I think it surprised me with her (and with you, actually) because my Venus in Leo 11H has absolute certainty that everyone is already watching me and keeping up with me and being inspired by me. When we were at EditPlus doing class a billiondy years ago and — during class — someone noticed from a Google Alert that Self-Management for Actors was on Tom Cruise’s actor resource page at his website with some very yummy copy about the book/my work, sure, I celebrated… and I definitely opened my eyes WAY wide and blinked hard a few times about it… but I can’t say I was surprised by it all that much.
ANYway, I really love you getting these winks from higher tier Stephanie and her daily reality, already. OF COURSE this is happening and OF COURSE it’ll keep happening… and I’m wondering how it’s all settled in, now that it’s been a week since you shared this good news.
(Feel free to bring this convo over to the September page now that it’s up, if you’d like. Continuing here is also fine. I’ll follow you wherever.) š
Again, congrats!
Iām not surprised that Iām surprisedā¦ remember that my first month in EC was āYour Relationship with Being Seenā, after all. Lol.
I think the reason I was surprised with my coach naming me as an example was because I didnāt think he really knew much about TDS, nor thought he’d find it remarkable. Heās regularly working on giant AAA game franchisesā¦ Something that Iāve deemed far more impressive than me DIY-ing a recital pre-show from my basement. Thatās definitely part of it and why Iām surprised that I would make a blip on his radar. (Someone needs to take a look at how she sees herself and how she values her work.)
With Equity, I wasnāt surprised about them contacting me per se. I did send a very bold report after my Don Giovanni opera experience, and it resulted in an emergency meeting between the COC execs and Equity (COC- Canadian Opera Company). Thereās a lot of apathy in Eq members, and I get the sense itās rare for anyone to speak up re: what happens at COC (good or bad). The reason I was surprised was because their request was specifically to be a member of the COC Agreement Negotiations Committee. That Agreement governs no other companies in the countryā¦ and Iām a dancer to them, not an opera singer. It seemed odd that theyād ask me. Why not the singers who get hired for full seasons, year after year, and actually have regular contact with this Agreement?
I considered it, but ultimately turned Equity down. It was a clear-headed decision though, not one out of fear or low enoughness. They wanted roughly two weeks worth of in-person, full days downtown in November, with no pay or honorarium. When pressed, they did mention a āper diem that we hope might cover some costsā. I honestly believe I could be an effective member of the team, and itād be interesting to see how it all comes together first-hand. But I donāt feel aligned to volunteer that kind of time, effort, energy, and money for an Agreement that I seem to get hired on once every 5 years. Let me be clear- I am not ungrateful at all. I am honored they asked! But I couldnāt see enough of an ROI. (The COC didnāt even give me enough weeks of work to qualify for insurance next year.)
I do have to admit that Iāve been feeling disconnected from future-me lately, though. Some of that is from the summer burnout, for sure. But Iāve been on a slow road with quite a few enoughness divots. I canāt say my own Venus in Leo 1H has been feeling all that strutty either (albeit Iām just out of a 12H profection year). Iām sure I will get jolts soon- as of last week, Iām now in a Sun-ruled 1H profection. I probably wonāt have a choice. š Am I a little scared by these winks still? Yeah. The butterfly’s wings aren’t dry enough to fly yet.
There’s an astrological theory about our vitality in general (and that can be physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, etc.) in the time immediately after our birthday (and if we get our woo early, obvi, that’s a thing to consider). And coming out of a 12H year is a lot. How are you feeling now, another week later? {{{hugs}}}