Hellooooo, you sparkly pearl!

Life has been feeling particularly full with the launch of my film, Cracked less than a month away. On the surface, it only looks like a 20 minute film.  Yet behind the scenes there are many things happening like planning multiple launch events, partnering with non-profits, filming videos for social media, being on podcasts to share my messages, searching for grants to expand my reach, and more.  

Just as I would tell my coaching clients, when life feels overwhelming, it is NOT time to speed up to get MORE done to feel better.  It is time to SLOOOOOOOW DOWN.

When life is full, we can start reacting more than responding.  (Sorry Todd 🙃)

When life is full, we can fall into default mode instead of intentionally designing the way we want to be living.

If I am going to be teaching this, I MUST be living it too. 

So, what did I do? 

In the time where my to do list is longer than the Nile, I disappeared for four days for a self-guided silent retreat and fast.  No technology.  No food. Just bone broth, electrolytes, my thoughts, and a connection to something bigger than me.  

I took the Shuck Truck, Shuckee, to Zion with an intention to get more clarity on how best to use my time going forward.  I meditated. I played my sound bowls.  I sat in nature.  I stared at the sky and stars.

Ahhhh, how lovely does that sound?  

Let me tell you, it was FAR from lovely.  In fact, it was the Silent Retreat Sh*t Show. 

The campground was loud.  (Of course it was.  Families are camping Jessica!  I just totally didn’t think of that.) 

The heat in the van reached 110 (even though the forecast said a high of 85).  I turned on my AC that is louder than the roar of a jet engine.  Not so comfortable.

So, there I sat in the not so silent oppressive heat for about six hours of the day (it thankfully cooled down in the evenings).  I was upset.  I was agitated.  I questioned why I do these things when there are so many other choices like a blissful vacation in the Bahamas!

By the end, I felt less loving than when I went into this.  I had more questions than clarity.  It felt like the opposite of why I did this.  Ugh.

I returned home to the comfortable 70 degrees of San Diego and my quiet home thinking that my silent retreat was a complete flop.  

Until I realized it wasn’t. 

I realized, with the help of my coach, that I was sitting in the suffering for practice of the big launch.  My sense is I will continue to meet people going through really, really, really hard things.  I want to be able to sit with them in their suffering, hold space for them, and inspire hope and healing.  I feel like in order to do this in the best way, I needed to be reminded of what suffering is like (even if it was self induced 🤦‍♀️ ).

Once I realized this, I knew the Silent Retreat Sh*t Show was actually a wild success though not in the way I might wanted it to be.  So true of so many things in life, right? 

My invitation to you, is to find some time to sit in silence this week.  It can be five minutes.  It can be a day without your phone.  There are no rules.  Just experimentation.

While I can’t predict what pearls of wisdom you will receive in the stillness, I do know that in silence you will truly hear.

Will you let me know how it goes?

And, if you would like to do a silent retreat, let me know and I am happy to help customize one that is best for you (which can include food and normal temperatures 😄).

Shuck with love,

Jessica

P.S. GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!!!  You have one more week to get your tickets to the San Diego launch of my short documentary, Cracked.  Click here to purchase tickets for the shucktacular launch party on 11/11!!!

For those of you who cannot make it to San Diego, please save Tuesday (11/12) at 4pm PT for an online viewing party and Q&A.  RSVP to me at jessica@lifeshucker.com to get on the list for details.

Another way you can be part of the launch is subscribing to my YouTube channel here.  If I can get to 1,000 subscribers (I am at 851!!!) that will help my film get more attention and I’d be sooooo grateful.  Plus, you’ll get to even more pearls of wisdom. 💜