Daring to be honest about what I want

The courage it takes to look within

Dearest Community,

There are so many of us who are quietly questioning everything right now: Who we are, who we have been, who we want to be. The kind of world we want and deserve. And the daily cost of not following the longing for more alignment and community.

And yet, there’s so much to be afraid of.

Afraid of becoming unhirable. Falling behind and being left there. I get it. I really do.

I’ve been talking about courage a lot these days.

I often talk about it in the context of harm intervention, or taking a bold stance against injustice.

Today, I want to talk about the kind of courage that feels… quieter.

I want to talk about the importance, and the urgency, of tuning into ourselves, and the immense courage it takes to do that. Being still enough to notice the trembles. Being brave enough to face our wounds and aches, our desires and longings, our fears and contradictions—because sometimes there’s no going back once we acknowledge what is true.

I wonder what becomes possible when we can be more honest with ourselves and each other.

A new episode dropped this morning and it’s all about being honest about my desires. It’s fun, it’s honest, and it’s… unexpected. It’s called “Am I Supposed To Sleep With One Person For the Rest Of My Life?

It details my exploration around my sexuality, intimacy, and marriage. The wild journey of opening up our marriage. It’s about giving myself permission to be daring about what I want, knowing what is personal is always political.

There is so much violence and trauma all around us. I catch myself holding my breath and clenching my jaw throughout the day. And I’m consciously practicing imagining something different: A world filled with ease, healing, justice, and freedom. And I practice labeling those desires not as “naive” or “idealistic,” but baseline and inevitable. This podcast has been a part of that practice—creating a space where I get to dream, question, complicate, and be free. Can you feel it?

As always, thanks for being here and staying (shoutout to new folks who have joined this community in the last couple of weeks—welcome, I’m so glad you’re here!).

In community,

Michelle

 Courage Collective Debrief Sessions

We’ve got three Courage Collective Debrief Sessions coming up (first one is TODAY!). Come hang out with me and fellow listeners and let’s process in community:

Cost: $0 - $25 Sliding Scale

To further reduce any cost barrier, we’re providing a free signup option. Please pay what you can to honor the space and labor, but if you aren’t able to, know that your presence and building community is what this is really about ❤️ 

💬 What Are People Saying?

After the “Who Am I Without My Job” episode aired last week, so many of you let me know I wasn’t alone in navigating this liminal space, trying to figure out what’s next. I heard from those of you navigating the demoralizing job market after getting laid off. I heard from many who are burnt out and disillusioned. I heard from folks who are in the midst of untangling their sense of self-worth from productivity and external validation. I resonated with all of your messages.

Thank you for letting me know you feel that way too 🙂.

Listener Comments on Spotify

❤️ On My Radar & Heart:

  1. Check out this incredible list of high impact crisis support roles for anyone asking “what can I do?” right now.

  2. Sign this petition against the US war on Iran and the continuing genocide in Palestine if you’re as enraged as me.

  3. This massive analysis of 61,193 New York Times headlines from October 2023 to June 2025, reveals a systematic dehumanization of Palestinians.

  4. Bonus: Knitting is a new hobby of mine and I’m knitting my first sweater using this tutorial in case anyone wants to join the “grandma hobby” era (Forbes says it’s good for our mental health!)

Yarn & Cats… how I calm my nervous system these days!

Access to All, Sustained by Community.

As our sources of insight and information become increasingly decentralized, I’ve watched many people begin to rightfully place their intellectual labor behind paywalls. My philosophy has always been this: share knowledge and inspiration freely and widely, and be compensated for private access to my time. That’s why this newsletter and my podcast are—and will remain—free for as long as I can sustain them. Your voluntary monthly support helps me to keep doing this. Please consider becoming a financial supporter if you have the means—your contributions help keep this space open and accessible to everyone. Thank you!

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