This might look like a barn to you, but to me, it's a portal to my past.
Growing up, I spent summers working tobacco and running through cornfields.
These were the rhythms of a small farm town with 10,000 people and one stoplight. It was a place of simplicity, close-knit relationships, and a strong connection to nature. For a long time, it was the perfect place to grow up - until it wasn't.
As I reached my teenage years, I began to feel the constraints. The world felt bigger, and my aspirations felt larger. I longed for more - more experiences, more diversity, more opportunities.
So, I ran the other way.
My journey took me around the world, trading my small-town roots for the vastness of the big city. I rejected any part of small-town America in me, convinced that to grow, I needed to shed my past completely.
But life has a way of teaching us the lessons we need to learn.
As I navigated these new environments, I realized that the values I had tried to leave behind were the ones that grounded me. Simplicity, community, and a connection to nature - these were not limitations but strengths.
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Now, I’ve transitioned to a new phase of life.
My identity is no longer tied to towns or nations. I now orient to my energetic essence and connection to Source. I’ve learned that transcending my past doesn’t mean rejecting it; it means integrating it into my ongoing evolution.
This is the essence of "transcend and include."
To rise above while incorporating the best from every stage - small-town girl, DC policy wonk, New Orleans shot girl, Davos curator, entrepreneurial businesswoman - none of these define my limits. Holding on to any one of these might prevent me from becoming who I could be tomorrow.
In both nature and science, this principle is clear.
Atoms combine to form molecules, retaining their core properties while creating something entirely new. Molecules then form cells, which organize into tissues, organs, and entire organisms. Each level of complexity builds upon the previous one, integrating and transcending what came before.
Each phase of our lives is like a building block.
Contributing to the structure of who we are and who we can become. By transcending and including, we honor our roots while expanding our horizons, creating a life that is rich, diverse, and ever-evolving.
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As you reflect on your own journey, consider this:
Are there aspects of your past that you’ve been trying to escape?
What if true growth isn’t about abandoning those roots, but about integrating their wisdom into who you are becoming?
Remember:
Your potential is not defined by your past, but by how you evolve from it.