Downdog

One of the smartest (and best!) things I did to improve my Arabic was commit to weekly Levantine Arabic conversation classes.

As I (reeeeeeally!!) had to get over myself and simply start talking, it boosted my confidence. Because let’s be honest: learning a new language can be a bit messy in the beginning. 😅

The unexpected bonus? You move beyond grammar, straight to the heart of what language is really about: connecting with people who, just like you, think the stumbling is worth it.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗜’𝗺 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿.

New language. New lens. New connections.

Interested in joining a small summer cohort? Great! DM me. 🌍

Had the most fantastic post-yoga conversation with Lynn Corten at this morning.

We wandered from female entrepreneurship straight into the woods of authenticity, two topics I find myself thinking about a lot these days.

When I started freelancing straight out of , no one talked about mindset or impact. I didn’t see myself as an “entrepreneur.” I just needed a VAT number to do good work and to be captain of my own ship: my time, my mind, my agenda.

Back then, self-employment wasn’t wrapped in the existential quilt it wears today.

Social media was fun. It offered a window into my little shop. Loving travel, books, and yoga wasn’t branding, it was a convenient way of reminding my clients that however ‘corporate’ they wanted me to be, they’d always find it hard to switch off my creative urge to make my efforts sound or feel ‘special’.

Then Covid happened.

Authenticity gradually became performative. The more we shared, the more it felt diluted.

So here’s where I stand now:

Do I embrace technology as a tool for connection? Or step back to protect my integrity? And if I do, do I risk missing a golden opportunity?

If my authentic self falls in a forest and no one is around to like it, does it even exist?

😱😱😱

Back to this morning.

By nine, Lynn and I agreed: debate is healthy. Authenticity is powerful, but fragile. And realness starts when two people meet somewhere between knowing who they are and being open to change.

So here’s to unexpected encounters and great conversation.

But most of all, here’s to keeping things real.

xoxo,
Galadriel ✨🌿