My Joyful Epiphany

Real winter here! From an inspirational urban hike on Monday.

Dear Community,

I hope this finds you well in the depths of winter, at the start of a brand new calendar year! As I’m sure was the case for many of you, 2024 was an eventful year for me. One of the major events was leaving New Orleans after 16 years and moving to Philadelphia in the fall. I let go of my landscaping business, and I’m excitedly going all-in on my longtime passion of supporting individuals and groups on the journey of healing and transformation as a life coach. 

I decided to relocate rather suddenly last spring when my inner knowing told me it was time. I chose Philadelphia and then this particular neighborhood and then this apartment by tuning into the same gut sense. And now I wake up in my new home every morning and feel joy. Even though I don’t know what I’m here to do exactly. Even though the world is on fire and my country is headed into a future that looks more tumultuous and distressing than I have known before. Even though I don’t yet have many friends in my new city, and I have not materialized lots of money or work... It’s a joy from knowing in my bones that I’m exactly where I need to be. It’s not only joy that I feel (I’ve got the whole spectrum of emotions going on in here), but for the past few months, it’s been abiding nonetheless. Whatever else is going on, there’s a subtle buzzing of vitality running through my system so that even when I’m caught in thoughts of “what if,” I find myself grinning at strangers on the sidewalk and marveling at the beauty of the sky.

I’ve also been struggling. Despite all this enthusiasm, I’ve been believing that in order to take the next step in my work, I needed to have something to say. And once I started needing to have insights so I could write a newsletter, my energy would flag everytime I sat down to write, and I’d find myself in an eddy of doubt and confusion. 

And then on Monday (fittingly, for Western Christians it was the celebration of “Epiphany”*) I realized that I didn't need to have anything to say at all to be of service, that my capacity to live in the unknown with this simple love for life in my heart is enough.  This joy IS my offering.  

With this recognition, my energy for newsletter writing has returned!  I share this with you in the hopes that my joy supports yours and my story bolsters your inner permission to be simply as you are as well. 

So here are my simple, from the heart, offerings for you and anyone you know who might resonate (forwarding is much appreciated):

• One to one life coaching!  I’ve been coaching since I got certified in 2019, and it’s consistently been one of the most meaningful and enjoyable ways I’ve found to spend my time. True magic can occur when we enter a space of deep listening and with the shared intention to support a soul’s journey — it is my joy and honor to provide that space. 

I have a few more spots open this season.  If you’d like to have a taste of this experience with me in a free, 30 minute discovery session, you can schedule with me here.  (If you're in the Philly area, we can discuss meeting in person. Otherwise, I work with most clients on Zoom.)

• I will also be offering a group space on Zoom once a week for 8 weeks starting at the end of the month! I’ve been dreaming of this for soo long and I’m thrilled that it’s finally ready to share.

It’s called Enrolling in the School of Life: a course and community for rebels, radicals and changemakers to forge free and joyful paths 

This is for anyone who has an entrepreneurial endeavor of any kind — whether that’s running a small business, freelancing, writing a book, or marketing an art project — and wants to do that thing in a way that’s fun, in flow and aligned with their deepest values.  If this intrigues you, please click here for more information. 

I hope this newsletter uplifted you today. If you would share it with anyone you think might benefit, I would be so grateful.  

With love,

Hannah

* As I sat down on Monday to let the flash of knowing sink in, I looked over and saw this sweet nativity scene I created around age 4 (recently given back to me by my mother) and realized it’s an image of the “Epiphany” or 12th night, when the Magi learned of the Christ’s birth and arrived bearing gifts. 

I like that in my rendition the one king (not sure if the others have been lost or I just didn’t feel inspired to make them) has a teddy bear gift for the baby Jesus — who is in his mother’s arms (hence the empty bed).  I didn’t grow up in a religious household but had an interest in God and a my own sense of divine order (like, that babies really want connection not gold, frankincense or myrrh).