Who do you want to be today?

A nudge to remember who you are

I’m in Sayulita, Mexico right now leading the Nurture & Nourish You retreat with a fabulous group of women, but I came across something I wrote a few years ago that felt like a great reminder as we move even deeper into this new year. You can get a glimpse of our delightful retreat adventures on Instagram HERE.

And before I forget… I'‘ve got ONE spot left in my next retreat – taking place in Sedona, May 30th -June 3rd, 2024. This retreat is for anyone who wants to connect to their radical truth with even more unapologetic ease. Get all the details HERE.

For today…

“Who do you want to be, today?”

I listened as the barista repeated the question. I hadn’t tracked him on his first attempt – either because I wasn’t fully listening, or because …no, ok, I wasn’t fully listening.

But this time, I heard the question. And my answer was, “um, just me please, Elena.”

It was such a simple question. And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about it as I walked to my seat with my medium oat-milk latte. Because this question had so many possible answers.

Might it have been fun to try on a new name? Sure. Taking on the name of a different persona is like playing a character. And I’ve actually played with this idea with myself and my clients as a practice to step towards the truest self, as if you are stepping towards yourself with the help of an “avatar.” My go-to persona is Tea’ Leoni (from Madame Secretary)

But this wasn’t one of those days for me. I wanted to be me. 

Except that, as I sat down, I wondered – what does that mean exactly? To be “Elena” TODAY?

Because the power in the barista’s question, wasn’t in his asking for my name – it was in the addition of the “today.”

My first thought was to take his question as a prompt for brainstorming, about who I want to be – in service of my dreams. 

But then I paused. 

Because here is the thing. Being “me” means a lot of things. It means being someone who values curiosity, delight, intimate connection, unapologetic ease, and devotion.

It means being a mom, a daughter, and wife. It means me inhabiting big LEO energy. It also means being moody, being impatient, and sometimes even looks like me putting up walls when I get frustrated. 

It also means being an audacious dreamer, a silver-lining girl, a big-picture thinker, a problem-solver, an adventurer, and a guide. 

But this question of who I wanted to be TODAY…was an invitation. To get rooted and present with what felt most true in that moment. 

One of the things I know is that it can feel hard to be present.

And that answering this question of “who am I?” can feel far away when you are so busy taking care of everyone and everything else in your life – that knowing what makes you, YOU – can feel TOO big. Too unknown. 

(especially when you’ve fallen into a pattern of basing your thriving on the actions, behaviors, and energy of those around you.)

And yet, this question, who do you want to be TODAY is a doorway. A portal. To remember. 

That you get to choose who and what and how you want to embody YOU on any given day. 

So..,my nudge to you is to play with this question, as an experiment. 

Take a moment, maybe when you wake up, are brushing your teeth, or when you first sit down at your desk…and ask yourself, “Who do I want to be today?”

The good news is that you cannot get this wrong. 

And you might even learn a few things about yourself, what matters to you, and what makes you YOU. 

I’d love to hear how this experiment goes for you and what emerges!