Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose

If you told me years ago that I would draw immense inspiration from a show about Texas high school football, I would have thought you were crazy. But here we are. If you haven’t seen Friday Night Lights, it’s a five-season show highlighting the lives of students and parents, the very relatable trials and tribulations they go through, and yes, a lot of football. It’s pretty powerful... I tear up at least once an episode... and I think I’ve finally put my finger on why.
Our hardest times are our greatest spiritual assets.
For a long time, I allowed black and white thinking to limit my perspective. All of my experiences could be boiled down to good or bad, and it took me a long time to realize how that way of thinking was preventing my growth. Simply labeling my experiences allowed me to sit back and let life happen to me instead of taking control of my own destiny. I stubbornly blamed everything external for my reactions instead of realizing that I could change my perspective and therefore change the experience. I can’t control what happens to me, but I sure as hell can control how I respond to it, how I view it, and how I grow from it.
Through my Astrology work, I’ve realized that we rely on certain parts of ourselves to handle the situations we’re put in. These comfortable parts of our personalities become defense mechanisms, and the more we use them, the harder it becomes to utilize the other parts of our personality and find a healthier approach to difficult situations. We fight and fight and fight with our defense mechanisms until we realize that we are part of the problem.
I’ve realized that I contribute to my own frustration and unhappiness. My defense mechanisms tell me to make assumptions about how other people are feeling, set high expectations, and blame myself for things that are out of my control. The difficult things that I’m faced with are made worse by my reactions to them, and it doesn’t have to be that way. I can access the parts of myself that would see things from a different perspective. I can work on showing up as my whole self, relying less on my defense mechanisms. I can face myself honestly and grow.
It’s through our hardest times that we are offered the most opportunity for growth. We can’t control what happens, but we can control how we respond to it. Watching the characters on Friday Night Lights face themselves as they tackle their hard times is inspiring. Yes, it’s a dramatized TV show, but it’s not easy to grow and show up as your whole self in the face of challenges, and watching characters handle themselves with grace inspires me to keep working on myself as I tackle everything life has to throw at me.
In the words of Coach Eric Taylor,
“Clear Eyes. Full Hearts. Can’t Lose.”
Thank you for being on this journey with me. Thank you for allowing me to join your journey. We’re all going through a lot, and I think we’ll come out stronger on the other side.
Much Love,
Ellen

Have you ever wondered how to bring more pleasure to your life? Why you’re not getting what you want out of your relationships? Why you struggle to figure out what you want? My friend Lauren, Pleasure Coach, and I have the answers!
THIS Sunday at 11 am CST, we are hosting a virtual Astrology and Pleasure Workshop where we’re going to talk about healing the relationship between Venus and Mars in your natal chart so you can welcome more pleasure into your life. I will be reviewing YOUR PERSONAL natal charts before the workshop to bring you personalized Astrological information and Pleasure Coaching from Lauren! You will also receive a workbook with further information and guidance.
Click here to reserve your spot!

Your Monthly Guide to the Universe
I created this newsletter because understanding how The Universe’s current transits affect you is an invaluable tool for self-compassion and growth. I wanted to provide people with a resource for understanding which transits affect them based on their personal natal chart without having to book an expensive session with me or another Astrologer. I believe that connecting with yourself and The Universe is the key to living with intention, and I’m really excited to be able to share this work with you.
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