Best of October 2020

Happy Halloween! new playlist BEST OF OCT 2020

Scare easy?

I do. And so do a few others I know…

On this hallowed day I’d like to introduce you to 3 friends of mine with whom I have a spooky special bond ~ Diane T ~ Therese C ~ Sally Lou L ~ We all share one big thing in common: #fearof

But what differentiates us? We’re not afraid to say we’re afraid.

Ironically the four of us are pretty headstrong women who speak up, have opinions, lead, impact others and get sh*t done. No one would describe us as meek or weak. Those who know us know we don't mess around. Quite the contrary: I never stop preaching and problem solving; Therese never stops warning about safety, she’s a nurse who’s seen it all; Diane’s dancing the perfect fine line between parenting + launching a college kid, our code word is BABVA (be afraid be very afraid); Sally Lou is a public speaker who opens her talks by listing all of the things she’s afraid of (the only thing not on her list is public speaking which is #1 on most humans’ list.)

The truth is, we all have a weak side. We all fear something. The difference with the four of us: We don’t hide it. But most people do. It's more socially acceptable.

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Regardless of which ‘side’ is our alter ego (fearful or fearless), the important moment with us was our admission of fear – our speaking up about it. It created an entree into a deeper relationship that bonded fast. Why? We had a secret in common. In this land of the free and home of the brave you’re definitely in the minority if you worry and whine. You’re a buzz kill, scaredy cat, party pooper, in the minority, sidelined, a wallflower. You put yourself there because when you kill the energy in the room or slow down the adventurers, it’s palpable. The greater community wants action, adventure, experiences, thrills. So you can imagine when one worrier reveals himself to another worrier, the magnetic attraction is instant. You are worry warriors looking to build your fortress bubble together.

These bonds build mini walls within friendship circles that shelter us, partner us, bolster us with a buddy in a system that might not always see [scary] things the way we do. Among the 4 of us, and I won’t say who, we collectively have a fear of flying, tight spaces, [boating] accidents, kid injuries, world travel, remote places, just to name a few. The fact that we’re afraid isn’t the differentiator here. The fact that we talk about it (mostly joke about it) is the best cure for our affliction. Misery loves company, remember?

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This Halloween in the middle of a pandemic, out of our comfort zone, under a full moon, over wildfires, in front of election day, behind our masks, inside our heads and out of our minds, if you’re feeling a bit ~ frightened ~ tricked ~ haunted ~ you’re not alone. If you’re not afraid to admit it I think you’ll find a plethora of other masked and costumed friends and neighbors who might want to come out of their hiding places too. Why? Because the masquerade is exhausting; the sipping of witches’ brews served on the news, donning facades and alter egos to protect our pride and prejudice, trick-or-treating with sweet talk and one upmanship; there’s so much incoming and not enough exhaling.

As we live in #fearof, I feel like we need a #bestof something right now. And it just so happened that our best of the month playlist landed today, the last day of the month with a full moon (aka: hunter’s moon, blue moon, the 2nd this month)… and did you know that there hasn’t been a full moon on Halloween since 1944? That’s 76 years. Another for the 2020 list.

We’re witnessing myriad eerie phenomenons this year, that’s a fact. We’re navigating life in a veritable funhouse world of smokescreens, distorting mirrors, creepy ads, spine tingling posts, two-sided facts, two-faced factions, faux headlines; a terrorizing, paralyzing monster onslaught of mankind.

Maybe it’s a good day to take off the mask, stop the charade, be vulnerable, be quiet and just think. Maybe even talk about your fear with another. To add some comfort I’d like to share a magic music potion with you today. Take my hand..

Our newest playlist: BEST OF OCT 2020 (click to listen on Spotify)

It’s a mix of new music + new artists I want to introduce you to, a soundtrack to consume all weekend and beyond. Listen as you hand out candy, costume the kids, outfit yourself, run out, stay in, party with others, and wrap your day.

When nighttime falls - Turn back your clocks. Take off your mask. Grab your headphones. Step outside. Look up. Take a breath. Make a toast to the full moon and let the magic hit.

JUST LISTEN.

PS: Want to follow our playlists and interviews? It's easy!

In music,

Val

Val Haller