02/01/2024
On this day 10 years ago, James (my ex husband) and I opened Former Future Brewing Company (which later became Black Project).
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In our first year we won a medal at the Great American Beer Festival. We won twice more in subsequent years.
π΅ββοΈ By year 3 we had a few hundred paying members ("Agents") of our super top secret club.
πΊ One Saturday a month, we had a special beer release, often drawing beer needs from around the country.
βΊοΈ Some would even camp out on the sidewalk the night before so they could snag one of our coveted beers.
π Our beer was sold all around the world, and we often traveled to pour at festivals in Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and more.
πββ¬ We had a brewery cat named Otter.
π And we had the best employees, many of whom I still connect with.
π° Our last year in business, with a divorce pending, we made our first $1,000,000.
And when I was forced to walk away (James and I couldn't reconcile), I was utterly lost, angry, and broken.
It took about a year and a half of grieving before I felt ready to move on. My identity was so wrapped up in it...
I used to question WHY my identity was so wrapped up. And ultimately it was because we were known, respected, and (mostly) liked. I would speak and people would listen. My opinion mattered. People cared about what I thought.
I've since realized, through plant medicine experiences and self inquiry, that much of my Karma AND Dharma is connected to speaking and using my voice, particularly in speaking truth to power. And for the past 4 years I have worked hard to open my throat, learning to channel, working with my unique soul song and frequency.
These days, I'm not afraid of speaking up. And I'm not triggered or offended if others can't / don't hear what I have to say. Because this instrument - my voice - has been fine tuned to speak the Truth (as I see it) as kindly, honestly, and clearly as I can. And now I realize that some people will never hear you, never see you, and never respect you.
Those people aren't meant to.
Because all that really matters is that I respect myself.
πͺ