10 Comments

"You start with what is in your soul instead of what is in your mind" ✨ love this as a way to think about leading with your heart in conversation

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"I also believe this is the premise for most successful romantic relationships: do both people never want the conversation to end?" This bit reminded me of a David Brooks quote: "Marriage is a 50-year conversation. Marry someone you want to talk with for the rest of your life."

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I used to think I just wasn't capable of emotional depth. My mind would draw a blank when asked certain questions, and for the longest time I thought there was something fundamentally flawed in me.

I've been running away from exploring myself for the longest time, the fear of what I might find usually outweighs the joys of understanding myself. I can feel that slowly shifting, and I'm excited and nervous to uncover myself.

This piece that you wrote beautifully encapsulated my desire to find deep and soulful connections, but not allowing myself to simultaneously. I can meet someone in the depths of the ocean only if I allow myself to be submerged without fear.

Thanks for sharing this 💖

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Simply beautiful! Thank you for your reflection on connection. This piece has revealed something that has always been present but not clearly perceived. It is like a friend has shared a point of view that has not been considered before.

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Really great piece – This essay makes me think of Good Will Hunting. Will has his circumstance-level connections with his friends (who are essentially family) and with professor Lambeau. The progress of the movie takes place when he develops two soul-level connections between therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams) and his love interest, Skylar (Minnie Driver).

Initial therapists are unable to connect with him because they are looking at the circumstance-level (his ability to do math for professor Lambeau), but Sean connects on deeper levels (layers). And Skylar connects with him because they share an outlook on life, potentially because they are both extremely intelligent, have experienced traumas, and I'm sure for a multitude of other reasons.

Will’s fears result in his inability to make the take the "first step" in a few domains, as mentioned by Sean in a therapy session of theirs(the therapy session/movie quote is also sampled in the intro of Mac Miller’s 'Soulmate'). By the end of the movie, Will and his partners are equally open, interested in each other, and interested in themselves, allowing him to make the progress he deserves.

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Holy cow .. how far you've come in your writing. I signed up for your salon just because I vibed so much with this piece. Thank you for writing it 🙏❤️

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I love how it all comes together for you.. Thanks for your reflections :)

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One word. Magnificent!

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The easiest way to predict whether you will be soul-level compatible is:

are you equally open?

are you equally interested in each other?

are you equally interested in yourselves?

If the answer to all three of these is yes, you might be soulmates. We can have many soulmates, I think. To me, soulmates are the people you instantly click with on a soul-level, the ones you could talk to forever without getting bored or lost in thought. I also believe this is the premise for most successful romantic relationships: do both people never want the conversation to end? -- I'm in awe on how well you explained this. I literally want to be your friend .

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Just realized how lucky I am to have circumstantial and soul-level connections with my father

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