Happy 3rd Birthday, Souljourner!

Proud Biz parent's humble brag coming up 🙂

On August 10, 2018 I registered Souljourner Healing Arts with the state of Colorado! Unlike fur babies and actual babies, a business baby doesn't look as good in a colorful jumper and party hat. And the party is a little smaller... But if i could post a pic for social media of my baby with a cute sign, it would say:

"I'm 36 months old today!

Likes: my super woke clients &

troubleshooting complicated body pain.

Dislikes: Laundry and software problems."

This baby's gone through several iterations, various offerings, and a couple name changes (and another on the way!). But after rewatching my initial intro video from 2018 (on Instagram: @SouljournerBodywork), it's sweet to see that the basic purpose hasn't changed much - I am, and always have been, on a mission to help people feel, heal, and get real with their authentic selves!

These photos are from March 2018... when I made my first game-changing business purchases: a massage stool, fleece table warmer, and seven sets of sheets (what a cute little number). And I rearranged my living room to create a pop-up office.... where I worked on exactly 3 people besides my parents...

What a difference three years makes!

As I write to you now, I'm in my own office at the Marine Street Wellness Center (the first space I don't have to share with anyone!), sitting on that very stool, with the fleece table warmer waiting for winter to roll around again. I'm overjoyed to say these words - I have the practice I've been dreaming about for over a decade!

2020 was a game changer... I was closed for 2 months during lockdown, and then had the most stressful months of my professional life. I feared for my client's health; I hit emotional, physical, & spiritual rock bottom; and the future looked grim for the massage field as a whole. 2020 made me take steps in totally new directions and make decisions based on my gut alone: there was literally no way to mentally assess what choices were good in the long run!

But those intuitive choices have blossomed beyond what I could've expected.

Last year I lessened focus on being an astrologer & retreat leader, and put more focus into what I'm really good at: bodywork! I took all three levels of Massage Cupping and got certified. I moved to a bigger office, got a swanky booking software, and started offering monthly memberships. I expanded my hours to be 2/3-time private practice & 1/3-time employed by Massage Specialists (my job of 3.5 years).

I also hired my first virtual assistant & social media helper, and qualified for my first business loan from the government (which this month turned into a 3x cash advance that doesn't need to be paid back!).

Additionally, I reinvented the monthly new moon gatherings I'd tried to lead in Souljourner's first year. Instead, I developed "Heluar," an 18-week small group for women with monthly new moon ceremonies enhanced by these special New Moon Boxes! Finally, I started a plant medicine apprenticeship with the New Paradigm Now Mystery School (led by Ana Medina of The Well of Wellbeing) and began the journey of facilitating plant medicine journeys.

As soon as 2021 hit, the wind filled the sails of this McGuivered little enterprise, and the momentum hasn't stopped!

As of today, I'm doing bodywork full time in my private practice! I get to work with some of the most clinically complex and longer-term clientele yet: Helping athletes cope with & heal from activity-limiting injuries, assisting mastectomy & surgery patients to get back to full range of motion, seeing two amazing new mommies through their whole pregnancies, and supporting other holistic wellness professionals center & balance so they can help others. I've put more focus into the Craniosacral work, and am finding it to be one of the most alchemical healing treatments I've had the pleasure to offer. I've started offering Hape medicine from the Amazon to individuals and small groups, as well as assisting my teacher, Ana, in Kambo medicine ceremonies.

After a profound working trip to Playa

Venao, Panama in May, ----------->

I'm setting my sights on more travel and less location dependence in the future (keep your eyes on the newsletters for a special New Year's destination // bodywork opportunity!). I'm narrowing my intent for the astrology part of things: offering readings to college-aged young adults and people seeking purpose during formative phases; and revamping the New Moon Boxes to become sun sign care packages (or something like that??).

While i still battle Imposter Syndrome, and often fixate on how my business can be better, do more, and offer more meaningful help... I also feel that the quality of my work and career are at a whole new level! Now my daydreams revolve around hosting small groups & business development mentoring for massage therapists in their first 5 years; creating media kits & at home care plans that walk people through the problems, solutions, and new habits to change the foundations of the most common postural ailments; and finally getting meaningful content up on the ole YouTube.

This is a long ramble down the path of 'my' achievements, and most of the above sentences start with "I". But I wouldn't be anywhere close to where I am right now without the help of many dozens (tens of dozens? is that a thing?) of people farther along the path who've helped me. I am endlessly grateful to the many mentors, family members & friends, bodyworkers, acupuncturists, therapists, business coaches, bosses, podcast hosts & interviewees, life coaches, free training offer-ers, software customer service pros, and hardworking peers who said "I wanna make a thing that might make someone else's life easier." I literally couldn't do what I do without you.

The road has not been easy, and when I really calm my mind I notice that the overhanging cloud of fear & uncertainty of pandemic life (let alone the basic challenges of being a solopreneur) are definitely still there. But I feel buoyed by faith in the seen and unseen forces that guide me, and the network of amazing peers and clients who keep showing up! Thank you to everyone who's been an important part of this journey. And thank you to everyone who yet will be a part of Souljourner's path.

With endless love & gratitude,

- Eli