Becoming Unshakable: Channeling Inner Strength While Moving Forward After Loss
Episode 24: Becoming Unshakable
This episode talks about what happens when you declare what you want. I talk about my vision for the future and how I’m channeling my inner strength as I move forward after the loss of my dad. I share my experience of working with the energy of the Universe in order to evolve and settle into this new identity.
Episode Details
Summary
In this episode, I’m reflecting on what happened after I declared that I was beginning to feel rooted and unshakable in this new season of life. Almost immediately, life began to mirror that declaration back to me through obstacles, challenges, and moments that asked me to see just how steady I have become.
I share about a recent knitting retreat on San Juan Island and how the experience brought forward both joy and grief. While the retreat itself was beautiful and deeply nourishing, it also helped me recognize that I’m no longer in the same season of adventure and travel that I once was. What used to feel like a core part of my identity has shifted, and I’m learning to honor the quieter life that feels true for me now.
I also reflect on how grief continues to shape me and how signs of my dad’s presence appeared throughout the weekend. His absence was felt deeply, but so was the growth that has come from carrying that grief over the past year. In the midst of discomfort, I was able to see how much stronger and more capable I have become.
This episode is about understanding that declarations often invite life to show us what we’re ready to embody. When we claim a new identity or vision for ourselves, the universe may bring forward the very challenges that help us grow into it. These moments are not punishments or setbacks. They are opportunities to release what no longer fits and trust what is taking root.
This episode is for you if…
You’re ready to embrace your own strength and become an anchor for yourself
You’re claiming a new identity and shifting into a new era of life
You’re in a season of transition and want to feel less alone
You’re experiencing grief and learning how to integrate it into your life
You’re ready to let go of hustle and over-achieving in pursuit of a quieter life
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Welcome to The Shoreline, where we explore the tender in-between seasons of the human experience. My name is Kim, and I'm here to support you as you navigate your next becoming. Here, we don't fix, we listen. We don't rush, we allow. Hello, and welcome to today's episode. If you're new here, I'm so glad that you found The Shoreline, and if you're returning, welcome back. So last week, I spoke about this imagery of being a tree that was uprooted and being untethered for a season, and now I'm shifting into rooting into where I am now in this new place. And funny enough, I declared that I felt unshakable. And this is where things get really interesting. I love to kind of think about things on an energetic level. And when you make kind of a declaration like that, the universe is kind of like, great, I'm gonna show that to you. I'm gonna mirror that back and show you how unshakable you are. So I feel like after I made that declaration, this whole last week has been just a time of really seeing that through and seeing what comes up. And there were a lot of obstacles kind of presented to me and a lot that I had to work through. And that's kind of what I want to talk about today. So let's kind of go back over the weekend. I went to a knitting retreat. Knitting is something that I've been able to do for most of my life, but it was mostly just hats and scarves. And I was just kind of like a dabbler in knitting, and jewelry was kind of the primary thing that I liked to do. And then a couple years ago, I got this really intense desire to start knitting again, and I really wanted to make socks, and then that led to making my first sweater. And now it's something that really brings me a lot of joy and actually has brought me a lot of community. I have my local yarn store, and I love going to the knit nights that they host, and I've been able to meet a lot of lovely people and really find connection through knitting. So I went on this retreat over the weekend. It was up in San Juan Island, so it was a drive from Seattle up to catch the ferry, and then about an hour ferry ride to the island. And the retreat took place on this beautiful farm. It was so idyllic. It was just so beautiful. There were foxes and deer and so many birds. We spent most of our time in this beautiful gathering space with big bifold doors that were open, and we could just kind of like look out onto the farm while knitting. And it was really just such a joyful time. And my goal was really just to see how much I could get done and really just to take a break from everything and just clear my mind and knit. And while I was on that retreat, so much came forward for me. I think I was really, really had to do a lot more shedding. So what's interesting is in my 20s and even in my early 30s, I really was in a season of adventure. I loved to travel. I still love to travel. There are places all over the world that I would love to return to. But I did a fair amount of traveling and exploring in that season of my life. And what I noticed during this retreat is that I had a wonderful time, and I'm so glad I did it, but I really was craving home. And I could actually feel that, like, physically in my body. Like, I don't I just don't travel well these days. I get really motion sick. So being in a car and then being on a boat and then being back in a car, kind of navigating curvy island roads, I got pretty pretty motion sick. And then just being out of my environment in a new space, you know, sleeping in a new place, I just was really out of sorts. And so that was something that I really needed to kind of face and process. I've known, you know, that I really haven't been prioritizing, like international travel or kind of getting on a plane. I used to take multiple international trips every year and then slowly kind of during COVID and in the last few years, I've really just let that go. And I've wanted to be home and really spend time with my dog, Yoshi, especially since she's kind of getting older. And I just found myself not craving travel in the same way. And it's interesting because even more local travel, staying in the same state, I was only a few hours away from home, just even being out of my environment was not as aligning as I thought it would be. So for the whole trip, I was pretty physically out of sorts. My sleep schedule was weird. I had a hard time being in motion in the car. And as a result, I really just kind of stayed put on the farm. And I opted out of a lot of the retreat activities, which I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. I really kind of fulfilled what I was hoping to get out of it, which was spend a lot of time knitting, meet new people, make friends, kind of deepen the relationships I already have. And that kind of came true. So that was, I think, just almost an opportunity to really let go of that traveler, adventurous identity and be like, that's just not where I'm at right now. I am this tree that's rooting into the ground, and I don't want to be in motion so much. I really want to be in my routine, in my environment. Even leading up to the retreat, I had to shift my schedule around because I left on a Thursday. And just even that whole week being out of my routine just felt weird. Like I really just, I really didn't like it. And so it was interesting because I've always really claimed that, that adventurous piece and wanted to, it just felt like it was a core part of who I was and what made me interesting and special and to really let that go, it was hard. And I think I was feeling a little bit disoriented with kind of letting that go. Also on the retreat, a lot of grief came up. I was really missing my dad. I saw a lot of little signs that really just reminded me of him. And I just really, I talked about him a lot more, and he just felt really present, and his absence felt really present. And so there were a lot of feelings I was moving through as well. I just needed to honor that grief as part of who I am now, and part of this tree that is rooting. So that was really beautiful, and I had such a lovely time. I felt really relaxed. As much as I was kind of physically going through it with the motion sickness and just having a weird sleep schedule, I felt really at peace, and I enjoyed it so much. And then as soon as I came home, some more little triggers popped up. I feel like when I made that declaration, energetically, I was kind of showing the universe and my surroundings, like this is who I am now. I am unshakable. And then all the little things that could maybe come in and try and shake me a little bit showed up. And I really had to test that for myself, of when I'm faced with challenges and obstacles and these things that make me kind of shift back into survival mode and shift back into fear, when those things arise, like how am I going to handle them? And I did, I'm not going to lie, I did spend some time kind of like spinning out and getting really worked up. But then I did have that aha moment of like, oh my gosh, I made that declaration, I am unshakable, and now the universe is showing me that's true and is kind of pushing me. It just felt like a windstorm coming in and blowing the branches and just seeing like, okay, am I really firmly rooted in this new identity and who I am now? And I really saw just how unshakable I am and how much I've grown. Even just in the last year, there were a lot of kind of things that came up having to do with my dad's passing. And it just, I saw an experience, just how capable I am and how much I've learned over the past year. And that's such an interesting part of the in-between season of really growing, really working, and being connected energetically is like when you are trying to manifest something or claim a new identity, like the universe is going to show you, it's a mirror and it's going to bring forth the challenges and the obstacles and the things you need to work through to get to where you want to go. Kind of when I spoke about last week, that vision of the farm life and really being at peace and what I wanted, I had to go through everything I had to go through to allow that to come to fruition. I had no idea when I said I wanted a peaceful farm life and to be a writer, that it meant letting go of my jewelry company, that it meant kind of letting go of being an adventurer, a traveler, that it meant kind of having to go through this intense level of grief. But all of those things brought me to my vision and to what I wanted. And, you know, I couldn't, I saw the vision and the feeling I wanted, but I didn't necessarily understand the path that it would take to get there. And I think that's also just the beautiful part of life and the human experience is like you, you can know something to be true. You can go after your goals, your dreams, your manifestations, and you're still not really gonna know how it'll all play out. And that's really the magic of it all, I think. I love that I can be surprised and I don't know how I'm gonna get there, even though, you know, what I want and my vision is often like very clear. And no, I didn't ultimately want to live on a farm with a bunch of animals and live in a rural environment, but that level of peace, that sense of community, the access to nature, those were all the core pieces of what I wanted. And that's kind of what came forward and where I landed. And so, you know, when you're in an in-between season and when you're going through it, I wonder if you can kind of like zoom out and reflect back on like what did I actually say I wanted? What did I declare? And how are these challenges and obstacles shaping me and bringing me closer to that vision because that's what's actually happening. You know, you have so much power, you have agency, you have free will, and oftentimes we forget that, especially when we're rooted in survival and fear. And that's not to minimize whatever it is you might be going through. It's more to show you that like, yes, challenges, obstacles, these things are going to come up, and you are powerful. You are so much more powerful than you believe, and you can handle it. And can you just take a moment to really think about, okay, how is this serving my overall vision, what I'm working towards, what I'm dreaming about, what I say I want? And I just wonder if by making those connections, it might make what you're going through just a little bit easier, or just even offer you a slightly different perspective. And so just to kind of recap, I had such a flowy bit of time, and up into that point where I made that declaration, and then it did get a little rocky and wavy, but I think just even kind of recognizing that what was happening is that the universe was showing me what I needed to let go of, and it brought me things I needed to work through. It helped me move through that challenge and that grittiness so much faster. And I'll be honest with you, the last few days have been intense, and I've gone to bed thinking, wow, that was a hard day. It's not like it's all roses over here. Challenge is challenge. And yet, I'm able to move through it faster because I recognize this is kind of what I asked for, and this is part of that declaration of being an unshakable tree. Right? So you may not be able to necessarily change the circumstances or the details. You have to move through it. And you have the capacity to really zoom out and move through it faster. You don't have to linger there. And I think that survival and fear can really keep us somewhere longer than we need to be. And that's kind of the purpose of it. I think when we're in a season of change, when we're in the in-between, our nervous system really is trying to bring us back to like a homeostasis. So it's going to bring you back to what feels familiar, even if it doesn't feel that great, right? There's like that familiar, known kind of pain or discomfort. And then there's the discomfort of shifting into something new. And being able to distinguish between the two and recognize which one you're in is such a useful skill. And the hope is that you're in the type of discomfort that's bringing you closer to what you want, to your dreams, to your vision for your life. And just know that obstacles are going to come up. It's part of the process, but you can also move through it quickly if you want. Like you get to choose how you move through it, and you get to choose how you might shift your path or if you continue down it. And again, it's really important to honor who you are on a soul level and what feels genuine and authentic to you. You know, I may not be in a season of adventure and travel right now, but I'm always growing and changing. And I know that I'll return to that part of myself. It's more of like a see you later than a complete like disconnection and letting go. And it's so interesting because I feel like even, even a year ago, two years ago, I wouldn't have been able to really share that I'm not in a season of travel. I would have kind of been like, oh, I love traveling. I, these are all the places I want to go. And while that is true, I would love to go back to Australia. I would love to return to Paris. I want to go back to Japan. But that's not really what I'm being drawn to right now. And to just say like, hey, I'm in a season of like really loving where I'm at, and I want to be in my routine and kind of live, you know, a quieter life. It feels a little bit vulnerable. As much as it feels true, it feels it feels vulnerable to to share that because it's not as exciting or interesting. But it's like the reality is like I love my home. I love my garden. I love my view. I like what I'm doing each day. I like my routine. I like being in a routine. I love just like quietly knitting. And I love the idea of being able to make my own clothes. And that's just where I'm at right now. And it may not be exciting or flashy. It's not kind of this roller coaster existence, but it's what's true to me. And I know that even in the quiet and the peace, I'm always growing and changing. And as much as I'm shifting into more of a stable season, the in-between is always there. And that's what happens when you are growing and changing. You enter into in-between seasons kind of constantly. And they may look different from one another, and that's OK. So I just would encourage you to continue to honor what your soul is calling you to, and to honor where you're at, and to know that when obstacles arise, when challenge arises, when you might kind of be in a fearful state, know that it's shaping you, and that you are powerful and strong. And if you have the courage to really face it and take it on head on, you'll move through it so much faster. So that's what I have for you today. If you've been feeling like you're stuck and you're not sure what's next, like you're somewhere in between who you once were and who you want to become, just know you don't have to figure it out alone, and you're not alone. Whatever it is you're going through, you're truly not alone. I'd love to chat with you to learn more about you and your next unfolding. Know that I am really here for you, and if you want, you can schedule time to chat with me on my website or through the link in the show notes. So I hope you take good care while the waves carry you closer and know that your next version is already waiting on the shore.
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Kim Kogane is a writer and intuitive guide helping you navigate the tender in-between seasons. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her dog, Cauchy, and three cats. Learn more about Kim.
