To Our Community, With Love

July Edition: Coming Home

Hello,

Today is my birthday. :)

And as one often does around birthdays, I have been reflecting. On all of the beautiful experiences this past year has held. On the dreams and visions I am carrying into the year ahead.

There is so much to be grateful for, and so much I am looking forward to.

But this year, I am not only reminiscing about where I have been or imagining where I may be going next. I am also taking time to witness who I am today.

The woman I am today is not the same woman she was one year ago, and she surely will not be the same one year from now. That is part of what makes her so precious.

The more life I live, the more I understand that the most sacred moment of all is this present one.

And when I truly witness this current version of myself, I feel more at home than I ever have before.

Home has been my guiding word for 2026.

For me, home is not a place. It is a feeling of arrival.

Like cozying into yourself. Settling into where you are. Softening into life itself.

Home is also a feeling of belonging.

It is being seen, held, and loved exactly as you are, without having to earn it. It is knowing you do not have to pretend to be anything you are not, because who you are is already enough.

This intention of coming home has been quietly shaping the way I meet myself, the way I nourish and move my body, the way I approach my relationships, and the way I show up in my work.

I am learning to move through life with less pushing and less pressure to make myself, other people, or the present moment somehow better. I am learning to rest more fully in who I am and to receive the joy and beauty that are already here, without always needing to make them more.

I am learning to relate to my body with less judgment and less pressure to perfect it. I welcome food as nourishment. I move when movement feels supportive, and I rest when rest is what I need.

I am learning not to expect my energy and capacity to look the same every day. I am allowing myself to move with the seasons of my body and the seasons of the natural world.

I am learning to notice when I overgive or lose myself in relationships, and to create more space for mutual care, honesty, and respect. I am also learning to second-guess myself less, to trust my presence, my wisdom, and the experiences that have shaped me, and to show up for the work I am here to do with integrity and reverence.

In many ways, it feels as though all the living and healing I have done have allowed me to arrive more fully in my own life.

And still, I know that home is not a destination.

It is not about reaching the perfect place and hoping we can stay there forever.

Coming home is a process.

Ever are we straying so that we can return. Forgetting so that we can remember.

That is the beauty of it.

Because I am just as human as anyone. I still make mistakes. Old patterns and old stories still find their way back in. The difference is that I can recognize them more quickly now. I can meet those parts of myself with greater awareness and compassion, and the journey back no longer feels quite so far.

I am deeply grateful for that.

Because it feels so, so good to keep coming home. Again and again. Each time uncovering another layer of beauty I did not know was there. Another expression of joy. Another depth of love.

And in the end, this letter is not simply an opportunity for me to celebrate who I am becoming.

It is an invitation for you to witness who you are becoming, too.

What are you ready to come home to?

Perhaps it is your body. Your voice. Your joy. Your softness. Your strength. Your creativity. Your truth. Perhaps it is a part of yourself you have neglected, silenced, or believed you had to leave behind.

Coming home does not require you to overhaul your life.

It begins with one honest, meaningful, courageous step toward what feels truly aligned for you.

Step by step, you begin to walk yourself home.

No matter how long you have been walking this path, trust that you are already on your way.

I know this path of healing is not always easy. I see the time, energy, courage, and devotion it asks of you. I see the ways you continue showing up even when progress feels slow, life becomes full, or old patterns return.

Please know that none of those moments mean you have lost your way.

Every time you listen inward, honor what you need, speak your truth, offer yourself compassion, or choose what is aligned over what is expected, you are returning.

And on my birthday, I simply want to thank you for allowing me to walk with you.

There is no greater gift I could receive than your trust, your openness, and your humanity.

My life is more beautiful because I get to know you, witness you, and care for you.

Wherever you are on your journey, I hope you know what an honor it is to walk beside you.

Thank you for being here.

With love and reverence,

Dr. Marisa