Scents and Sensibility

A talk about Alice in Wonderland and how it’s a metaphor about the loss of childhood innocence, and the pain and awkwardness of adolescence on the way to adulthood. Alice is sometimes too big for the spaces she’s inhabiting, and at other times she’s too small. She ‘s trying to figure out the rules, and exactly how much space she’s allowed to take up. We dive into the White Rabbit quote, “Don’t just do something, stand there!” And how this story is also a metaphor for the times we’re navigating right now. We’re through the looking glass trying to make sense of a world where so many things do not make sense. Meeting yourself where you are is essential. Thanks for spending some time with me. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about the people who love us and want us to be safe. The ones who see us clearly and cherish us exactly as we are - and what an extraordinary blessing it is to have people like that in our lives. Special shoutout to those Grandmas (and Grandpas) who leave an indelible imprint of love in our hearts. And a dive into what it means to be grateful, the importance of boundaries, the pain of feeling betrayed by people who claim to love us, and how certain things should never be transactional. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about Adam and Eve, and all the stories that permeate our culture, teaching us about who we are and how the world works. Some of these stories teach us things about girls and women that it would be very good for us to unlearn. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about what to do when the truth is stranger than fiction. Sometimes the best way to make sense of reality - as unfathomable as it may be - is to turn to mythology, folktales and fairytales. And then figure out how to rise like a phoenix, protect the people you love, and those who need protection, and remember that no one can ever take away the source of your power or your own brand of magic unless you let them. And we aren’t going to let that happen. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about the U.S. election for those who are feeling brokenhearted and appalled. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about the stories we share, the ones we tell ourselves, and the ones we’ll never know because we took a left instead of a right. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about not taking things personally. It’s really hard when people we care about - or even people we don’t know at all - behave in ways that are deeply confusing, hurtful, thoughtless, surprising or lacking in empathy. It can feel like some kind of reflection on us, especially if we’re talking about betrayal or rejection. If you struggle with this (and who doesn’t sometimes), the tale of the scorpion and the frog is a good one, and hopefully this talk will help make it a little easier next time you find yourself questioning your worth or your sanity because of someone else’s behavior. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about learning to take up space in a world that teaches you to be small, to second-guess yourself, to get everything right, and to question your value as a whole human being, worthy of respect, rights, consideration and kindness. Topics include the high cost of perfectionism, complicated mother-daughter relationships, the pain of a loud inner critic, and a path toward self-compassion. They don’t give out awards for being perfect, and being human is a lot more fun.Thanks for reading and listening to Come As You Are! Please share with anyone you like. And I always love your comments. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

This is a talk about making friends with uncertainty. There’s no easy way to ride this ride if you can’t accept that part of being human is being vulnerable. Loving people means you are opening your heart as wide as it will go, knowing that you don’t know all the parameters. You don’t know how long you have, or how long anyone else has here on this spinning planet. Grief is baked into the mix, along with change, loss, and and the understanding that everything is always in flux. Learning to hold things loosely - ideas, plans, and even the people we love most in this world - is a gift life will teach you the easy way or the hard way. This is also a talk about the pain and repercussions of unexpressed emotion, the havoc it can wreak on your physical and emotional well-being when you don’t feel free to express yourself, and the relief that comes when you let things flow. Thanks for reading and listening to Come As You Are! I appreciate your comments and shares so much, and I love being in conversation with you. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe

A talk about grief, loss, change, motherhood, the sandwich generation, the absolutely emotional milestone of dropping your kid off at college, and the very tumultuous political landscape we’re all navigating in the U.S. right now. Also a talk about things we learned in the sandbox, and why we really need to get back to something that is sane and decent, and remember we are all neighbors on a spinning planet, going through so many similar challenges and heartbreaks. Also, “scents” will only make sense if you read the essay!Thanks for reading and listening to Come As You Are! The podcasts are companion pieces to the essays each week. I love being in conversation with you, and am always interested in your thoughts and feelings. Get full access to Come As You Are at allyhamilton.yogisanonymous.com/subscribe