Connection begins within…

There’s something about summer that invites us to slow down.

The days stretch a little longer.
The evenings linger.
Children are out of school.
Schedules soften, even if only a little.

And somewhere in the middle of all of that, I find myself asking:

How do I want to spend this summer?

My answer keeps coming back to one word:

Connection.
Connection with nature.
Connection with friends.
Connection with the community.
Connection with our children.
Connection with ourselves.

Over the past several Village gatherings, we’ve been exploring what it means to reconnect with ourselves. Learning about our parts, discovering SELF, understanding self-worth, caring for our nervous systems, and finding simple ways to nourish ourselves.

I’ve come to believe this:

The relationship we have with ourselves shapes every other relationship in our lives.

When we feel disconnected from ourselves, it’s hard to be fully present with anyone else.
We find ourselves reacting instead of responding.
Going through the motions instead of truly being there.
Carrying so much that there’s little space left to receive the people we love.
Been there many times..especially recently with my illness.

But when we begin to reconnect with ourselves, even in small ways, we naturally begin showing up differently.

We listen differently.
We respond differently.
We parent differently.
We live differently.

What I see as I leave my house.

One of the greatest gifts of creating The Village has been watching women gather together…

Someone shares something vulnerable.
Another person says, “Me too.”
A conversation begins.
Ideas are exchanged.
Encouragement is offered.
And the conversation goes to places we couldn’t have even imagined.

And little by little, we remember that we were never meant to do life on our own. Hence.. the Village. And now..

That realization is part of what inspired me to create the VillageTribe—a space where our conversations can continue between our monthly Village gatherings.

A place to ask questions, share resources, celebrate wins, and simply stay connected with one another.

As I’ve been reflecting on connection this week, I’ve realized …

It doesn’t always require a plan.
It doesn’t need an agenda, a presentation, or a perfectly organized event.

When I started The Village last year, I didn’t know exactly what it would become. I simply knew I wanted to create a space where women could gather. Since then, it has continued to grow and evolve alongside our community, from our monthly gatherings to the addition of the Tribe, where we can stay connected between meetings.

Sometimes, the connection looks like that.
And sometimes it’s even simpler.

Last night, I met up with a few families at a local farmers’ market, which I was planning to visit anyway. It became a fun family activity instead of a chore.

Sometimes all it takes is sharing a cup of coffee… or tea.

So if you’re local, I’d love to invite you to something similar.

A few of us who are members of Polka Dot Powerhouse simply enjoy meeting other wonderful women in the area, so we’re getting together on Thursday, July 9, at a local coffee shop.

No agenda.
No expectations.
Just women gathering over coffee, tea, and conversation.

If that sounds like something your heart could use, I’d love to see you there.
Perhaps this is your reminder that connection doesn’t have to be complicated—it simply begins by showing up.

Our next Village gathering is on Saturday, July 18, where we’ll continue our Summer of Connection with SELF with guest speaker Kim Gray.

Together we’ll explore how movement can become another way of caring for ourselves—one that fits naturally into everyday life.

I’ll share more about that next week.

Until then, I hope you find a little space this week for whatever helps you feel more connected.

Maybe that’s a walk outside.
A conversation with a friend.
Or simply a quiet moment with yourself.

With gratitude,

Dr. Priyanka Venkataraman

Founder, Wayfinding Moms

P.S. If you missed our Village conversation on The Nervous System & Gut Health Connection with Kelly Teal, the replay is now available.