Life Is the Occasion: The Beautiful, Brutal Art of Holding the Darkness, Creating the Magic, and Being Fully Alive

Life is tender and messy and miraculous all at once. In this solo episode, Emily invites you into a reflection on the beautiful, brutal art of holding it all—the grief and the gratitude, the darkness and the light, the exhaustion and the quiet magic of simply being alive. Fresh off a transformative retreat and deep in the waves of pregnancy, she opens up about what it means to sit in discomfort without needing to fix it, to honor both the shadows and the blessings, and to find holiness in the wholeness of being human. This is an episode about slowing down enough to feel it all—to remember that life itself is the occasion, not something to earn once everything feels perfect. Emily explores the tension between what’s hard and what’s holy, sharing personal stories of grief, rage, beauty, and creativity. She reflects on the conditioning that teaches women to smile through pain, the ways we hide behind optimism, and the freedom that comes when we finally allow ourselves to be seen in every shade of our truth. This conversation is an offering—a reminder that your presence, your essence, and your being are enough. You don’t have to rush through this season or mask the hard parts. You get to hold the darkness, create the magic, and call it all sacred. In this episode, I explore:The beautiful and brutal truth of being fully alive — learning to hold both joy and grief, light and shadow, beauty and chaos as sacred parts of the human experienceThe power of sitting in discomfort without bypassing it, fixing it, or rushing it, and how this practice deepens emotional intelligence, presence, and embodimentHow pregnancy, physical limitations, and seasons of surrender can become portals for personal growth, compassion, and feminine wisdomThe conditioning that teaches women to “be fine,” to smile through pain, and to disconnect from their truth, and how to reclaim your wholeness by allowing yourself to feel it allThe sacred work of shadow integration and self-trust—how to hold rage, grief, and sadness without shame and see them as gateways to authenticity and powerThe healing energy of sisterhood, nurturance, and creativity, and how gathering in safe, intentional spaces reminds us that we were never meant to do life aloneWhat it means to live from wholeness instead of chasing it—remembering that your worth isn’t earned through productivity, perfection, or performanceHow to cultivate intentionality and ritual in everyday life by bringing presence, beauty, and creativity into the small, ordinary momentsWhy living an aligned, soul-led life is both mystical and mundane, and how to honor your humanity as deeply as your divinityA gentle reminder that life itself is the occasion—an invitation to slow down, feel deeply, and celebrate the sacredness of being here now Be sure to hit subscribe so you never miss the latest episode! Connect with Emily:Website: www.EmilyReuschel.comInstagram: @emilyreuschelFacebook: Emily ReuschelLinkedIn: Emily ReuschelJoin my Book Insiders List: Sign up here! Resources and Links:Episode 119 | How to Create...