How to survive these times without losing your Soul
The part of you that was built for this...
If you grew up in a chaotic environment, you may have been uniquely prepared for the times we are navigating right now.
This thought came from a podcast conversation I just had with Laura Matsue Guenther. Have you watched it yet? If not you can check it out HERE. This one is a must listen. More about it below.
I know that the first sentence might have stirred some things in you.
If you relate to growing up in chaos (whether that was your family of origin, your culture, your neighborhood, etc.) there’s probably a part of you that dislikes the idea that any of it may have resulted in a gift.
Chaos usually disrupts your nervous system. It leaves emotional injuries and coping strategies you wish you didn’t have to carry. It also shapes your relationship with safety, trust, and how much of yourself you’re willing to reveal.
Can you relate?
If you know some of my personal story, you may know that I grew up in a rough neighborhood in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon (a country in the Central region of Africa). Growing up in the late 80s/90s was chaotic to say the least, especially in an unstable region.
That was just my normal.
I didn’t know my nervous system was being trained to function inside unpredictability. I didn’t know I was learning (out of pure survival) how to engineer my own peace when everything around me was volatile… But I was.
And when I look at the times we are navigating now (the political unraveling, the economic instability, the systems that are visibly cracking) sometimes I feel weirdly calm.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not Master Yoda. Some things piss me off greatly. I lose my shit more times than I’d like to admit.
But underneath the reactivity, there is a steadiness that keeps showing up. A part of me that knows how to not lose itself when chaos arrives.
Initially I thought it might be a form of dissociation or bypassing. I thought maybe I should be more outraged. Maybe something is wrong with the fact that I rarely give into panic.
Then during a session with a mentor, he named my upbringing and the chaos I grew up inside.
And he said: You grew up seeing some of the darkest expressions of humanity. No wonder you seem to have more ease navigating the collective chaos today.
That made sense.
I’ve had to face and integrate (and still do) the chaos inside of me: my hypervigilance, the guardedness and the parts of me that learned to keep it together on the surface while everything underneath is screaming…
I didn’t realize that was the training at first. Today it helps me to keep my heart open when things feel volatile and even a bit desperate at times.
That integration has been one of the hardest and most ongoing practices of my journey so far.
So when Laura shared on the podcast a version of the first sentence I wrote in this essay, I felt SEEN. And I know that podcast will be illuminating for you too.
The episode felt somewhat prophetic. I know it’s a big word, and I don’t use it lightly here.
Some of the things you resented most about your upbringing may have been a curriculum uniquely preparing you for the times we are living now.
This week on the Enheartened podcast
I’m joined by Laura Matsue Guenther, an evolutionary astrologer and psycho-spiritual coach with a deep devotion to integrative work.
In this conversation, we explore what happens when every system you relied on (political, spiritual, familial, etc.) starts to collapse, and why the people who grew up navigating chaos may be the most prepared for what’s ahead. Laura brings a refreshing and sobering take to the conversation about where we are collectively, what the next four years will demand, and what it actually takes to stay sovereign through it all.
In this episode, we cover:
Why the collapse of old systems is a necessary phase — and how to move with it instead of against it
How your unresolved parent wounds show up in your relationship with power, politics, and authority
The difference between spiritual bypassing and genuine embodiment — and why one keeps you stuck
What the shift from victim consciousness to warrior energy means for your life right now
How to stay grounded in your true self when the world around you is unraveling
Episode 26 of ENHEARTENED with Laura Matsue Guenther is live!
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Thank you for being here.
In gratitude,
- Xavier