1. The Podcast Reboot: Welcome!

In this episode, here are a handful of topics mentioned:

02:58: Navigating how to show up with authenticity

04:15: Discovering and embracing our authenticity as LGBTQ+ women

05:35: Examining the critical work of being who we are and rising through it together

06:43: Believing that creativity can change this world

Virginia James [00:00:02]:
Welcome to the Sappic Rising(TM), where we embody our creative muse, our wild authenticity, and share in a little bit of rebelliousness. Hey there. It's Virginia James, and it is so good to be back at the microphone. Now you'll notice that between this episode and the last one, there's a gap in time. So I wanna explain that a little bit from a perspective of creative reboots and also if you're new here, I welcome you so much I appreciate you deeply and let me just explain what this is all about. First of all, again, Virginia James that's who I am. I am the CEO and founder of feminine sage wisdom and it started on paper in 2019, and then we all know the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, which is ironically literally the month that things really took off with the pandemic is literally when I went online. So my business in particular it hasn't been around long in terms of fifty or a hundred year celebrations but it's really been a a roller coaster ride we'll say of how to do this work when life happens, when things shift, when the unknown is in front of you.

Virginia James [00:01:19]:
So it's been an interesting journey to say the least. Now what this podcast was originally under was called the zone of purpose, podcast. And it actually more or less stemmed from one of my first programs, my my baby, we'll say, of when I really started to go online, build online presence, and do particular work with women who were essentially looking for their purpose. Right? Things have shifted over the years and that's okay. And I think it's okay when we have those moments of deep clarity, the even the what the fuck do I do now factor, that's fine that is actually the process of evolving the process of looking at where we are truly fulfilled what deeply fulfills us and even though I could talk about zone of purpose, stories, and journeying, and what that process looks like, you know, for days and months and years on end, over the winter, I did some digging. I kinda did some digging about the business in general. I also like, I'll be very honest with you. I'm here based in The United States, and things have shifted significantly, under the leadership, frankly, that we have.

Virginia James [00:02:38]:
Leadership in air quotes. I'll just say that plainly. Business has shifted, and I I don't think I'm the only one. I know that there's other business owners out there going, oh my god. How do we get through this? How do we work through what is happening in our geography and also show up in our authenticity. So over the winter, I was doing a lot of digging. I was doing a lot of soul searching. I was really trying to, admittedly, see where my purpose could be tweaked, how I can show up differently in the way that works for me and those who I truly want to champion and uphold.

Virginia James [00:03:19]:
Let's fast forward. And now here at my desk, I'll admit it. I actually had another podcast going in between the rebrand, I guess, of the last one ending in 2024 with season two. And now this one. I tried it under a different name, and I did a couple episodes. And it it felt alright. It felt alright. But I think you know my spirit guides and my the cosmos and just my soul in general was like let's go a little bit further.

Virginia James [00:03:49]:
And me being me I am very much of the mind and the heart and the soul of saying okay well let's figure this out. So I've taken a little bit of time to sit back and go what does this look like? What can I truly deeply not shut up about? And that is a few different things which we'll keep talking about here on the show. But primarily I identify as an lgbtq plus woman sapphic lesbian and I am here on my own journey that has taken many years to discover. All right? And I and I don't have to go into that deep right now but the point is when I see sapphic women or folks living in their authenticity that is one of the things that just makes me say okay this world's gonna work out we can do this we can handle this okay when I can champion them and support them and have conversations with them that there's no there's no other I don't mean high but I can't think of a better language so let's just use that there's no better high than being in that moment sharing story showing up together and inspiring the listener or you know in the case of me and my books like the reader. So these are just little tidbits and so I did want to share that you know that process of deepening this work. That's what it really is, is deepening the work. And I deeply appreciate you for listening and for being patient when you're like, well, where wait. Where'd Virginia go? Where where's the stories? Where are the things? And so as we continue to do this very critical work of living and being who we are in the ways that we can, it's not always safe.

Virginia James [00:05:43]:
So let's just put that out there too. It's not always safe. So no judgment if if you're in a space, literally a geography, that you cannot be out and or be out and proud or out and loud or however you do it. K? I'm here for you to do that in time. But until that point, we're gonna hang together here. So that is why this podcast is now the reboot, the retake, the whatever what? Act two or three. It is the sapphic rising. That's what this is about.

Virginia James [00:06:17]:
I wanna rise with you. I want you to rise with me and I want our sapphic siblings to rise together and continue to exist. Let's continue to exist because we do. We do. Mhmm. We already do. So let's do it in our creative ways. Let's bring our creativity out in the world because I fucking believe creativity can change this world.

Virginia James [00:06:46]:
I do. I believe it in my bones, and I wanna see how that goes in the future as things unfold, and we're gonna do this together. K? Alright. Let's just call it there. This is essentially the furred first furred. Jeez. The first episode of this reboot. Let's really make this reboot proud.

Virginia James [00:07:05]:
Let's make it loud, although I'm an introvert. Let's make this what it needs to be. Beautiful, real, storytelling, all the things. Alright. I will talk to you soon, and have a beautiful, beautiful day wherever you're at in the world, and I'll be back.