I spent last week in Savannah with a client who’s shifting her focus from her successful career to the kind of business that brings her deep joy and adventure.

We spent time shifting old patterns of scarcity, uncovering beautiful childhood memories, and painting a sunset in watercolor. The whole trip was truly remarkable.

And then I came home to this:

• Huffiness over the Pantone color of the year being Mocha Mousse
• A health insurance CEO was assassinated in NYC
• The Canadian postal service is on strike right before the holidays
• Another city invasion in Syria

The disparity between the “high vibe” energy I’ve been sitting in all week and what the world is feeling isn’t lost on me.

Yet, I also know that we can all get swept up into thinking that the news of the world is the news of “us,” which isn’t exactly true.

As we all form and share our opinions about the election, our healthcare system, which side of the war is right, holidays with our families, outrage with our neighbors, and even color choices, I wonder how those opinions would look differently if we were all truly thinking for ourselves.

I’m sure you know at least one person who has a tendency to parrot the latest headline out of context, or someone who always finds a way to pivot a conversation toward their political position of the day.

The truth is, we all fall prey to these tendencies—in ways we can’t see. While it’s obvious to us when someone else is doing it, our own blind spots are so out of focus they blend into reality.

While I was on the retreat last week, we hired a private tour in this beautiful vintage French car to show us around the city.

Our driver, who looked like a man straight out of the 70’s, showed us the squares and parks and cemeteries (did you know that the tombs were set up to look like beds complete with headboards and footboards?). We heard all the history of the city and the founder of the state of Georgia, Mr Oglethorpe.

Then he drove by the biggest tree in Savannah, known as the Candler Oak, and said:

“This is the biggest tree, but no one knows how old it is.”

I responded, “I’m sure someone does. That’s what arborists are for.”

Without missing a beat, he said (matter-of-factly):
​“the only way to find out the age of a tree is to cut it down.”

Now, I know this is false because one of my dearest friends and Brilliant Rebels is an arborist. She’s taught me all about the live oaks near my home and has helped me discover many fun facts, including how an arborist can tell the age of a tree.

So here’s how this happened:

This tour guide, at some point, had heard (somewhere, from someone) that no one knows the age of the tree. And when he heard that, he decided that it was true.

I, on the other hand, had heard something different from a source I trusted, and I wanted to be sure he knew he was spreading misinformation.

Does this make me right?

Not at all.

But it opens a discussion. It creates an opportunity for learning, and for growth.

How often do we share knowledge we THINK we know, yet we don’t have a reliable source?

How often do we hear something on social media and believe it’s true?

How often are we taking what other people say out of context, only to share it with others?

How often are we responding to inflammatory posts that are just there to get us riled up?

This is why Dan & I launched The Brilliant Rebellion.

Because everything we know to be TRUE isn’t necessarily TRUTH.

Because many of the things we’ve learned about the world are someone else’s misinformed belief or idea.

Because we are taught to follow the rules and do what we’re told.

Because we’re NOT taught to think for ourselves.

​The Brilliant Rebellion is a community of free-thinkers been designed to help you break out of the boxes the world put you in and color outside the lines your education taught you to stay within. This community of diverse thought was created to support you in developing your own sense of self while finding out what you really believe.

With two live Soul Mixers hosted every month (sooo many topics already posted for you here) and two weeks of discussions in between, our community gets you thinking for yourself alongside others who are doing the same!

SAVE THE DATE: We even have a live & in-person event planned for March 9-11 near Austin, TX so you can meet people in the community.

We set up this community to have a safe space to discuss off-limits topics, share a willingness to disagree and discuss, share your own experience, and start finding new sources of information–from your own intuition to verified facts.

So, kick off the new year with people just like you who want to think for themselves and turn 2025 into the year you find your Soul Family.

Check out the details and Apply Today!

xoxo
Melanie (& Dan)

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