September.

There's something about September.

The air is changing here in the foothills. The days are getting a little shorter. The nights are finally cooling off. Summer is slowly making space for fall, and I can feel myself doing the same.

I've always loved change.

Maybe it's a Pisces thing, but I've never been one to settle. I've always been a seeker. Seeking what opportunities are out there. Manifesting while also doing the work. Dreaming big, but understanding that dreams ask something of us in return.

And here I am again, standing at the beginning of another grand leap.

I've been thinking a lot about Hanuman lately. About the leap. About standing at the edge of something that feels impossible until you remember who you are. A leap of faith. A leap of devotion. A leap toward your dharma.

I'm reminding myself that courage isn't the absence of fear.

Fear and hope get to exist together.

One asks, "What if this doesn't work?"

The other whispers, "But what if it does?"

I've realized I actually love starting over. It never feels like I'm starting from scratch. It feels like I'm starting again with the support of the people I love, the experiences that have shaped me, and a deep knowing that this next step is exactly where I'm meant to be.

If you haven't already heard, I'll be leaving the foothills on September 15.

Before I get into what's next, I just want to say thank you.

San Francisco gave me a version of myself I'll always be grateful for. It gave me incredible teachers. It gave me the opportunity to study deeply, complete my teacher trainings, run two yoga studios, and become part of communities that changed my life forever.

It was where I found my shadows.

It was where I found my light.

Somewhere in the middle of all of that...I found me. Or at least the version of me that was meant for that chapter.

Then came the foothills.

This place offered something completely different.

It taught me how to slow down.

How to live with less.

It taught me to appreciate resources in a way I never had before while living off grid.

It taught me what it feels like to be deeply loved.

It taught me compassion.

Curiosity.

Presence.

Joy.

I don't think I could have become the person writing this letter without this chapter of my life.

I'm leaving this land a different person than the one who arrived, and I can't think of a greater gift than that.

So...here we go. The next chapter of the Axel story.

On September 15, I'll be heading to Fort Lauderdale to spend the next few months supporting my soul brother Adam, along with my dear friends Leslie and Faith, at The Heart Yoga.

I'm so excited for this journey.

I've spent the last fifteen years on the West Coast, and I'm genuinely excited to experience life in Florida. Never thought I'd be saying that. 😂 But I believe so deeply in what my friends are creating there, and I'm incredibly grateful to be part of it.

Then, on January 1, another dream begins.

I've accepted a contract to become a resident facilitator at Qasa, a queer men's retreat center tucked into Costa Rica's Diamante Valley.

I honestly can't think of a better way to begin a new year. To spend my days facilitating movement, conversation, healing, and community for queer people, in queer spaces, feels like one of the greatest honors of my life.

I'll be there through the end of June.

And then...

Who knows?

And honestly, that feels pretty amazing.

Lately I've been asking myself one question.

"What am I offering, and what am I receiving?"

The answer that's been coming up is this:

I'm offering comfort in exchange for a dream.

I'm offering certainty in hopes of receiving possibility.

I'm offering one version of myself so I can meet another that shines even brighter.

If I could leave you with anything as we move into this next season, it would be this.

Lean into uncertainty, ya'll. We never really know what tomorrow holds.

Do things that scare you. The things that ask the most of us often give the most back. One of my teachers once told me "If it doesnt scare you, it s probably not for you."

Say yes. Say yes with integrity. And remember that every yes is also a no to something else. Make sure you're saying yes to the life you actually want to live.

I hope you'll continue following along.

I'll still be sharing weekly movement videos on my FYS YouTube channel, popping on for livestreams, and sharing this next adventure as it unfolds. I have no doubt there will be stories worth telling. https://www.youtube.com/@FYS-Move

Thank you for being here.

Thank you for practicing with me, believing in me, laughing with me, crying with me, dancing with me, and reminding me, over and over again, that community changes everything.

Go chase your dreams, friends. We only get to be here once.

When the path finally reveals itself, all that matters is taking the first step. I've come to believe that when we leap with intention, the destination has a funny way of meeting us exactly where we're meant to be.

With so much love,

Axel