Building Self Love is like Climbing a Mountain
Welcome to Kokoro, where twice a month I send you thoughtfully chosen resources to help you get more of what you want through empowered decision making and improved self talk.
In this issue:
- An AI-users ladder — which level is right for you? 🤖
- You have to really want to climb this mountain 🏔️
- Some of the fruits of my way overbooked April 📸😍
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Want to grab time with me? You can do that here too.
🌸 Erin
P.S. Take a peek at my new website! erinwarner.net
Click the Links for Resources I’ve Found Valuable Lately
AI Round-Up
1. Easy: Boardy AI
My first interactions with Boardy AI gave that feeling of wonder and delight that well-designed tech is capable of. First, it’s so easy to use. Give it your phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile. It will text you via WhatsApp and ask you what you want help with. It’s primarily a match-maker, introducing Person A who wants X to Person B who does X. That in itself has been fun, as I’ve had some fascinating calls with professionals around the world whom I would have never met otherwise.
Next, if you chat with Boardy AI, it will give you pretty decent advice on how to revise your LinkedIn bio, what copy to put on your website, how to approach podcast hosts, etc. If your professional needs are different from mine, just ask, I’m sure it will have angles for you too.
How is this different from chatting with Claude or Gemini, etc? Not sure. Maybe it’s just the novelty of chatting via WhatsApp, but it “feels” different.
Speaking of novelty, Boardy will also call you for a live call. No spoilers, but try it!
2. Intermediate: Personal Architect
My friend Alex Habiby is a whiz. In addition to being a comedy impresario and pure delight, he happens to build statewide software systems, serving tens of millions of people, supporting food inspections, disease surveillance, and ensuring your local recreational camps are safe.
And he wants you to know that with the current state of AI, you too can build systems that will support your goals the way his state-wide systems support states. It’s attainable, and he will guide you. Check out his Personal Architect course launching in July.
I would love to be in this cohort, and am delaying only because I’ll be in Italy (yay!) and the time zone difference would make it hard to fully participate. But if you’re in North or South America this summer, and you’re enthusiastic about using AI to make your life easier, there’s no reason not to get in touch with Alex and see if this is a good fit! (Not a paid advertisement, lol. If you know me, you know that everything here is offered in the sincere spirit of mutual uplift! And if you don’t know me, welcome! Glad you’re here!)
3. Advanced: Get Stuff Done Camp
This one aims to be practical, like Alex’s offer above, but it also spends time teaching “first principles” about software that will make you a more effective AI user. Cohorts are starting on a rolling basis. More info here: https://gsdcamp.ai
The instructor, John Davison, is someone I recently had a networking call with, and I was impressed with his generosity and patience in sharing some cool tips with me. So if you want a little more theory to support your AI journey, he might be your guy.
“What is your deepest desire?”
This was the question posed during an online workshop I took a while ago.
After some thought I wrote sincerely: A home. A family. Professional success.
Sometimes insights crystalize all of the sudden and we can’t explain why — this is one of those cases.
In the blink of an eye I could see myself having all of those desires fulfilled, and somehow feeling disappointed. My future self, standing in the middle of everything she had asked for, feeling incomplete. It felt like a warning…
So I kept the pen moving.
Next version: My deepest desire is to deeply and fiercely love my WHOLE SELF.
Wait, what? Huge leap from my first response. Where did that come from?
I suppose it was my synthesis of all that I had been learning in that period — a current that ran underneath it all, finally surfacing. Whatever spark moved my hand to write those words, I’m grateful, because they have guided me well.
A new picture emerged in my mind’s eye:
When I truly love my whole self, I’ll feel more serene. I’ll still want those other things. But not in a desperate achey way.
and…
When I love my whole self, I’ll have a lot more courage to bring all of those other desires to life.
More success, less stress. Win-win.
The Payoff Is Vast
I want to be clear about this, because I know how “self-love” can sound.
I’m not talking about a bubble bath and a massage.
I’m not saying “you’ll feel a little bit better about yourself.”
I’m saying that the payoff of self-love is concrete and life-changing.
- Self-love → you rest before you’re wrecked (health)
- Self-love → you ask for what you’re worth (monetary)
- Self-love → you get more of what you want and need by using your voice (empowerment)
- Self-love → you become the person you were always capable of being (self-actualization)
- Self-love → your new definition of success is being the most fully expressed version of yourself (liberation)
Looking at this list, I can confidently say, self-love is the most practical thing I know.
There’s a Process
Here’s the other thing I want you to know: you don’t have to hope to get lucky.
There’s a process for this. In fact, I believe there are roughly infinite processes.
As the saying goes, “there are many paths to the mountaintop.” And it truly doesn’t matter which one you take. Take the one that works for you. The view at the top is equally spectacular, no matter which path you take.
But here’s the one thing no process can provide: you have to really want it.
Not “that sounds nice”…“I guess I could work on that.”
Nope. You have to want it enough to work on it with focus, persistence, consistency, and patience. To notice the small positive shifts and build on them.
It’s slow and unglamorous and completely worth it.
Try This
Borrow the question that changed things for me.
Find yourself somewhere quiet and ask yourself: What is my deepest desire?
Write down what comes first — the things, the experiences, the relationships.
Then sit with this: If I had all of that, would I feel complete?
If the answer is anything other than a clean yes, keep writing.
What’s coming up for you? Hit reply — I’d love to know.
P.S. Here are some faves from my first ever professional photo shoot. 📸🤩
One of the many things on my calendar in April that made life a bit hectic. But look how pretty!
More coming soon to my website and social media!
By the way, Kat Day was a dream to work with. You can see her work and contact here: @photographer.kday
Before you go: Here’s how I can help…
My work is focused on helping ambitious people, including men and women, align their head and self-talk with their deepest-held desire, so they can achieve more, build the relationships they want, and bring their unique gifts to the world.
If you’ve been successful most of your life, but hit a ceiling or don’t feel the fulfillment you thought you would, I offer…
- 1-1 Leadership Coaching
- 1-1 Self Love and Empowerment Mentoring
- Lightning L.O.V.E. Group Mentorship (4 weeks and 8 weeks)
- Corporate Trainings on Leadership, Communication, Team Building
I also set aside free office hours specifically for readers of this email. If you’d like to connect and chat about where you’re headed, grab time with me here.
Don’t forget to check out my new website! erinwarner.net
Until next time,
🌸 Erin
Erin Warner
Executive Coach & Facilitator