Shel McNamara

07/10/2025

Hey community,

How are you all doing?

I genuinely want to know.

Life's a little crazy these days. It's urgent we all stay connected. Community is even more important than ever.

So how are you handling life, business, the current chaos + all the in-betweens?

Xxoo

Autumn 🍂 delight

06/10/2025

A little bit of autumn 🍂 magic for these dark days...

Finding the glimmers doesn't have to be some radical, expensive, time consuming thing.

It can be everyday small moments that keep us sane.

Such as walking around a delightful, new found greenhouse.

How are you staying sane these days?

Xxoo

27/04/2025

Fb algorithms are such a b*tch.

No wonder everyone is leaving for TikTok.

Yup. I've totally been spending time over there.

I love it....

Here's just a few of my amazing finds on TikTok.

A lovely young Mexican woman who teaches Spanish to babies + toddlers. I'm so excited for Callen + I to learn Spanish together.

A small town dude running for President.

So many like minded local folks.

Omggggg. Worldtok. It's been mind blowing to connect with folks from all over the world + realize the United States isn't all we're told it is.

Humor. I'm loving the fun.

Also, bring on the shimmy a day keeps the sad away.

So many heart warming stories.

Let's talk about a free education...

Understanding + seeing hot 🔥 topics from many different perspectives. Eye opening 👀

Again, education.

All the things.

Economic policy
Chaos gardening
Laws being passed in states across the country.
Understanding tariffs
Untold history
Unpacking trauma
Unraveling stereo typical norms.
Deepening my beliefs in atheism.
Real time news.
Learning new languages.
Homesteading.
Around Maine.
Poetry.
Art.
And the list goes on + on.

No wonder people are leaving fb. It's not expansive. It's a choke hold to keep you stagnant + defeated.

TikTok is absolutely about movement, expansion, growth, community + support.

Just gonna say it...

I hope it never goes away + I hope fb goes broke + dies.

If you're on TikTok, I'd love to connect with you.

Share your username below so we can all connect.

4548 Followers, 1443 Following, 18.0k Likes - Watch awesome short videos created by Shel Mc 🆘️🇺🇲🆘️

27/04/2025

Holy f*ck...

It's been a hard, long 3 months.

Or maybe 6.

I've wanted to write so many things + it's all been a bit overwhelming.

Lots of therapy in my grief journey.

Getting through winter as it's not my best season.

Menopause, sigh. I'm just not as energetic as I used to be.

All things considered, I'm shugging along coming to terms with all the things.

It hasn't been business as usual. I've been maintaining the status quo. Not shrinking but definitely not expanding. Because adjusting to the shock of this new administration has definitely been harder than I expected.

I've joined several new local groups of loving humans because community has become urgent. I've always had a small, intimate group of friends + while I love them dearly, I also realized it's absolutely necessary to gather + connect with more folks I resonate with.

So I have...

I needed to know there was other folks feeling the same way I was feeling.

Freaked out.
Uncertain.
Overwhelmed.
Scared.
Troubled.
Tired.
Anxious af.

But also wanting/needing to do something.

Anything.

And I've found community strength + support to be a powerful thing to have in my life.

I'm not alone.

We are not alone.

Real connection.
Hard conversations.
Deep care.
Community energy.
Daily actions.

These are the things that have helped me through lately.

On this journey I've come to realize that my business requires more of this collective community care...

I've been contemplating how to create a space for real, raw, hard conversation that envelope business + life as they are intricately intertwined.

Each effects the other.

So, I'm thinking...

Free bi-weekly zoom.
Community
Connection
Care

A mix of business + real life.

Coaching
Strategy
Conversations

I also want to be super clear about whom this might be for...

Anyone who is struggling with the current administration's policies.

You're paralyzed with fear of what's next.

You're uncertain how to navigate business in this economic uncertainty.

You feel isolated.

You might be scared to use your voice for the things you believe in.

You are a lgbtq ally + you're struggling with the hate against people you love with all your heart.

You're pro Palestinian people.
You're pro Isreal people.
You're anti hamas.
You're anti Isreal government + genocide.
You're anti war.
You're pro peace.
You see the nuance.
Despite the polarizing of our governments.

You love America.
And you're anti trump.
You believe our country can do better.
You know our country was never great.
History tells us this.
It's ok to be both.

You wonder how to grow your business in a way that doesn't contribute to a white, supremacy, capitalistic, greedy machine.

You're pro choice.

You whole heartedly support your trans community + it's heart wrenching to watch targets being put on their very existence daily.

We're living in hard times.

These are very real hurts.

It's so important to acknowledge that these things impact us + our businesses.

It's exhausting to keep up the fight.

And yet, here we are.

This is where I'm at.

Wanting to create community centered around the issues that matter to me with like minded, heart centered humans.

Is anyone else feeling the deep need to connect + feel supported in these difficult times?

Let me know what your thoughts are.

I'd love to hear what you think.

Big hugs as we continue to grow our businesses in a way that spreads care + community.

Xxoo

09/03/2025

It's been a hot 🔥 minute since I've been here...

So much to say + overwhelmed with where to even start.

That's why I come here.
To my little business nook.
This is my comfort space.
I can ramble.
About all the things.

Life's been bumpy.

And I'm grateful for my steady clients.

It's been ok to slow down + not be in growth or expansion mode.

Just maintaining the status quo as I go through some rough moments.

Snippets of real life.

Mom's been in the hospital.
For over a month.
Her mental health declined.
It's left my sister + I to take care of her stuff, as well as our own.
It's been a lot.
I think she's coming home this week.
I'd be lying if I said I felt only relief.
At least in the hospital I know she is safe + cared for.
When she's out, I never know what's going to happen...

I've been in therapy to help navigate these personal storms.

While it's helpful to have a therapist to bounce things off from, it also brings up a lot of stuff that still requires unpacking.

All the emotions of losing a parent. Especially when you were estranged from that parent when they died. It's a bucket full of messiness. We're working through it.

Filling up weeks with added responsibilities + not making enough time to disconnect, process + refuel my own cup has been an issue. Aka avoiding sitting with the hard sh*t.

Back to basics...

Scheduling in nothing days.
Social media detox days.
Saying no more.
Solitude moments.
So I can breathe + get back to center....

A biggie...

Our political climate.

It's put so much other important things on the back burner.

It's taken a hot minute to regain my footing.

Some days are definitely harder than others.

It's been hard to stay focused on what's in front of me when it always feels like the world is on fire.

Finding the balance between staying informed, planning for the worst while maintaining my sanity has been challenging.

We're getting there...

Again, some days are harder than others.

Just being able to come here + write has helped immensely.

Needing to get back to what I love.

Writing my heart out.
Being in community.
Creative expression.

These are the things that keep me grounded in my own knowing.

Trusting myself to find my way without pushing, gaslighting or bypassing the hard.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

Getting back here is the first step to reconnecting with the things I love ❤️

Xxoo

*moments in the greenhouse on these last gray days of winter

22/01/2025

It's been a hard week, month, year...

Grief
Death
Relationships
Family dynamics
Election
Dumpster 🔥 Tr*mp
Winter

I'm in slow mode.

Intentional
Resting
Slow 🐌 forward

I'm literally taking it one second at a time.

How are you all doing?

Xxoo

30/12/2024

I don't honor the New Year.

Zero resolutions.
No parties.
Don't do fireworks.

Instead...

I continue resting during this winter solstice.

Low key night.
Maybe journal writing.
Candles 🕯
Comfort food.

This year, I'll have my sweetest munchkin. We'll drink hot apple cider. Watch a movie. Read some books. Make cookies 🍪 Meander the woods. Talk about winter solstice. We'll color. Maybe meditation. I'll model slow 🐌 forward. Share with him how the seasons, not a man created calendar is actually an innate way to live our lives. That Spring equinox is actually the best new year. Tis after we've rested, reset + revived, can we fully awaken to begin creating again.

I look forward to sharing this time with him + hopefully showing him a different way of living from his natural body.

Xxoo

How shall you honor the seasons in your business + life?

Does it feel like a nature ebb + flow?

Or

Does it feel pushed + restrictive?

Listening to the seasons for me feels natural.

Maybe take a moment to reflect on what feels true for you + honor that as we say farewell to 2024.

Xxoo

05/12/2024

Slow snowy morning...

Creating my own vibes ✨️

02/12/2024

When a friend makes you laugh out loud + you're like 'whoa' that felt good...

And you realized it's been a minute since you really laughed.

Grief.

Grateful.

Good.

Never in one particular order.

And can change rapid fire.

Xxoo

01/12/2024

First winter storm in the books...

We got a heavy 7 inches.
Knocked out power for 24 hours.
Driving was treacherous.

And I've been hunkered down ever since.

Deep into my winter hibernation.

Grateful for a gas stove, generator + candles 🕯 ✨️

For me...

Winter is a time of rest + slowing way down.

Massive amounts of solitude.

Leaning inward.

There's so much to dig into.

Grief. Losing my dad.
Holidays + mourning what never was or will be.
Being in the messy middle.
Untold stories + deep care for the wounds that were left.
Excavating into the shadows of my soul...

Navigating my path forward with human-ness, grace + slow courage.

May we find peace amongst the storms + follow our own north star to guide us home to ourselves.

Xxoo

29/11/2024

Well...

Yesterday went off mostly without a hitch.

A few close calls where conversations could have gone very different but were snuffed out before they went south....

Small family gathering.
Missing a few...
Excellent foods.
Tried some new things.
Little munchkin time.
Always makes my heart melt.
The big elephant 🐘
In the room...
Our 1st holiday without my dad.
Wasn't terrible.

And for that I'm beyond grateful.

We got through it.

A few tearful moments.
Truly expected.
Unexpected guest.
That filled our hearts.
And we did it...

Forever thankful 🙏 💛

It's the little things when you grow up in explosive households where every conversation is an opportunity for sh*t to go sideways.

You take the small wins.

I hope everyone found a moment of peace + calm amidst the storms.

My rustic pies.
They came out lovely.
Plum + apple.

Xxoo

*5 minutes after we arrived home from all the festivities. We lost power. No electricity. No wifi. No internet.

Means...

Light some candles + hunker down for the night as nothing more can be done.

I was very ok with this after the long treacherous, snowstorm, drive home.

21/11/2024

This ❤️

👑