<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0" xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:googleplay="http://www.google.com/schemas/play-podcasts/1.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[notes to my selfie]]></title><description><![CDATA[notes to my selfie]]></description><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com</link><image><url>https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!KZLw!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fkeniabrenes.substack.com%2Fimg%2Fsubstack.png</url><title>notes to my selfie</title><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com</link></image><generator>Substack</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 08:05:48 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://keniabrenes.substack.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><copyright><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></copyright><language><![CDATA[en]]></language><webMaster><![CDATA[keniabrenes@substack.com]]></webMaster><itunes:owner><itunes:email><![CDATA[keniabrenes@substack.com]]></itunes:email><itunes:name><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></itunes:name></itunes:owner><itunes:author><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></itunes:author><googleplay:owner><![CDATA[keniabrenes@substack.com]]></googleplay:owner><googleplay:email><![CDATA[keniabrenes@substack.com]]></googleplay:email><googleplay:author><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></googleplay:author><itunes:block><![CDATA[Yes]]></itunes:block><item><title><![CDATA[Opalite ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Shining and dancing]]></description><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/opalite</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/opalite</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 03 Jun 2026 13:54:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Wxgn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F626edbc9-571d-4b63-9dff-d4e86fcbdb68_3024x4032.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Someone called me beautiful yesterday, and it sent me for a loop.</p><p></p><p>It was after a sound journey where I was bundled up wearing my polar bear sweater, the kind that makes me feel big and small all at once, that wraps me up in warmth and safety.&nbsp; I'm on my &#129656;, and I genuinely enjoy curling up in my a shell.</p><p></p><p>This person was a beautiful stranger, someone whose eyes I&#8217;d never met before, and she and I shared a brief interaction.</p><p>I was helping her with some things that she needed to do at the studio space. And midway through helping her was when she made a comment on my beauty. It sent me for a loop.</p><p></p><p>I physically felt like a bear, but energetically was radiating kindness that reflected through as a shiny love.</p><p>Because sometimes I forget that I exist as more than how I physically show up. I exist in the ways that I show up for people, and this is how my flesh I reflects&nbsp; beauty to others.</p><p></p><p>Peaceful energy reflects beauty.</p><p></p><p>My Venus is in Virgo. She is the graceful priestess.</p><p>And this is the energy I am learning to fully embody, the energy of a peaceful and powerful leader. Creating from the heart and attentive to the soul.</p><p>My Venus and Virgo means that love and pleasure is expressed through devotion. Through deep care and attention to detail. Being an earth sign that's ruled by mercury means that there's lots of room for judgment with quick observation. Discernment is my superpower.</p><p></p><p>I show love by creating, and doing. In the temple of relationships I offer myself here, fully present, fully devoted, fully attentive to the needs.</p><p></p><p>It is reflected by me asking. If you are ready to devote yourself into my temple, if you are going to soak in all of my details.</p><p>I am attracted to your humbleness, to your intelligence, to your drivenness.</p><p>To your reliability, to your consciousness, to your grounding abilities.</p><p></p><p>The invitation from my Venus asks me to devote fully while still allowing myself to receive the same tenderness, the same sweetness, the same specific care that I also offer others. So in these moments of my beauty being reflected back -</p><p>I show up with the elegance and stillness that says, &#8216;Thank you.&#8217;</p><p>A smile that indicates gentleness and appreciation and the forward thinking behavior, to continue being, this energy, a Virgo.</p><p></p><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Wxgn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F626edbc9-571d-4b63-9dff-d4e86fcbdb68_3024x4032.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Wxgn!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F626edbc9-571d-4b63-9dff-d4e86fcbdb68_3024x4032.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Wxgn!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F626edbc9-571d-4b63-9dff-d4e86fcbdb68_3024x4032.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Wxgn!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F626edbc9-571d-4b63-9dff-d4e86fcbdb68_3024x4032.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Wxgn!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F626edbc9-571d-4b63-9dff-d4e86fcbdb68_3024x4032.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Wxgn!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F626edbc9-571d-4b63-9dff-d4e86fcbdb68_3024x4032.jpeg" width="3024" height="4032" 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stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Feeling stoic ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Remembering to trust in the invisible.]]></description><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/feeling-stoic</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/feeling-stoic</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 28 May 2026 15:33:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Remembering to trust in the invisible. I prayed this morning and received that reminder. I asked for clarity and guidance and was gifted the reminder of mystery. </p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg" width="5712" height="3808" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/ec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:3808,&quot;width&quot;:5712,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:false,&quot;topImage&quot;:true,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ohub!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fec4d2e98-8d64-4169-93d0-68b9f5163bfe_5712x3808.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" fetchpriority="high"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p>Feeling stoic today and reflecting back on the readings for our book club meeting today(lmk if you want to join). We&#8217;ve been reading &#8220;A New Earth&#8221; and I swear the writer in me is absorbing the simplistic yet somehow poetic style it&#8217;s written in.</p><p></p><p>Every line feels like something understood yet easy to run from when I&#8217;m going through it. Haha, how can I be so zen but judgmental all at once! Why is it that I experience anger, fear, sadness, and frustration when I know that only I am the one choosing it for myself? Why do I hold expectations that trap me into the dance with ego in my mind? I have faults, this is the paradox of being human.</p><p></p><p>There are so many good nuggets in this book, but my recent favorites was this: &#8220;You are a human being. What does that mean? Mastery of life is not a question of control, but of finding a balance. Between human and being.</p><p></p><p>Human is form, being is formless.&#8221;</p><p></p><p>When I move, flow, dance, surf, paint, write, mediate, bake, and most of all create, I feel formless. It&#8217;s how I move my energy, it&#8217;s how I shake my ego mind (hehe and my booty). So I invite you to create today, feel into your formless and create &#127912;&#10084;&#65039;&#8205;&#128293;</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to heal your achey breaky heart ]]></title><description><![CDATA[The hardest part is showing up on mornings when you wake up at 3 AM because your body's telling you that you're in danger because your heart is racing faster than you anticipated it to be when you're meant to be at rest.]]></description><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/how-to-heal-your-achey-breaky-heart</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/how-to-heal-your-achey-breaky-heart</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:50:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The hardest part is showing up on mornings when you wake up at 3 AM because your body's telling you that you're in danger because your heart is racing faster than you anticipated it to be when you're meant to be at rest. </p><p>Because your mind is swirling with looping thoughts of things that you can't control, with ideas of people you cannot control. &#8233;</p><p>Because you live in the place of a constant reminder that you must let go. </p><p>See, in theory, it's easy to say that you need to let go. &#8233;But the body holds the memories, holds the safety, holds the feelings of fear. </p><p>And so you do the breathwork. You sit for hours on meditation. &#8233;You move your body, trying to release the grief, the sadness, the aching. </p><p>You spend hours in the morning releasing the tears because it's told to you that feeling is what you must do in order to release so that your body can fully express and let go of what it needs to, and does need too.</p><p>These looping thoughts are creating patterns in your brain. That feel like safety. &#8233;If only you can assess what happened or who it happened with or what it is that is happening -  then, and only then can your mind rest because you have &#8220;control&#8221; because you've &#8220;already put it together.&#8221;</p><p>Because if you &#8220;know.&#8221; &#8233;Then somehow it won't hurt you anymore. </p><p>But this is a lie. </p><p>This is a false way that your mind, your emotions try to control you. &#8233;They try to keep you in those vibrations of fear. </p><p>In those moments of despair, with tears running down your cheeks. With your heart racing. &#8233;With you constantly pacing to check your phone and see if there's any change in anything going on. This is heartache. </p><p>When you lose someone, a friend, a lover, a partner, a pet, best friend. It brings out these feelings of grief. These feelings that, if not expressed, can transmit themselves into illness, sickness, into depression.</p><p></p><p>So I beg you - to recognize and remember -that you are not alone in your shedding, your shedding of layers. This is the human experience. This is what it means to exist on this 3D plane. &#8233;</p><p>And I beg you to be reminded to hold things loosely. Because truly, that is all we have here. This life comes by and goes by loosely. &#8233;</p><p>Stare at yourself in a mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and talk to yourself. Explain to yourself these situations of being, how these moments too shall pass. How by listening to yourself, expressing your madness. &#8233;You are sharing a bit of your soul with yourself. </p><p>Truly, this helps. &#8233;This reminds you that you, your body, is a safe place. It puts things in perspective because it reminds you that your voice has purpose. </p><p>That your purpose is to create and live in full happiness and full expression. &#8233;To be human means to suffer. But with being human comes the beauty of life. The beauty of creation, the beauty of seeking the light in order to fill the gaps in the cracks of darkness that try to spread through. &#8233;</p><p>You are here on purpose. </p><p>Your heartache is here on purpose. </p><p>You're not a fool for crying, for hurting, for aching and breaking. </p><p>&#8233;You're okay. </p><p>You might not feel like it, right now. But practice these things. &#8233;Staring at yourself in the mirror and reminding yourself that in time, you will be okay. That this healing is human. That your... evolution... is the goal - &#8233;is the journey of life. </p><blockquote><p>Hold on to people, things, beliefs loosely. What a gift it is to have learned, to have loved, and to be able to grow from it.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg" width="3024" height="4032" 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https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!lSWd!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff72acd04-86f8-42a5-9d79-bfbcd246ff47_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg" width="4284" height="5712" 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https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!J-9K!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcf67636a-0faa-42aa-8c42-91631841ea93_5712x4284.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div></blockquote>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[LGLG]]></title><description><![CDATA[It's funny how the universe works]]></description><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/lglg</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/lglg</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 13 Mar 2026 02:42:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It's funny how the universe works</p><p>because as soon as I let go, everything falls into place.</p><p></p><p> I'm in a constant state of free falling and catching myself. This is a state where I'm honoring a heart that's aching - in the process of repairing - while still allowing the cracks of light to shine through and remind me the happiness and joy that remain inside of me. </p><p>The &#8216;why&#8217; behind my being on this earth. </p><p>I am exploring the places that inspire me.</p><p> Being put into rooms with people who remind me of myself and inspire me with ideas of limitless potential and absolute freedom to be.</p><p>People that remind me, of what my soul has always known. That I do not need to be put into rooms that dim my light. Or in relationships that I was not meant to hold. That my path is mines for the making, for the choosing, for the creating. </p><p>I feel so free. </p><p>And even though my heartaches through these breaks. I see the beautiful things that can come out of those cracks. </p><p>The light that reminds me of who I am and who I can choose to be. I am so grateful. I am so full of love. I'm so excited for the becoming. I will continue to follow this becoming.</p><p></p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg" width="1290" height="2293" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/e412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:2293,&quot;width&quot;:1290,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!-xF0!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe412c28f-f2b1-400d-b70f-4e21c4ecc8a9_1290x2293.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Bad Body Image Days (Get to Know Your Cycle)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Dear girls,]]></description><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/bad-body-image-days-get-to-know-your</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/bad-body-image-days-get-to-know-your</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 02:46:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Dear girls, </p><p>And guys if you want to understand us a bit better too. </p><p>This is a reminder for you, for me, for us. </p><p>That women are cyclical creatures. We are creatures guided by the moon, the stars, the sun, spirit, and our bodies hold so much wisdom. Our body works through phases, like the seasons there are four. </p><p>Our menstrual phase often follows the patterns of the sky. Taking us on a journey we have the menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulating phase, and luteal phase. Our bodies constantly shift. There are hormones being pumped through us, different moments of every day. This makes us different than our counterparts. Men can more steadily maintain homeostasis - men this why when we seek a partner, we need a rock. Someone who can accept us through these phase &amp; guide our (relation)ship steadily while we process whatever we need to. During our most distressing phase, our luteal phase, our moods fluctuate because serotonin levels drop, our cortisol levels shift often, and it feels too easy to become our worst critics. But this is what it means to be a women. We are strong enough to handle these shifts but need to remember to guide ourselves home through it all. Remembering on our bad days and sad days, this too shall pass. </p><p>One thing I've learned, and I hope you can take away from this too, is to never make big decisions during your luteal phase. We must try to avoid making big decisions during our luteal phase because this is the phase where our hormones start to go a little bit out of control. With less seratonin and volatile cortisol, fluctuating progesterone and estrogen we experience more things like stress, bloating, sadness, anxiety, fatigue and low moods. </p><p>I have had my worst body image days during this phase. It where I try to avoid mirrors so I avoid self criticism, wear oversized shirts so I don&#8217;t feel the skin tightening over my bottom, and try to stay off social media because even if I love the gorgeous-gorgeous girls - I know I will subconsciously compare their highlights to my low points and feel worse. </p><p>If my body is retaining more weight, my  breasts feel achy, and my belly feels tighter, my mind can sometimes follow. </p><p>So this is the share. Dear girls, please remember to be kind to yourself. </p><p>During your phases, especially your luteal phase, practice self-love, learn to self-soothe, to hold yourselves with grace. This is the time where you might want to break up with your boyfriend 4 times. This might be the time where everyone else knows to avoid you as well. So if there's one thing I urge you to take away from this - it is to give yourself grace and to hold back on big decisions during your luteal phase. </p><p>This too shall pass. Learn to understand your body&#8217;s seasons, observe your hormones, listen to the shifts, and notice the disturbances with an open heart.  </p><p>Trust your body. Get to know your body. Get to know your cycle.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg" width="4284" height="5712" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/d059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:5712,&quot;width&quot;:4284,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!XRLl!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd059f152-1b3b-4f87-872a-2b9187082e09_4284x5712.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div><p> Okay, that's all. Have a beautiful day.</p>]]></content:encoded></item><item><title><![CDATA[Eclipsing Boundries]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last night, I woke up from my dreams, fully present in my body.]]></description><link>https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/eclipsing-boundries</link><guid isPermaLink="false">https://keniabrenes.substack.com/p/eclipsing-boundries</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kenia Brenes]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 03 Mar 2026 15:55:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg" length="0" type="image/jpeg"/><content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Last night, I woke up from my dreams, fully present in my body. </p><p>I looked over at the time, it was still dark out, but I felt my body searching for something.</p><p>It was 4:35. I could feel the eclipse had just begun. My body felt aches, and discomfort with being present. The energy was strong. The water in my cells recognized its pull... this lunation, a reminder. Echoing in the sign of Virgo. </p><p>My chart is mostly Virgo.</p><p>As much as I choose to deter from this. I felt it fully in my bones. The stars across the sky reminding me of who I was and what I am and what it is to let go. </p><p>The day before this felt pleasant. It felt like a day of charged energy. I felt physically strong, moving my body in all of the ways I adored, crossing off all of the things on my to do list (for once), I was able to catch up again. But there was a part of me that recognized it wasn't fully my workings. I was the summation of the energy lurking about in preparations for this eclipse. </p><p>I knew I needed to rest. That evening I sat for ceremony. Offering sound to my cells, smoke to my breath, and community to my heart. </p><p>I was offered a card for reflections and it read &#8216;boundaries&#8217;. </p><p>This was no coincidence but instead a reminder. Earlier this day, I had a conversation with a friend and told him how proud of myself I was for setting necessary  boundaries, for creating space to listen to myself first. How I was so elated in my ability to reflect back the word, &#8220;no.&#8221;  I released the grip from my ego and instead soak in the becoming of my future. </p><p>I am soaking in the being of a woman fully aligned. I was using my voice and acting as that fierce force that I aspired to be. Not needing to create routines or please others for the purpose of keeping the peace. Releasing the grip from my ego that told me if I held through it would make me &#8216;more&#8217;, that if I said yes to the right people thing would work out in my favor. But I didn&#8217;t <em>need</em> it. I recognized that it is my peace that matters most.</p><p>I am proud of the woman I am. This morning I woke up aching. My body feeling violated by all of the energy crossing through this earthly plane. Being in and out of the dream state. Engaging in the portal between worlds that kept me active when my body needed rest. My body craved deep rest. </p><p>So here I am, writing about this experience. I opened my journal to write through this experience and reflected back on an entry from February 21st. Here I reminded myself that I can literally be, do, and create whatever it is that I want, whatever it is that my heart has to offer. Blessings myself with the ideation of creation. </p><p>Next to this message I created a list of the things that I need, the things that I wanted to remember to be. The very first things I listed... are... were... set boundaries, say no. </p><p>How beautiful that felt. Seeing a loop closing. A full circle moment.</p><p>I am a creatrix. I am a powerful being. Made up of love and light, and stardust. </p><p>Full of infinite potential.</p><p>I know that this is enough. </p><p>This is my calm and I am proud of the woman I am. I am proud to be, fully free.</p><div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" target="_blank" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM"><div class="image2-inset"><picture><source type="image/webp" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw"><img src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg" width="3024" height="4032" data-attrs="{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg&quot;,&quot;srcNoWatermark&quot;:null,&quot;fullscreen&quot;:null,&quot;imageSize&quot;:&quot;normal&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:4032,&quot;width&quot;:3024,&quot;resizeWidth&quot;:null,&quot;bytes&quot;:0,&quot;alt&quot;:null,&quot;title&quot;:null,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;href&quot;:null,&quot;belowTheFold&quot;:true,&quot;topImage&quot;:false,&quot;internalRedirect&quot;:null,&quot;isProcessing&quot;:false,&quot;align&quot;:null,&quot;offset&quot;:false}" class="sizing-normal" alt="" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!COJ2!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F299c8d6f-1a2a-4c76-9e3e-bac155be85b7_4032x3024.jpeg 1456w" sizes="100vw" loading="lazy"></picture><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container restack-image"><svg role="img" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 20 20" fill="none" stroke-width="1.5" stroke="var(--color-fg-primary)" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><g><title></title><path d="M2.53001 7.81595C3.49179 4.73911 6.43281 2.5 9.91173 2.5C13.1684 2.5 15.9537 4.46214 17.0852 7.23684L17.6179 8.67647M17.6179 8.67647L18.5002 4.26471M17.6179 8.67647L13.6473 6.91176M17.4995 12.1841C16.5378 15.2609 13.5967 17.5 10.1178 17.5C6.86118 17.5 4.07589 15.5379 2.94432 12.7632L2.41165 11.3235M2.41165 11.3235L1.5293 15.7353M2.41165 11.3235L6.38224 13.0882"></path></g></svg></button><button tabindex="0" type="button" class="pencraft pc-reset pencraft icon-container view-image"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="lucide lucide-maximize2 lucide-maximize-2"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></button></div></div></div></a></figure></div>]]></content:encoded></item></channel></rss>