Elevation Requires Release.
Not everyone and everything gets to come with you. And that's okay.
“Some people are only meant to be part of your story, not your future.”
— Trent Shelton
And the same is true for things, versions of yourself, habits, environments. Not everything that got you here is meant to go where you’re going.
Hey Reset Fam,
This week my thought partner Magda and I sat down and had one of those conversations that just stays with you.
Growth. Elevation. Grieving the old. Coming into your own.
And we kept coming back to one thing. How much of what we’re carrying actually belongs to us? How much of our goals, our dreams, our definition of success was handed to us by our moms, our families, society?
And what does it feel like to finally put all of that down and ask — okay, but what do I want?
Not what my family wants. Not what society expects. Not what I was told I should want.
What do YOU want?
Because that answer — your real answer — is where your alignment begins.
And let’s be honest about something. This work is not easy.
Because shedding the layers of what has been placed onto us means grieving. And grief is uncomfortable. It’s messy. It doesn’t follow a timeline.
You might grieve the relationship that couldn’t survive your growth. The version of yourself you performed for so long it started to feel real. The family dynamic that only worked when you were smaller. The goals you chased for years that were never actually yours.
For my queer community, this grief runs even deeper. So many of us spent years shedding layers that were never ours to carry. Heteronormativity. Gender expectations. Religious shame. Family scripts that had no room for who we actually are.
And when we finally put those layers down — when we finally ask what WE want — it can feel terrifying. Liberating. Lonely. Beautiful. All at once.
That’s not a contradiction. That’s real life.
Here’s your reset this week:
Ask yourself one question at a time.
What do I want? Not my family. Not society. Me.
If the answer doesn’t come easily — try this instead. What matters most to me? What could I do or talk about for hours without ever getting bored or tired?
That’s your compass. That’s where your alignment lives.
Follow it. Even if it’s scary. Even if it means leaving some things behind.
Elevation requires release.
Not because what you’re leaving behind didn’t matter. But because where you’re going requires your whole self. Not the performed version. Not the inherited version. The real one.
That version deserves the life that’s waiting for them. 🤍
Elevation is better in community. Come rise with us in Queer.Reset: https://www.skool.com/queerreset/about
1% better everyday.
With intention,
✨ Les (they/them)
P.S. I created a vision board book for Queer People of Color because we deserve to see ourselves reflected in our vision. Get your copy here: https://a.co/d/04jWkoOg

Beautiful reflection, Les. I’m honored to be your thought partner and to watch your journey and your leadership bloom. ✨🙏