OCTOBER: The Crappy Files
Every woman has a folder—tucked in the back of her mental filing cabinet—labeled The Crappy Files. It’s where we quietly store the hard stuff: the worries we carry, the problems we can’t untangle, the thoughts we ruminate about, and the situations that feel messy, uncertain, or downright exhausting. Most of the time, we try not to dwell there. But sometimes the wisest thing we can do is open the file, name what’s inside, and let a little air and sunlight in.
Assumptions for this conversation would be helpful.
We are not here to fix or solve anything. We’re here to lighten the load.
We will listen with presence instead of solutions, compassion instead of coaching, and grace instead of pressure.
Reflection Before Sharing
Take a moment to write down the crappy file/issue you’re bringing forward to the group—just a couple lines to name it honestly.
If you could ask one question about this situation and receive a deeply satisfying answer, what would you ask?
In three sentences or fewer, describe the responsibility you feel in this situation and what you worry about, if anything.
If the problem could speak for itself, what would it say and in what tone of voice?
Sharing With the Group
Present your file/issue to the group. No backstory is needed.
You can joke. You can cry. You can breathe, pause, and stumble.
The purpose is not to tidy it up, solve it, or make it pretty — but to be witnessed.
Burdens get lighter when we stop carrying them alone. Sometimes, the weight we thought was impossible softens the moment we say it out loud.
After each person has shared a crappy file, ask: “What does it feel like to move forward even while this problem hangs around?”
Takeaways.