If You Falter + Unlimited Asha

Bathhouse Friends,

This is Cori Martinez–founder of Asha. (That’s me above on the far right.) I’ve been aching to say some things to all the community leaders out there. And those who rely on them. I think so many of us move between both roles moment to moment–leading and then needing, repeat. So this message is for a lot of us.

Last week I told our bathhouse team of 25 amazing humans that we were closing our doors until further notice.

It was hard. It was SO damn hard–and I know a lot of you get that right now. Knowing how much it would impact the people who show up and support me every day. Knowing how much they rely on me to support them in return. Gut-wrenching.

I wanted our team to believe that they were going to be ok, that Asha was going to be ok, that we were going to weather this time together. I also wanted them to understand my decision, to trust that this would help ensure we all had jobs to come back to. I was asking a lot, maybe too much?

But after I made the announcement, I got replies like this:

“I see right now that Asha is my family. I’ve never loved somewhere I worked at more and it’s because of the people, the community, and the person who built this place. We’ll get through. ”

and “You are the most talented and competent leader I know, we got this.”

I burst into tears for the first time after holding it together pretty reasonably well. Not because I was finally falling apart, but because

I felt such deep relief to have these people in my world.

Their responses not only reminded me of what I was capable of, it solidified what they were capable of too. We were all leading and needing each other.

To those of you who rely on someone to be honest and strong for you when you need it most, to make the hard choices while behaving in a way that reminds you what you may have momentarily forgotten–like how strong PEOPLE are, what really matters in life, what’s possible for EVERYONE, what’s good in the world, and so much more:

Those people can do that because of you. Because you see them and inspire them by how you show up and who you become in response.

To those of you who keep showing up for your communities: I know it’s not as easy as it often looks. I know you’re still learning, figuring your own self out, often having no fucking clue what the right thing is to do and still, still showing up strong to remind people of what they’re capable of.

And it’s a good thing you care so much. Because tomorrow, or later on today, we both know you’ll falter, even if no one but you can see it. You’ll wonder if you’ve got what it takes to keep doing what needs to be done. And those people you showed up for, they’ll be there to remind you how strong we ALL are, what really matters in life, what’s possible for EVERYONE, what’s good in the world, and so much more. And you’ll know you’ve got this.

Because we’ve got each other. Times like these remind us of that.

If we pay attention. 

Yes, there’s some people out there reacting from fear, not able to be their best. There’s some hard shit happening right now. And there’s so much beauty.

Please, Friends,

Let’s keep seeing the good that’s all around us. Take this time to see it more clearly than ever before.

Keep being there for each other. We’ve got this.

With Love,
Cori