Facing Life’s Storms with Courage- Be the Buffalo | Letter to La Familia
- Love Your Now Comadre
- Dec 6
- 6 min read
Estimada Familia,
Did you know this magical fact about buffalo? They charge into approaching storms rather than running away. Their instinct tells them that by facing the storm head-on, they spend less time in the chaos and reach clearer skies faster.
When I first learned this, it stuck with me. I became determined to channel that Buffalo Energy whenever life placed challenges (storms) in front of me. And the way this energy has changed my life is magical and divine. Some storms are easier to walk into than others, of course. And I’m no self-proclaimed expert at embracing my inner buffalo always because my Ego still loves to pop up every so often to remind me that I am, in fact, human, with wounds and fears.
But after years of practice, I’ve learned a few things. So today, I want to offer you some medicine in this letter. Five tips to help you walk through your storms with courage, and a little story of my own little storm that I’m walking through right now.
1. Self-care is vital
Here’s the thing: storms are inevitable. Life will always be up and down, tight and loose, open and closed, death and rebirth. It’s the natural rhythm of life. We can’t control when, how, or the intensity of the storms that will arrive. What we can control is how we handle and face them. I’ve learned to handle storms better when my four self-care pillars — emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual — are strong. When those are filled, I’m protected, like the buffalo’s thick coat that shields it through the wind and rain. Don’t walk into a storm EMPTY. Strengthen your pillars. If your storm shows up at 2 a.m. and you can’t stop overthinking, pause. Journal, talk to someone safe, pray, or even use a tool (like AI, if it helps) to get the noise out of your head. Then, sleep. That storm will still be there tomorrow or in this case a few hours…and you’ll meet it with more strength after rest. Take care of yourself to handle your storms.
2. Keep Ego in check
Oh, that Ego. Mine loves to break down every situation into what ifs and worst-case scenarios. Everyone’s Ego has its own tricks, so get to know yours. Self-awareness is the first step to keeping it in check, because when Ego quiets down, your Inner Comadre (or Compadre, or Comxadre) can finally speak. For many, Ego shows up as fear, anxiety, or self-doubt. My favorite practice? Stand in front of a mirror. Acknowledge the feelings. They’re real, they’re just not facts. Say to yourself: “You’ve made it this far. You know what you’re doing.” Validate yourself. Comfort yourself. Give yourself the opposite of what Ego offers. Remember, Ego tells you the worst-case scenario, your soul holds the best-case one. Not today Ego! Not today!
3. Some storms aren’t yours
As a recovering Captain Save-a-Hoe (yup, I said it), I used to take on storms that weren’t mine. Helping others used to mean sacrificing my peace. This was saying yes when I wanted to say no, or stepping into chaos I didn’t have the capacity to hold. I’ve learned that loving someone doesn’t mean saving them. It means being steady and grounded enough to love them through their own storm, not being in it with them. Boundaries are love too, Familia!
4. Lean on faith
“This too shall pass.” We hear it all the time, but when we’re in the eye of the storm or the storm looks impossible to cross, it can feel impossible to believe. This is when faith becomes your anchor. Whether it’s a prayer, a candle, or a quiet “GUS, I need help,”...lean in. Ask for support, and then look for your Butterflies of confirmation. Faith is the reminder that even when we don’t see the way, there is a way.
5. The only control you have is how you respond
Trying to control the storm only makes it stronger. Responding — not reacting — is where the power is. Prepare yourself, slow down, take things one day at a time, and remember Tip 1: take care of yourself!
My Storm
So…let me tell you about mine. There’s this handsome man I’ve been eyeing for months. We don’t know each other but see each other often and we talk here and there. I am interested in learning more about this man but nothing’s happened yet. And you know what? I’ve decided to make the first move.
Now listen, I know we Divine Feminine don’t chase, we attract. But I’m also a single mom with zero time for bullshit. I’ve enjoyed the fantasy long enough. I’m ready to live in reality. I’m ready to be the buffalo and charge ahead with boldness and confidence. Is it scary? Hellllllllllll yes!!!! Rejection is one of my oldest wounds. But I remind myself: Rejection is protection and redirection. I’ve survived a divorce, all kinds of trauma, generational healing, releasing rituals that would make brujas cry! Now I am thriving in the beautiful chaos of raising two children with their own sets of traumas, and rebuilding my entire life. So if my Ego whispers, “You can’t do this,” I laugh because I was built for this. No overthinking. No spiraling. No fantasizing without action. Just me choosing courage. Just me stepping toward clarity. Just me honoring my own desire.
Whether he says yes, no, or “maybe,”I win, because I’m acting from power, not fear. I am embracing the Buffalo Energy and facing my storm.
Your Challenge
Familia… here’s where I want to challenge you. Yes, my storm right now is lighthearted, flirty, cute, and honestly a little ridiculous. But that’s the medicine: storms don’t always look like devastation. Sometimes storms look like the thing you’ve been avoiding. The conversation you don’t want to have. The boundary you’re scared to set. The dream you’re too nervous to reach for. The version of you that you keep waiting to step into. Storms show up in all shapes. Some storms will break you open. Some will redirect your whole life. And some are simply here to remind you that courage looks good on you! Discomfort equals growth.
Familia, no matter the storm, the buffalo doesn’t ask:
“Is this storm big enough?”
“Do I have the right to face it?”
“Is this storm silly?”
“Will I be judged if I walk into this?”
No! The buffalo just moves. Head up. Heart forward. Straight into what’s coming… because the buffalo knows the only way out is through.
So I want you to ask yourself right now:
What storm have I been running from?
What conversation, what decision, what leap, what truth…have I been avoiding because my Ego keeps telling me it’s safer to stay still or avoid the storm?
Familia, whatever that is, big or small, you are strong enough to face it. You are wise enough to navigate it. You are spiritual enough to trust the path through it. And you are held enough by GUS to walk straight into whatever is calling your name. You don’t need to run, you just need to take one brave step. That one step shifts timelines. That one step changes your life. That one step is the moment your inner buffalo wakes up and says: “I am done being scared of my own becoming.” Because listen, storms don’t come to destroy you. Storms come to reveal you. To peel back the layers of fear and show you the version of yourself who has been waiting to lead.
So whatever storm is whispering your name right now…Face it with tenderness. Face it with a shaky voice if you need to. Face it messy, imperfect, unsure. But for the love of your own magic… face it.
Because I promise you this: On the other side of that storm, you will meet a stronger you, a clearer you, a braver you… and you are worth every step!! I believe in you. Below you can download a little cheat sheet I created to help you call in this energy.
Well wish me luck Familia! And remember…be the buffalo! Charge ahead and I will meet you on the other side. I am sending you so much Fire & Butterflies! And don’t forget to Love Your Now!
Loving My Now,
Comadre Cristal Baez-Arellano
Spiritual Mentor/Bruja Coach
PS— If your heart is whispering, “I don’t want to face these storms alone anymore… I want to be the buffalo, but I don’t know how,” then that whisper matters. That’s exactly what Unlocking Your Inner Comadre (UYIC) was created for. In UYIC, I walk beside you like a spiritual sponsor, helping you untangle the fear, rebuild trust in yourself, reconnect with your Higher Power, and learn how to face every storm with clarity, courage, and magic. It’s where your courage expands. Where your intuition strengthens. Where your inner Comadre comes home. If something inside you is saying, “maybe it’s time…” that’s your invitation. Book your consultation today.
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