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Pure Media Solutions
When Your Body Is Trying To Tell You Something
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Sometimes your body knows what’s going on before your mind is ready to admit it.
In this episode of TheRitualPantry, Stephanie Stefan and Heather Wurz open up a deeper conversation about emotions, energy, healing, and what happens when we ignore what our body is trying to tell us. What starts as a conversation about going with the flow turns into an honest look at stress, resistance, anger, uncertainty, and the emotional layers we often avoid.
Together, Stephanie and Heather explore the difference between surrendering and ignoring, why anger can be the easiest emotion to feel, and how slowing down can help us understand what is actually happening beneath the surface. This episode is for anyone who has felt overwhelmed, emotionally stuck, physically tense, or unsure how to listen to themselves.
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WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
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→ The difference between going with the flow and ignoring a problem
→ How stress and uncertainty can show up in the body
→ Why anger is often the easiest emotion to access
→ How journaling and breathwork can help uncover deeper feelings
→ Why slowing down can create clarity
→ How authenticity connects to emotional awareness
→ Why asking for help can be part of healing
→ What it means to listen before your body forces you to stop
00:39 Bringing more magic and spirituality into the conversation
01:20 Emotional release and energy shifts
02:10 The different levels of healing
03:02 When stress shows up in the body
04:20 Going with the flow versus ignoring the problem
04:39 Breathwork, journaling, and feeling safe
06:33 Asking deeper questions
09:16 Finding clarity by asking for help
13:38 Emotions and authenticity
18:46 Why anger is the easiest emotion to feel
20:45 Feeling emotions to release them
23:06 Learning how to feel deeper
24:39 What sadness and uncertainty can reveal
25:43 A new direction for The Ritual Pantry
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ABOUT STEPHANIE STEFAN & HEATHER WURZ
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Stephanie Stefan and Heather Wurz are the hosts of TheRitualPantry, a conversation-based show about the everyday rituals, emotions, habits, and inner work that shape how we move through life. With honesty, humour, and a willingness to go deeper, they explore what it means to slow down, listen to yourself, and create a life that feels more aligned.
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ABOUT THE RITUAL PANTRY
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The Ritual Pantry is a conversation-based show hosted by Stephanie Stefan and Heather Wurz about the small, everyday actions that quietly change everything. Through real conversations about food, emotion, energy, self-awareness, and personal growth, the show explores how what we do each day shapes our mood, mindset, and connection to what actually matters.
Hosted By:
Stephanie Stefan — Instagram: @spaghettitreechef
Website: spaghettitreechef.com
Heather Wurz —Instagram : @heather.wurz
The Ritual Pantry: Instagram: @theritualpantry
📩 Send in your Pantry Confessions: sarah@puremedia-solutions.com Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theRitualPantry
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IF THIS HELPED YOU
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If this conversation helped you check in with yourself, slow down, or think differently about what your emotions might be trying to tell you, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe.
Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder to listen to their body before it forces them to stop.
#TheRitualPantry #EmotionalHealing #SelfAwareness #MindBodyConnection #PersonalGrowth #HealingJourney #Journali
Anger. Anger is the easiest emotion to feel. It is not the most satisfying, but there is a difference. It is the easiest. It is the quickest to come up. That makes sense, yeah. And it all of a sudden made sense. Because in order to go deeper to get to what the true feelings are, is hard. Feeling your emotions is so rewarding and also the worst thing that you could possibly go through. Because those emotions get trapped in the body. You need to feel them in order to release them. So when I first tried to get in touch with my feelings, I had a coach and she's like, How are you feeling today, Heather? I'm like, I'm good.
SPEAKER_01I'm great.
SPEAKER_03She's like, I realize that you're good, but how are you feeling? And I'm like, I'm good. She's like, okay, you're not, you're not answering. Stop asking. You're not answering my question. I'm like, I'm good. Like, what do you want? And she's like, and then it was like we went into emotions. And most there's a lot of people who just they can't go deeper. It is, they stop at anger, and that's it. Because it's an emotion, it's the easiest to feel. That's it. Welcome back to the ritual pantry with Stephanie and Heather. And today we have a theme, but uh I think we're I'm gonna I'm gonna derail it a little bit. Because I had a realization this week. I'm ready for it. You're ready for it. So yeah, we've been, we've had really interesting conversations that are very meaningful and very in the moment what we need to hear. However, both of us are very tapped into the metaphysical world. And I feel like that's the direction that we need to go. Sweet. So bring on the magic, bring on the spiritual frequency, juju, and all that other good fun stuff. Because last week I fell apart. Don't know what it was. There was some stuff I was processing, and I literally couldn't stop crying. I do remember this. Like I just sat there and I cried for no reason. I couldn't figure it out. Nothing was bothering me, nothing was out of the norm. And then I realized that there's a major energy shift on the planet. Everything is being completely rewired, and any of those blocked emotions that we haven't released in the last lifetime, we're literally coming to the surface.
SPEAKER_00Oh, it's so good right now.
unknownGood.
SPEAKER_00Good, good or good, bad? Good, like, oh my god, what?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I feel you. So this episode, ironically, is was about going with the flow and resisting that need to charge forward. So when setting this session up, I decided to go with the flow in a totally different direction. So I hope you're okay with that.
SPEAKER_00Hey man, I'm just here for the ride.
SPEAKER_03So I want to talk about the different levels that we heal on. Oh, yeah. Oh, I'm so in. So everybody knows the physical. My arm is hurt. I need to do something physically with my arm. But then there's the emotional side, there's the mental side, and then there's the spiritual side. And of all of those modalities, it all comes together. So it actually comes from the top down. And when it physically hits the physical body in the 3D, that's when we feel it. And because it's so dense and heavy, it takes time to process.
SPEAKER_00There's a lot going on. Uh yeah, I feel that. I've experienced this on a really deep level. Totally.
SPEAKER_03So I'm gonna give a prime example. So a couple weeks ago, I put up my neck and like to the point where like I couldn't move it forward and forced something that I knew wasn't going to help, went to the chiropractor anyway, and then ended up couldn't move my head sideways. So I'm like, okay. There's more to this.
SPEAKER_00Well, that was serious because you actually went to urgent care for that. Like you thought it was more the way that it was presenting. So like you were dealing or trying to deal with the physical for sure.
SPEAKER_03Trying to deal with the physical. And when I couldn't deal with the physical anymore, it's like I had to look at it a little bit deeper. So at the time I was going back to my old role. I had three people who are very who I was very close with on site leave. There was my future is a little bit uncertain currently with work. Don't worry, I I still have a job. It's good. Like that's we know this. Just not sure if I'm gonna stay in in admin or go to operations or where I'm gonna be or which site I'm gonna go to. And so there's a lot. There was a lot of stressors that I didn't pay attention to. Uh-huh. And I just kept pushing it down, pushing it down. Yeah, yeah, it's gonna be fine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's gonna just gonna go with the flow. I wasn't going with the flow. I was ignoring it. And there's a drastic difference between going with the flow and ignoring a problem.
SPEAKER_00That's facts.
SPEAKER_03Yep. Agreed. So what did you do? So over the last week, I just pulled from my from my pantry that I have different things that have worked along the way. So breath work. There was some lots of breathing this week. Just getting down and being like, you are safe. You don't have to worry about it. It whatever's gonna come to fruition will. Easier said than done. So breathing and just letting my body know you're safe. You're doing exactly what you need to do, you're safe. I did some journaling.
SPEAKER_00That's a big one. Underrated, I think.
SPEAKER_03Very underrated. And I don't draw on it enough because the stuff that comes to the surface, whole, like if you just like it doesn't have to even be like, dear journal, today I that's not the type of journaling I'm talking about.
SPEAKER_00No, it's like channeling. It's literally when you get into that flow state and you are literally channeling into all the things that that pop in.
SPEAKER_03So it was like I should have brought it and read it out because it's very unscripted. It's very rough. It's like, my neck is killing me. Okay. What does this relate to in the physically? Yes, it means my neck is out. Need a new pillow. Need it, let's get a new pillow, let's go to the chiropractor, let's let's take some ibuprofen, let's take some anti-inflammatories. All of those, which would work. Yeah. 100%. And then next week, I would still have a recurring neck ache. Right. So getting to the mental. Okay, why am I refusing to like move? Right? Like the physical movement of my neck. Oh where in my life, and these are questions I'm asking myself, where in my life am I refusing to see? Yeah. Where in my life am I refusing to look? Because it was like narrowed vision, a very narrow-minded vision. And the stuff that came out was brilliant. Well, tell me. So I went and talked to my senior coordinator, and I'm like, okay. My goal is to get into operations. How do we do this? Like, do I start learning another unit? Do I like, because I'm currently taking my third. So do I go and learn another unit? What do I do to keep on track and keep working towards the goal? Working towards the goal. Like, I don't have any answers. So I'm looking to you for guidance. For me, that's a big, it's a big step to be like, hey, I need help. I'm I'm looking for somebody else to help collaborate on this idea that I want to move forward instead of trying to come up with the solutions by myself.
SPEAKER_00That's very interesting.
SPEAKER_03Please remind me to revisit this. Okay, we'll revisit this. So he's like, well, why don't we just get you on the plant for two days a week? I can do that. This can do that. Didn't even cross my mind. I'm qualified in unit. I have my fourth. We can do that. And what that does, because we have a lot of retirements coming up this year, it frees up those operators who are currently in those posts to go and help in a different unit, to go get trained in another unit, to go and catch up on their behind-the-scenes training. So it's a win-win for both parties. Okay, great. That's cool. So then I go to my coordinator. I'm like, hey, what do you think about this idea? I don't want to overstep any bounds. And he's like, come out anytime. Like anytime you want to come out, we'll gladly take you. An extra person who knows what's going on is always welcome. And I'm like, okay.
SPEAKER_00That was easy. That was that was easy. Okay.
SPEAKER_03And then I also have a brand new manager, a brand new field manager, field, yeah, field manager. So I had my one-on-one, sit-down, meet and greet. And he knows my path forward. And he's like, okay, so do we have a plan forward for you? I'm like, funny enough. And he's like, great. If we want to do three, four, like whatever your workload is, because I'm still going to be covering admin in the meantime. So it was seamless. And I wouldn't have come up with this on my own without those deeper questions that like really looking and being like, what is bothering me? And when it came down to it, I felt like I was going backwards. Yeah, you mentioned that. So feeling like I was going backwards without a path forward was where it all came from. And as soon as I let go of that, all of a sudden I'm like, oh, okay. Yeah, my neck was still tight, but I could actually like physically move it and like move my arms again. And it wasn't like a agony every time.
SPEAKER_00Agony every time I move my head. I love that. That's so interesting. And and it is, man, is it easy to get into the physical parts, right? Because we uh I think it took a long time for me uh to figure out that all these things are actually connected. And man, the there it's hard to even put into words, honestly, what happens when you figure it out. Because it's really easy to resist, card-carrying member of resistance.
SPEAKER_02Um at all.
SPEAKER_00And and then when you're like, okay, when you do take that step back and open the scope up, and it's surrender, surrendering to what actually is coming up. Because yeah, you're right, man, it's been an emotionally bonkers time. There's like, it feels like turmoil, it feels like release, it feels like cathartic almost. But crap on a cracker, there's a lot going on.
SPEAKER_03But there is a lot going on, and it's not just me. Like people were speculating. And we like we're close enough at work where we would just call each other out on it, and it's like, dude, what's going on?
SPEAKER_00Like, yeah. Well, do you know it's interesting because I I hadn't thought about it right till I just got this download show. Um, because of course I know this is going on because I keep up on all this kind of stuff, but I never think about it with my kids. And so many things just like smacked me right in my brain. And I was like, oh, that totally makes sense now. Honestly, there was there was definitely some I don't even know if turmoils, yeah, it was. It was it was turmoil with uh Phoenix this week. And I won't divulge that's that's her story to tell, but like it was deeper, right? And and so we got kind of the surface agitation, and then that's not what it was. So going deeper with her, oh well that's that's what it is, right? And so like having having the kids and and remembering those things that they feel the exact same things, maybe even more intensely than we do, because they know even less how to process this stuff. So I mean, I guess I'm grateful for the work and for the the knowledge and you know, occasionally repapering these things in the moment when these things happen. But man, that that makes sense.
SPEAKER_03But it's also that sense of relief when you finally like can pinpoint what's going on. Yeah. Because it last week it was awful. Like just tears at the drop of a hat for me. I'm like, I know that there's something deeper here and I can't figure it out.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and that makes you feel all kinds of things, like the things that we've talked about. Like you're like, okay, well, I'm making myself the victim of what? Right. And um just not having that that broader scope, and it's so easy to stay there. It's so easy.
SPEAKER_03So easy. Well, and if we go into emotions, all emotions are on a different frequency. Yeah, true story. Yep. So being authentic is of the highest frequency.
SPEAKER_00I know we keep talking about this, and I need you to like go a little deeper for me, because I think of some people who are being authentic right now, and I'm like, nope. But authentic and opinions are different. Okay, well, how do we tell the difference right now? So if you have an opinion, I'm full of them. We all just ask her.
SPEAKER_03We all are, but if it's being masked with another emotion such as hatred, dishonesty, like sadness, that's bringing that frequency down.
SPEAKER_00So what is, in your opinion, being truly authentic? What is that for you right now? I need more clarity on this. I mean, I know you, but I need more clarity on what you're actually saying. Put me on the spot. I I I know, I'm sorry. I know this can go so sideways for me, so sideways. I don't want to go there. I don't want to make it messy. But what we're being shown as authentic is all the way out of alignment with me. I'll kick it in the face.
SPEAKER_03Absolutely. Okay, so I know where you're going with us, and we won't get into that part because it'll just bring up a whole wild uh it's a just it's not a place we should go. It's not a place we should go. So being authentic comes from your self-truth without the influence of anything or anybody outside of you. So it is that a heart, gut, mind alignment. So it's having that like flow going through your body. And when it comes from a place of mentally. But when it comes from a place of like when your thoughts aren't the truth. Whose truth who who decides that truth? Your thoughts are stories and ego getting in the way of what your heart desire is.
SPEAKER_00But without going down this path, that could be someone's heart's desire. Because that's their truth. And currently in this state of weirdness in the world, who are we to question that authenticity? Because it's their truth. Might not be my truth, but how? Okay, so I guess the bigger question is how to be in alignment with yourself in a world where, especially with children, for me, I see all this situation and I'm like, keep that away from my children. I don't know how to answer this stuff. I don't think there's a right answer. That's why it's muddy. I'm all for you do you, let me do me, but I do not have to believe what you believe. No, you don't. I just don't like the pushiness, you know?
unknownYou know?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, but that's anything. I mean, it's even this conversation. We have opinions that there's different levels of healing, and we're gonna get people who are gonna be like, you're crazy, and that's just how it is. But for us, that is our authentic truth because it aligns with our belief and our experiences in the world. And authentic authenticity changes. It does. And now that we're completely derailed. We are.
SPEAKER_00Bring us back.
SPEAKER_03Bring it back, bring it back. But I don't feel like I'm fully like I'm not articulating what I want to tell, what I want to say.
SPEAKER_00Okay, so authenticity is the highest frequency. Okay, I derailed you. Stay on that path because you do keep bringing it up, and and I need to feel it right in my heart. And love and hate are on the same frequency.
SPEAKER_03It's also very much up there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's true.
SPEAKER_03Hmm, I see. Okay. And then you bring in sadness. So the reason why people are so quick to anger is because it's the easiest emotion to feel. We have a wide range of emotions, and when it's the easiest to feel, you don't have to go deeper. And because it's the easiest to feel, a lot of people stop there. And just be angry. And just be angry. So I have a prime example. So I was in Hawaii with my brother and sister, and we went up to the top of Haneocala, watched the sunrise. It was amazing. And then we had these like cruiser bikes that we literally like just cruised down the mountain. And we had very specific instructions. My brother, God bless him, did not follow these directions. Of course not. Ended up because he was he was helping somebody. So he jumped off and did his thing. We were not supposed to get off the bikes. And he ended up hurting his elbow, like really bad. Like he actually called it a swellbook. It still bothers him to this day because he like chipped a bone. Oh, what? And I was so angry with him that he didn't follow directions. I was so angry. I'm like, like you, if you just did what you're supposed to do, you wouldn't be hurt.
SPEAKER_00I know this feeling.
SPEAKER_03Right? Uh huh. We're below that. If I let myself go below that. It was I was deeply concerned that he was hurt. Right. But I couldn't let myself go there. There's no way. So we fast forward 10 years. I go to a retreat in in Bali. Amazing. And it was called Into the Heart. This is where I first learned about emotions. So this is where it came from. Anger. Anger is the easiest emotion to feel. It is not the most satisfying. There is a difference. It is the easiest. It is the quickest to come up. That makes sense, yeah. And it all of a sudden made sense. Because in order to go deeper to get to what the true feelings are is hard. Feeling your emotions is so rewarding and also the worst thing that you could possibly go through. Because those emotions get trapped in the body. You need to feel them in order to release them. So when I first tried to get in touch with my feelings, I had a coach and she's like, How are you feeling today, Heather? I'm like, I'm good.
SPEAKER_01I'm great.
SPEAKER_03She's like, I realize that you're good, but how are you feeling? And I'm like, I'm good. She's like, okay, you're not, you're not answering. Stop asking. You're not answering my question. And I'm like, I'm good. Like, what do you want? And she's like, and then it was like we went into emotions. And most there's a lot of people who just they can't go deeper. It is, they stop at anger and that's it. Because it's an emotion, it's the easiest to feel, that's it. I had to get a color wheel. This was Jenna. She was lovely. She sent me a color wheel and she's like, okay, we're gonna start here. If you were to feel a color, what do you think it would be? What was it? Well, at that time it was red. Ooh, red, red, red. Spicy. Spicy, spicy, spicy. But I had to, and there was period, I had, I think it was like six times a day, I had to check in with myself to be like, okay, what are you feeling right now? And not like the word feeling, but the color. And then go to this color wheel and be like, oh, okay, that's what I'm feeling.
SPEAKER_00Like was it associated? Like, was there like blurbs?
SPEAKER_03All the colors were associated with a certain color. Very cool. An emotion, yeah. So eventually I taught myself how to feel deeper. So if we circle back to being authentic, there's no way that you can be your fully authentic self until you can feel that Y range. So when people are projecting, you have to, with a tone of anger or resentment behind them. That's usually indicating that they're feeling lost, they're feeling isolated, they're not feeling heard. That checks they're not feeling accepted. So it goes so much deeper. So yes, they're being authentic, but they're only being authentic with their first couple emotions.
SPEAKER_00Right. Does that make sense? Yeah, it totally makes sense. I'm just thinking about the situation like with Phoenix. And 100%. It's like it's bang on, right? Because you get that base level of agitation, the anger, the the tone, right? That's when that stuff comes through. And then it's like, wait a minute, something's out. Something's out. And you know, following that deeper with her. Uh yeah, it was totally in service. It sucked for her, but it all came out.
SPEAKER_03And it does if you're willing to keep going deeper. And you will know as soon as you like hit that emotion. So last week, yeah, there was a lot of sadness. And I'm like, where is this sadness coming from? Knowing full well that it was something else. And behind that sadness was this uncertainty. And it's uncertainty is great until it's too much uncertainty and you're feeling misplaced.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Yeah. Uncertainty is like one of the basic human needs is having uncertainty. But uncertainty in some areas is not so great.
SPEAKER_03But it's having certainty and uncertainty as a balance. Yeah. So when one of those becomes unbalanced. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Because could you imagine every day waking up doing the exact same thing and you know certainly what is going to happen and what everybody around you is going to say. It's like the Truman Show. It gets really boring really quick. Yeah. And that's where uncertainty comes in. And you're like, yeah, okay, yes, I'm I'm up for going for a coffee with you. Like, let's go for lunch. Sure. Yeah. Those type of uncertainties help flow. But when it's a big uncertainty and certainty is out of balance, not good. Agreed. Very. So, and that was where I came to realize that I think our show needs to go to a different direction. And that's where we talk about how food relates back to our body. Because we both chefs will talk about cooking, we'll, but going back to what we do, what we're up to, and everything else. But going deeper to help other people understand that they're not alone, they're not lost. And it's literally coming from being our authentic selves.
SPEAKER_00I'm excited for that. Also a little scared. But ultimately, it's the uh it's the work that needs to be done. And uh, I think that there's a lot of value.
SPEAKER_03I think so too. Hey, Steph. What? Do you know what time it is? Time for lunch. Pantry confessions. It's too early for lunch. All right.
SPEAKER_00Uh oh, we've had a lot this week come in. Okay. I'm excited. One through ten. Oh, one through ten. Seven's always gonna be my pick. Seven, okay. I don't like even numbers.
SPEAKER_03I tell myself I'm fine, but I haven't really slowed down enough to know if that's true. When was the last time you actually checked in with yourself?
SPEAKER_00Well, I have this thing called avoidance. If you don't acknowledge it, it can't exist, right?
SPEAKER_03Until you get a call from the government saying, hey, you haven't done your taxes in seven years. You should probably get on that. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_00Okay, at least I do my taxes. Um, yeah. Yes. Okay, so I 100% can relate to this. I recently uh got a new doctor. And uh I've been avoiding some things for a while. Or when I get like I get nowhere with the answer or getting to the root cause of things, I think. And I'm I'm specifically talking medically right now. Um I just I'm like, okay, well, I'm just gonna keep ignoring it because obviously it's nothing. It's not nothing. However, I have recently been propelled into getting a new doctor. Um and I've been I've had that knowledge for a really long time because I know that my old doctor's um retiring. But she was so comfortable for me because I've she's been my doctor for like more than 35 years. Like easily. So she's she's got my whole life. Yeah, she has school history, right? And I can't say that I've ever loved her. And that's nothing against her. I'm not in alignment with the way that she practices. She's very Western. That's what works for her. That is not what works for me. So I recently was recommended uh a new doctor and out here in Oakatoes. And my first appointment with her was literally all about alignment because I was like, listen, I'm looking for a partner in my health who um isn't just going to push like medication on me because the likelihood that I'm gonna take it is uh roughly zero. It doesn't matter how bad I feel, if I wake up tomorrow, I'm good. But that's bad. That's bad. She's totally gotten on board with where I'm at. Because when I go to the doctor, when I finally get there, when I acknowledge that, it's bad. It's usually to the point where I actually need some intervention. And I've avoided it for so long that I had that that resistance to the the the Western and and I tried, you know, more holistic approaches, but nothing was really working, hence that clearly needing to go deeper. But she aligned with where I'm actually at and is actually helping me to understand that there's value in both. I'm realizing in this, ah, here it was, this is what I remembered earlier, is that the the exhaustion of doing all these things, it's that's not the that's not a prize. Because here I am at this point, and I've had my mother and my brother both this week look at me very seriously and say, Stephanie, maybe you should slow down. Maybe you should like stop doing all the things. So yeah, I get this. I can 100% relate to this. Slow down. I'm still struggling though. Really struggling. Because somebody's gotta do it.
SPEAKER_03Well, when we first got in here, you asked for help, and I think that was the first time in our 20-plus year friendship that I've actually heard those words come out of your mouth. So really something would have something hit home. Because I've never heard you say, Hey, can you help me? Actually. Just that kind of weak. Well, and when we get to that point, our bodies are like, you know what? You either take the time to slow down or I'm gonna slow it down for you.
SPEAKER_00Yep. Yeah, so you should listen to it when you actually are your body says, take the time you should take it. You should really take it before it's too late.
SPEAKER_03I agree. On that note. Yeah, before I derail anymore. I have nothing but love for you. Yeah, I love you, bestie. And I'm really excited about where this is gonna go. Me too. Until next time, guys. Bye.