Misha Bonaventura isn't just my name, it's my beacon of hope and my philosophy on life. It has acted as a place for my wild self to come out, it has been a security blanket, it has been my compass. Names and titles are ritual acts of claiming. And my journey to claiming this name embodies the very essence of what I now call the Rebel Lover path.

I picked up the name Misha at a bar that sold over 950 different kinds of beer in Washington DC. For years, I carried both Misha and my given name Michelle back and forth like I was living two lives. Sometimes most people knew me as Misha, other times as Michelle. At one point, Michelle was my professional name and Misha was my artsy name.

Artsy Misha lived in an open relationship. Professional Michelle worked in a survey research firm. I felt torn between becoming artsy Misha for the rest of my life, living openly and in warehouses, or becoming professional Michelle with a stable husband, good job, and real house. I initially went toward a "normal life," leaving behind what I thought was a path to poverty and insecurity, setting off to find a husband.

This tension between security and mystery is something I've found so many of us struggle with. We're taught to follow prescribed paths, even when they don't align with our deepest desires. As a Rebel Lover, I had to learn this lesson the hard way.

The man I fell in love with next had broken his back three years prior and had miraculously rehabilitated himself to walk again. After a near-death experience, he was determined not to waste his second chance as a tech bro. He had read Moby Dick, became fascinated with Giant Squid, and was studying to become a marine biologist.

Once again, I found myself following someone else's dream rather than creating my own. I was contorting myself to fit into his vision – selling all our stuff, moving onto a boat, getting married, having a kid. When the time came to commit to marriage and his dreams, he saw what I couldn't yet see. We broke up, and my heart shattered.

This heartbreak became my turning point. The deepest Rebel Lover wisdom sometimes comes through some of the rockiest parts of the journey.

After a healing reset in Hawaii, I returned to Santa Cruz, but this time choosing it for myself. The journey that followed took me through many transformative experiences – from reclaiming my artsy name at Burning Man to exploring alternative relationships and community.

The final piece of my identity puzzle clicked when I stepped into co-producing a show called "What is Erotic?" Looking for a pseudonym that could bridge my professional and sex-positive worlds, I discovered Bonaventura – not just adventure, but good adventure. It was perfect.

Now I live my life with both the name and philosophy of "good adventure," and I've never looked back. This journey of self-discovery, breaking free from societal expectations, and creating my own path is what the Rebel Lover work is all about.

Join the adventure Rebel Lover

Are you struggling to break free from expectations that don't serve you? Do you feel the pull toward a more authentic way of living, loving, and expressing yourself? My own winding path has equipped me with the tools, insights, and compassion to guide others toward their own version of "good adventure."

The journey of claiming your name—whether literal or metaphorical—is one of the powerful exercises in my Rebel Lover workbook. This exploration invites you to examine what you're carrying, what you're ready to release, and what you're ready to claim as truly yours.

Whether you're questioning traditional relationship structures, seeking deeper connection with yourself, or simply feeling that there must be more to life than following prescribed paths, the Rebel Lover approach offers both challenge and support.

Through my coaching, workshops, and community, I invite you to explore what your own rebel heart is calling you toward. Together, we can create the kind of relationships and life that truly honors your unique desires and gifts.

Ready to claim your own true being? Let's connect and begin your Rebel Lover journey.