If you follow me on social media, you have probably been aware of my incredible summer. I was truly blessed with a warm summer in the great outdoors. Being outside is essential to both my healing and thriving, so I decided to get myself out for as many activities as possible. I started hiking again … Continue reading Mostly? Incredible Summer
Trauma
Curiosity As A Priority
Truth be told, I have struggled with writing this blog post (the very reason this is now a month late). In the past, I have struggled with writing “progress” posts on my intentions because I have worried my level of progress has been minimal, and possibly it has been. The thing we, as humans, often … Continue reading Curiosity As A Priority
Mindfulness: Connection
In the seventh week of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course that I participated in, I noticed heavy emotions and a sense of my body collapsing around itself; by that, I mean I shrunk down as small as I could, involuntarily. I was struggling. I also felt connected. It may seem to make no sense that … Continue reading Mindfulness: Connection
Mindfulness: The Dragon
Jack Kent wrote a book called There's No Such Thing as a Dragon, which illustrates the idea of noticing and allowing. One morning, a boy wakes up with a tiny dragon in his bedroom. When he tells his mother, she tells him "there is no such thing as dragons." The two proceed to go about … Continue reading Mindfulness: The Dragon
Mindfulness: Allow It
Common to all humanity, at least in my opinion, is the struggle to avoid pain. This includes avoiding the pain that can heal us as well. I dropped a 45lb plate on my big toe a few years ago. That toenail eventually fell off. As it started to grow back, I dropped a tractor tire … Continue reading Mindfulness: Allow It
Question
"Was it rape?" "Can you clarify?" "[person's name]...the first time..." “Let’s process.” After skimming back through Amelia Zachry’s book, Enough: A Memoir of Mistakes, Mania, and Motherhood, I asked my therapist the above question early one Friday evening. The following Tuesday, I sat in my therapist's office feeling lightheaded, weak, and uncomfortable in my skin. … Continue reading Question
Enough
I think it was October of 2022 when I ordered a book called Enough: A Memoir of Mistakes, Mania, and Motherhood by Amelia Zachry. I started reading the book almost immediately after receiving it and sent Amelia a message about her story's impact and that I was gleaning so much from it. The more I read, the … Continue reading Enough
Mindfulness: Don’t Look Away
Not two months after being released from the Trauma Institute at the Psychological Institute of Washington (D.C.) my brother passed away suddenly. About a week before he passed away, he had called me to chat. I let it go to voicemail but called back later. He didn't answer, so I left him a voicemail message … Continue reading Mindfulness: Don’t Look Away
Do The Dang Thing
There is a part of me that makes accusations, nasty ones. “You’re not good enough.” “You suck.” “You deserve everything that has happened.” “You are a f*ckup.” “If anyone knows how weak you are, you will be deserted.” “If people know you, they won’t like you.” And so much more. That part feeds shame and … Continue reading Do The Dang Thing
I Needed The “Luckiest Girl Alive”
I understand the importance of trigger warnings for people. I really do. We owe it to survivors of traumatic situations to put a trigger warning on things, but as someone who has experienced some traumatic situations, I need the debate to be less about an attempt to sensor material and more about sensitivity to those … Continue reading I Needed The “Luckiest Girl Alive”
Burn the Boat! 