“Look, either come or don’t — I don’t care. This is my vacation I invited you on, not our vacation,” I said into the phone. I was over it. The cat-and-mouse game. The constant tug-of-war for attention. It was exhausting. “See, when you talk like that, it kills the mood,” […]
Becoming Myself
Becoming Her: A Journey of Autonomy, Rebirth, & Sterilization
A Dream That Wasn’t Mine Standing before a dark chestnut front door on a beautiful midsummer day, a well-manicured lawn stretches behind me, dotted with freshly planted flowers. I hear children joyfully playing inside. Somehow, I know they’re waiting for me. Taking a deep breath, I unlock the door and […]
How Dining Alone at a Fancy Restaurant Helped Me Heal My Inner Child
Growing up, I didn’t go to many fancy restaurants. We didn’t dress up. We rarely did big celebrations. It was always simple—kinda thrown together. As a child, I never thought much about it. I just assumed we weren’t a “fancy” family. I remember one night—me, my sister, and my father […]
The Art of Dressing: How Getting Dressed is the Biggest Act of Self Love
When I was spiraling, the last thing I wanted to do was put together an outfit. It seemed pointless. Why do all that fussing over myself when I was “just going” somewhere? The grocery store, work, errands—it didn’t matter. I’d tell myself I didn’t care who saw me. That mindset […]
Chapter 33: Moving with Intention
Throughout my life I’ve been very Type B. Floating through life, almost in a trance, believing that whatever was meant for me would eventually manifest. I thought things just happened. And yes, things did happen—but never the things I actually wanted. Looking back, I can’t blame anyone else. I was […]
How I Gave Up on Perfection and Fell in Love with Life Again
Life… It’s the thing that happens while you’re waiting for it to begin. Most of my life—if not all—I’ve been waiting for that moment when everything aligns. When all the pieces fall into place and I’m finally “ready” to start. It was always coming soon. I was always ready to […]
A Soft Goodbye from the Woods
“Let me tell you a story.“ She said it as she slowly sipped her mulled wine. We were out in her cabin. I hiked out to her regularly in the fall, but this time, it felt needed.She was the last piece of a life that was no longer mine. Her […]
Brushstrokes of Self-Discovery: Empowering Tips for Unveiling Your True Self
Growing up, I was surrounded by a large community. Everyone knew me through a family member or a friend. You would think that would mean I had a constant support system and people looking out, but it was quite the opposite. I felt as if there were constant eyes on […]