Simply Beeing
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Simply Beeing is NOT for you if you have a completely closed mind and believe certain groups of people should not exist.
Give your copy to someone who is genuinely interested.
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Simply Beeing is for those who wish the best for all. If this is you, you may proceed.
HONEST WITH OURSELVES IS WORTH IT
Howwefeelaboutourselvesspillsoutinto howweliveourlives. Thisissue,wewill explorehowoursenseofbelongingaffects usandhowweshowupintheworld. Simply beeing
Truebelongingnever asksustochangewho weare.Truebelonging requiresustobewho
weare.
-Brene Brown '
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8405711/
COLOR CODE
SPIRITUALITY
ABOUT SIMPLY
Based on Accept of the Human Experience
Everyone knows there's something gra wrong with the human race. Religion a politics prey on our frustrations and hopelessness and attempt to give us an and solutions. Collectively, it hasen't le peace, satisfaction, success and joy yet, quite the opposite.
Simply Beeing takes the patterns of growth found in nature and applies it to the human experience, and backs it up by listening to lived experience. This is a playful experiment with the hopes to be a positive alternative to the negative messaging we are inundated with every day. It is an attempt to gently validate your soveriegn agency and inspire teamwork rather than creating further division.
"Being angry all the time is exhausting and corrosive. Not being angry feels morally irresponsible."
-Tim Grierson
r e n M a r g a r e t G r a c e
About Me
a creative seeker
Iwasbornandadopted withinaChristian Nationalistcult.Whenlife hitasanewmom,theworld viewIwasraisedwithno longerworkedformyreal lifestruggles. Idugdeeper untilIwasspitoutonthe otherside,andthusbegan myadventuretocreatea sustainableworldview.I hadtostabilizemyself,butI alsowantedsomethingto guidemykids.Iwantedto givethemtoolssothey wouldn'tfallpreytohigh controlgroupsliketheoneI wasborninto.
Changingmybeliefscameat ahighcost.Iendedupgoing throughpost-separation abuseatthesametimeas burnoutandrelearning everything. Ihadzeroskills orcredentialsandlearned howgowithoutwhile teachingmyselfhowtobring thesetoolstolife.Livingout theprinciplesofSimply Beeing,Iwasableto neutralizedomesticviolence twice,andturnmyhome fromtraumaandchaos intoapeaceful,happyhome.
Fun Fact: Wren creates this magazine all from her phone so she can still be there for her kids.
HealingOur Hoomes mes
Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again
-Joseph Campbell
Vulnerability
THE DELICATE SWEETNESS OF LIFE
Without vulnerability, we feel like robots valued only for our service. If we want to be seen and treated for Simply Beeing ourselves, it requires vulnerability to let people in our world in the safest way possible.
When trying to learn how we can create a healthier society, it is important to listen to those with lived experience who are the most vulnerable and affected. They hold the key components to humanity. Survival mode is not fun, but it reveals what is most important.
All of the extra noise is stripped away, and all that's left is the essentials of the heart- what our hearts truly need. Feelings often have several layers to them, so it takes a while to sift through to get to the root of the heart. Once you do, all you ' re left holding is pure gold. The details may be different, but what it means to be human is the same
What if we held vulnerability in high esteem as if it is the true treasure in this life?
OUR GOAL IN LIFE Wewanttofeelgoodlong-term. Buthowdowegetthere? is to create:
Satisfaction, Success, Joy
BUILDING BRIDGES Team Mindset
Simply Beeing Digital Magazine is not your typical magazine.
It is an invitation to marvel and reflect upon our humanity in every area of life in order to build bridges with each other and move forward to a place where we all can thrive.
Before we build bridges with each other, we must first build our own inward bridge back to ourselves.
For it is within Simply Beeing Ourselves do we even get the opportunity to experience authentic connections with each other. Simply Beeing is a celebration of each indivual and their inherent worth. The way to fight Propaganda is a commitment to the inherent worth of each indivual
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BUILD BRIDGES WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DETERMINED TO HARM YOU.
ONLY ATTEMPT WITH SOMEONE WHO IS CAPABLE OF EMPATHY AND AN OPEN MIND.
The older I get, the more convinced I am that the space between people who are trying their best to understand each other is hallowed ground.”
-Fred Rogers
Areas of Life
Patterns of growth
Mindset
STEPS OF PLANT GROWTH Metaphors for Areas of Life
Just as we get to enjoy the harvest with all sorts of benefits, so can we benefit by reflecting on our lives and allowing it to serve us. How we feel about our lives impacts our quality of life.
Is the plant growing like it should? How is the quality of the fruit? This represents the economy and production. How is the quality of life for the people that the economic system is serving? The people let us know if the system is working or not.
Roots spring from the seed and attach it to the earth, so in the same sense, we create our communities that connect us back to the earth and to each other.
Plants need sunlight and water in order to grow in the healthy soil. This represents the additives to enrich our lives to learn and grow.
The seed, the which holds the genetic code of the plant, represents YOU and your uniqueness based on your DNA and experiences.
This represents the environment to grow in. The soil holds and nurtures the seed, and our homes hold and nurture us.
Where are you going to plant it? What location? The climate affects the growth. This represents your world view, the foundation to how you see and respond to the world.
PLANETARY INFLUENCE
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Saturn usually represents judgement, kinda like a type of judgement day. However, for this purpose, we will use it to represent reflection and supporting our long-term peace, satisfaction, success and enjoyment.
Venus represents creativity, harmony and love which is best applied in our communities.
Jupiter is known for being the 2nd most governing planet. This represents our personhood and taking care of ourselves, honoring our limitations and autonomy.
Mercury represents communication and the transference of information. All growth requires information exchange.
Mars represents war, chaos and challenges of life. The normal, daily decisions and actions are where it holds us to the test. It also represents love and passion, amd real estate. Our homes is where all of these things meet.
The moon represents our motivation that drives the economy and energy exchange.
The sun represents the source of life, our purpose, guide and worldview. It is our inner compass and what set of values we adhere to.
CHAOTIC ATMOSPHERIC INFLUENCE
1. 1. 2. 2. 6. 6. 3. 3. 4. 4. 5. 5. 7. 7.
The individual is focused on making progress, but is influenced by the atmosphere around them. When the two collide, this creates chaos. Taking steps forward will inevitably lead to taking steps backwards, but this is just a catapult eventually launching the individual where they want to go.
When we are so focused on the next step of our goals, it's easy to feel frustrated when life gets in the way. We feel set back, wondering why aren't we making progress. "What am I doing wrong? “
There is nothing wrong with us. We are part of an incredibly vast, complex ecosystem that creates chaos. It's simply part of the realistic growth process. You're about to get…
The earth has music for those who listen.
-ReginaldHolmes
foundation
2.
focus
3.
wellbeeing 1.
Just like with any other skills that you build upon, this works in areas of life too. You can use the next steps of growth as a vision to help keep you on track.
Before After &
If you want to have a healthy, happy home, we must look at the before & after on either side of the steps of growth. A strong foundation is essential to weather any storm, and keep yourself in check by prioritizing the wellbeing of all family members, including your own.
2. 7.
enjoyment foundation focus 1.
Whatever area you are focused on strengthening, staying grounded in your unique foundation (spirituality) and allowing yourself to sprinkle in some enjoyment and reflection during the process is really helpful.
First Last
&
When focusing on healing and strengthening your home, stay grounded in your unique foundation that brings you comfort and purpose in your home. Don't forget to infuse laughter, pleasure, rest and reflection and not let life pass you by without enjoying it. That's what will get you through the challenges.
BACKTOTHE Basics
I Belong
You Belong
We Belong
We
In a relationship, completely focusing on making one person happy at the expense of the other leads to an abuser/victim situation. Both should be working towards the wellbeeing of both individuals.
Given growth is not linear, with all the variables we are dealing with, there may be times of necessary imbalance to establish future balance.
Good communication and reassurance is key.
belonging Allowed Valuable Worth
Bees
Queen Hive
TEAMWORK Produc
Fun Facts:
Hives can hold up to 60,000 bees or more
Beehives are made out of beeswax which is produced from honey and secreted from their glands located in their abdomen.
Honeycomb is safe to eat and is rich in carbohydrates and antioxidants
It takes 6-8lbs of honey to produce 1 lbs of beeswax.
Bees can produce 8 wax flakes in 12 hrs
The beehive can last indefinitely if the conditions are right Beesuse honeycombfor storage, raisingyoung, producinghoney and organization
The hexagon shape is considered the strongest and most efficient because it uses the least amount of material to distribute the most weight and pressure evenly
Hive
H u m a n i t y
We are more alike than we are different
"That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you ' re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong."
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
How we see the world is our foundation and source of our quality of life regardless of what we experience.
There's a lot of voices pulling for our attention and energy. It's up to us to decide what we want to invest in. It's important to ask ourselves what drives our willingness to believe what we do.
How has your spirituality affected your sense of self?
The economy is our vital resource and power behind creating the physical life we desire.
Right now, the economy financially works for some, but not for all. Either way, everyone has to reflect and decide if their career path is giving them the peace, satisfaction, success and joy they need, if not, how do we get there? How do we want to spend our lives, and why?
Our home life is our everything. It's where we are most real with ourselves and others about who we are and who we want to be. Our childhoods affect our future relationships and homes. How are we handling the challenges that come our way? Do we lean into those we love the most or do we push them away when struggle comes?
How has your home life affected your sense of belonging?
Information access and integration is vital to our development.
Information is the essential nutrient for growth. Your body HAS to communicate with itself and the environment via the nervous system in order to do literally anything, including growth. Plants and animals have their own internal communication system as well. Information is foundational to life. Personal growth and social change requires communication, education and awareness.
How has your education affected your learning and growing as a person?
Stress is a major cause of diseases other health issues.
Isolation is a type of stress that can greatly impact our health. Thanks to the nuclear family structure, isolation has become more prevalent in modern day than the rest of human history. We are more connected yet disconnected than ever. Hopefully connecting back to the natural human experience can allieviate some stress.
How has your sense of autonomy impacted your wellbeeing?
Each one of us impacts society through our small and significant actions we take every day. What kind of an impact are we having?
Every single person is important and part of the larger story of humanity. Whether we find our close circle or not, I hope you feel like you belong on earth a little more than you did before you read this.
How has your community affected your sense of safety?
Many people spend their whole lives feeling like they don't belong. How does that impact quality of life and the ability to enjoy life?
When you look back on your life, are you proud of yourself? If your life was a movie, would it be a good watch? In the end, all we have left are stories. Make it a good one.
EVERYONE DESERVES THEIR
Humanity
TheUnited Nation Convention's Rightsof Childrenwent intoeffectin 1990.
Despiteitsglobalpopularity, theUnitedStateswillnotratifyit. Children are still considered property.
C R E A T O R ' S N O T E
Working with Diana on this project has been surreal as we are both visionary adoptees. Adoption trauma is something only another adoptee can fully understand. I've connected with other adoptees over it before, but this was my first experience working on a project about family. Supporting her through her writing process hit a lot closer to home this time, and has been a pleasure. It's an experience I'll always remember. Diana has a beautiful heart and wants everyone to feel they belong. Definitely check out her work if you are connected to adoption or foster care.
Wren Story Simply Beeing
Creator
Inthisissue,let'sfollowhow SouthKoreanfashionhascome toprominenceinthelast decade.Notonlyindailylife,but importantmomentssuchas weddingsalsobegantouse Korean-styleweddingdresses. Happyreading!
"Simply Beeing seeks out and amplifies the quiet voices of perspectives often hidden or overlooked." -Diana
Weasked:
How did your home life impact your sense of belonging, and how does that affect how you show up in the world?
You answered
Simply Beeing Diana
YIN-CHANG'E INCH
A sense of belonging from an adoptee's perspective
DIANA'S BELONGING
IS ALLOWED, VALUABLE & WORTH IT
Growing up as a mixed-race adoptee with uncertainty about my ethnic/racial background, I felt " grey. " So much of my being was unknown. I truly felt like my whole existence was in the " grey area " . I did not know where I came from. I did not know where I really belonged.
*professional photos by Salene Mazur Kraemer, all photos supplied by Diana Inch
Throughout the first dozen years of my life, I was actively searching for belonging, but it was always elusive. I felt like a chameleon trying to fit into any and all surroundings. I would try to participate in different groups (friend circles, community groups, even the “group” composed of my adoptive siblings), but I consistently found myself hovering on the outskirts.
I did not even know whom it was safe to love (my ambiguous features and uncertainty about my heritage, coupled with V.C. Andrews' Flowers in the Attic, limited my willingness to explore love and intimate relationships because of the fear of unknowingly committing incest with a potential half-brother).
Over the years, as I have worked to learn more about myself and to forge communities in which I could feel a sense of belonging, it is as though the colors have slowly been seeping into my life. Now, as I enter the second half of my century of existence, I feel for the first time as though I am able to see all the colors of the rainbow in my life. I am no longer existing solely in the grey shadows.
WHAT COMES UP FOR YOU WHEN YOU THINK OF THE PHRASE, "MY BELONGING IS ALLOWED, VALUABLE AND WORTH IT" ?
As an adopted person, this is such a complicated question. Adoptees are often placed into a family for the purpose of fulfilling a loss or role, and the adopted child may or may not be a good fit for that role or purpose. The preparation and support adoptive parents receive now, particularly around transracial placements, is greater than it was in the 1960s and 1970s.
Growing up, I didn’t really feel as though I belonged. And, although I always planned to search for my biological mother and let her know I was okay, it took years for me to actually do so.
For so much of my life I did not believe I belonged anywhere. I struggled with feeling valuable, and I certainly did not feel a part of anything.
Looking back now, I can identify four things that truly helped me create my belonging: finding a community through sports, expanding my horizons through living abroad, meeting my biological mother and forging a relationship with her, and embracing my passion – helping other adoptees find their roots.
ACCESS TO ACCURATE INFORMATION
The first is soccer. As a young mixed-race teen living in a very white neighborhood, whose white adoptive parents were going through a divorce, I was in a very dark place, indeed. I will be forever grateful to a teammate who was willing to drive me to and from soccer practice. I found refuge on the soccer field. It is not exaggerating to say that soccer saved me. For the first time, I truly felt as though I belonged. I suddenly had a community of teammates who accepted my weirdness and celebrated my contributions on and off of the field. I filled the role of team clown and jokester, and could be counted on for a laugh. Soccer forged friendships that last to this day. My soccer connections led directly to the next transformative experience: traveling to China to teach.
Living in China changed me in a profoundly positive way; my experience increased my appreciation of having access to accurate information– - something that adoptees often lack, especially when it comes to our own personal records and birth certificates.
When I finished my teaching contract in China in 1993, I returned to Seattle and enrolled in library school at the University of Washington eventually taking a job as a school librarian, first at a public school and later at a community college.
Looking back now, with five decades of perspective, I think it’s safe to say that I was looking for a way to provide others with the safety net that I had been yearning for. Students who knew how to read and conduct research could access valuable information and have the keys to pursue any passion and be self-sufficient. I was determined to help others soar.
Access to information also gave me the chance to pursue some of my own dreams as well. During this time, I restarted my search for my biological mother, and I joined alt.adoption, an online group of adopted people. We formed a community and network, and we decided to actively change the laws which prevented adoptees from accessing their original birth certificates. We became adopted activists for equal rights.
"I was looking for a way to provide others with the safety net I was yearning for."
"Who
is this person with Diana’s smile?"
For the first time in my life (outside of soccer that is) I felt truly at home. In the adoptee community, I felt a deep sense of belonging and, acceptance. We all knew that our work was valuable and worthy of the time, money, and effort we were pouring into it. As I spoke to potential adoptive parents about considerations to make when adopting transracially, or informed students about adoption and adoptee rights as part of the UW Multicultural Organization of Students Actively Involved in Change (MOSAIC) group, I felt a profound sense of purpose and certainty and worthiness.
e, I also saw my biological mother for the first time in a photograph. My classmates looked at the photo and thought, “Who is this person with Diana’s smile?” That visible sense of connection with my roots and the shocking news in my biological mother’s letter (that she had loved me but had decided adoption would give me a better life than she could provide as an unwed mother) allowed me to finally feel connected to this earth, to be grounded… I no longer felt untethered or lost. I felt empowered knowing my truth. From that moment on, I have known that part of my life’s journey would be to help as many other adopted people find their truths and feel supported in their journeys as I could, even when the truth hurts.
How does an introverted adopted person go from being a librarian to hosting an adoptee-centered TV Show?
The COVID-19 pandemic shifted my world, as it did so many others’. As I was exploring remote learning options via Zoom, I discovered online learning communities and people who were pursuing their passions to improve and impact the world in tremendous ways. Listening to the possibilities of helping people with their grief, financial woes, fitness goals, or getting their new businesses started and thriving ignited in me the desire to continue helping the adopted community in new ways. With other adoptees, I have always felt a kinship and love, and have likened it to being like Rudolph on the Island of Misfit Toys. Like Rudolph, I stick out. On the Island of Misfit Toys (in community with other adoptees), however, I am no longer isolated.
In December of 2022, within a week of each other, I lost an older brother and a nephew. My brother’s passing from pancreatic cancer came with months of warning, but my 30-year-old nephew simply surprised us all by not waking up one weekday morning. These sudden losses reminded me of the uncertainty of life. They reminded me that I had a mission to pursue… a mission to destigmatize the adoption constellation, change the dominant adoption narrative by highlighting adopted voices, as well as increase the accountability and transparency of the adoption industry.
In the adoptee community, I finally do feel that I belong, and again, it is because we accept each other and know what it is like to exist in the grey world of the unknown. Together, we can bring color back to each others’ lives. We do not need to be constrained to exist in the shadows.
"I DON'T HAVE THAT TRAUMA. HOW DOES IT APPLY TO ME?
“An adopted child is really a wolf raised by humans. We are loved children, bastards, unrespectable by blood, the world has chosen to raise us from the goodness of its heart. The world is under no obligation, we are not its kin. Letting this cut both ways through the injunction to honour thy father and mother applies to us only if we choose those terms. We can create our own code, born with no boss. Our parents never gave us life. Our lives are like something found lying in the street. And in our old age, we will not turn into our parents. We are truly, defiantly, one of a kind. We may become monsters, angels, something new under the sun. And ours is the world of magic, fairy tales, and legend. From Thumbelina to Dorothy of Oz down to Jesus. Mythical figures don't have parents."
The Fortunate Ones Family Wanted - Adoption Stories edited by Sara Holloway
Adoptees are forcibly removed from their parents Those who decide to heal must detach from their parents and creatively attach to themselves for inner peace and security. This is true for everyone regardless of the details of their childhood experience. It is good for all of us to establish our own belonging apart from our parents We are more than just where we came from.
Ourhumanitycanbefoundinthe orphanexperiencewhetherornot wehadgreatparents
Birthing Ourselves isavitalpartofemotional development.
Trust
fearMy home is a reflection of choosing love each and every day. After my Father passed I heard his voice say "You can’t sit on your couch and cry all day, Andrea." I’d always helped him when I was in grade and high school as he created businesses from home. His voice awakened me into creating a yoga studio out of my living and dining room! From this moment forward to the moment I am writing to share with you all, Ganga (healing, river) Moon (my birth sign) Yoga studio began offering Hatha yoga as weekly classes and hosting community beach and winery events. How I love my community, my events, every breath, begins at home, where I love my surroundings of crystal’s and positive words and Ganga Moon Yoga. Namaste
"Life needs to crumble. Before the pieces can fall Into the right place"
"Trees stripped bare will grieve. But through their branches we see Rebirth requires death"
Growing up in an unsafe environment made me believe that I needed to be alone in order to feel safe. I have struggled to make genuine and authentic connections because of this concept. It is a constant work in progress to allow myself to trust, love and feel accepted.
FUN FACT:
Fertilizer is any addition to the soil to supply nutrients. Without fertilizer, we would have half as much food.
Fertilizer Let's Talk About
Ifthesoilrepresentsourhomesandtheenvironmentin whichwenestledintothatshapedourpersonality,then fertilizerwouldrepresenttheconsciousactionto nurtureourselves.
Themajorityofpeoplehadaroughchildhoodtosome degree.Whilethosewithstabilityandwarmthmayhave anadvantageinlife,itdoesn'tmeanyourlifeisruined. Ifwecanlearnanythingfromfertilizersit'sthatwhen youconsciouslytakeactiontonurtureyoursoul,your harvestwillyielddoubletheamountthanifyoudon't doitatall.
Yes,itmaybemorechallengingandrequiresextrasteps, butwhoreallyhastheadvantagehere?
Don't forget, "manure" makes the best fertilizer!
Conscious Intention & Action USE THE MANURE OF
"Because of them"...
At home growing up I faced many forms of abuse. If you are thinking the worst, yes that too. Growing up I felt like I was just "something" A something that paid for someone ' s addiction A something that was blamed for everything that went wrong including that things that happened to me I was something that was a burden, I didn't matter. I was a something that was not seen as unconditional unless I was doing something for someone else. Then at 14yr I tried to take my life
After stopping mid way, I found my voice and was taken to a nonprofit youth shelter for runaway, abused and homeless youth. I finally felt like I was "home" or at least that is what I thought others felt like when they went home. There I went from being "something" to becoming " someone " . I was guided to see other people in my life that cared (teachers, counselors, a coach) Collectively all of them raised me and helped me to feel unconditionally loved, wanted, that I mattered and that I was worthy Home to be became school. Because of all of them I beat the statistics and who I should have been despite what had happened to me.
I created a beautiful family of my own where my kids feel all the things that the shelter and educators helped me to feel. Now I am giving back to help other youth who face the same trauma and adversity. I also now sit on the Board of Directors for the very same nonprofit shelter which changed the trajectory of my life. And it still feels like home to me. That is my why in this world. The kids and youth who need to feel at home and loved even if they aren't getting it at home. Never let the story you were born into become the story you end with in this world.
Stability
This is how I encapsulate what it means belong It purposefully can be interprete interrelated ways. For me, it means that "wherever I find my self, there I am hom belong " For most of my life I longed for failed to gain a sense of it. For my first fiv lived in a mobile home park on the east s city in Illinois called Elgin. When I was fi parents moved us across town to a new subdivision Of course, as a child I had no the matter. Those first five years contain clearest sense of home. I was connected. family had roots there and that gave me Rooted. Connected. When we moved I fe uprooted and unconnected and thus beg long acquaintance with anxiety and later depression.
From that time up until about 4 years ag haunted by a longing for home and the v not finding it. At that time I began a pers journey of self-discovery, healing, and gr which included literal journeys- travelin Traveling gave me time to be with mysel search myself out. At one point in a journ moment of connection, I realized I was h even though I was hundreds of miles from apartment. I had found my self and conn it and it gave me the sense of home and b I had longed for but failed to apprehend. belong to anyone else, to a geographic sp any kind of shelter I must first belong to
For two thirds of my life, my home life was dictated and controlled by my parents. I left when I was 18, but their influence lingered. I’ve spent a decade trying to undo their conditioning. I analyze the truth of my experiences only to understand and move forward; not to shift around blame or guilt. There were nuances to every situation, of course, but these are the main messages that impacted me enough to influence many of my early, major decisions.
I was raised religious.
I was homeschooled.
And I was adopted when I was 5 months old.
As a baby, I never cried.
Most likely, I had been left to cry it out long enough,in the orphanage, to give up on attention and seeking connection. Maybe that could’ve been reversed with time. But by my parents’ own admission, connection wasn’t important to them, either.
Impact
My personality,myinterests,myfeelingsandemotions, thewayIviewedtheworld,wasneverinterestingor important.IspenthalfofmylifebelievingIonlyhad uselesstalents Allbehaviorwasfilteredthroughalenseof beingeither“good”or“bad”andanythingbadwas punished Iwasnothingbutaproblemtofix Myfeelings werealwayswrong,soIlearnednottosharethem EverythingIcaredaboutandlovedwouldeventuallybe usedagainstme.Sothegoodthingsinlifeweren’tsafeto shareeither Theywouldonlybeturnedintoleverageto makemeconform Mymomcametorealizelaterthatwe never“justtalked” Weneverhavesimple,casual conversationsaboutanything Thephraseshelikedtouse, “I’myourparent,notyourfriend,”becameaself-fulfilling prophecy.Weare,indeed,notfriends.
Lovewasconfusing Itwasmainlymixedmessagesand sometimes,athreat Ihavemyowndefinitionnow,but stilltothisday,whenmyparentsusethatword,Idon’t knowwhattheyintendittomean.Lovewassupposedto begood,yetwasequatedalsotophysicalandemotional pain,control,blindobedience,andaGodwhosends peopletoHell
Withtheirmouths,myparentswouldsay,“Weloveyou! Noconditions,nostringsattached.”Withtheiractions, theywouldsay,wewillneveragreewithyourlifechoices, wewillnevertrustyoutomakegooddecisions,andwe willneverfullysupportyou
As tohow these early experiences affected me, I moved into many relationships from a place of intense insecurity. I harbored so much unnecessary guilt from years of religious trauma I latched on to anyone who noticed me when I wanted to be invisible. I had misplaced loyalty for anyone who told me I was worth more than I thought I didn’t trust myself to make decisions, so I let everyone else make them for me and was naive to what I was settling for.
I’ve come to deeply admire people who are confident enough to realize their own self-worth and who have never needed permission to make their own way and find their own happiness. Unfortunately, I was not that person. Someone had to come along and tell me all these things:
“You are powerful.”
“You are wise.”
“I trust you ”
“I believe in you ”
“Your talents are worth investing in ”
“The skills you are good at have value.”
“You, as a person, have value.”
This person was fully aligned and congruent in word and action and safe enough to trust. It changed everything for me I let myself heal
Now, I practice moving through life trusting my intuition and the wisdom of my gut decisions. I am exploring new relationships built on a foundation of authenticity I no longer carry the self-deprecation that stemmed from the stories that other people told about me.
I hold the pen to my own narrative. I manifest my own dreams
I love, without the need to protect myself, because true love will never threaten my freedom
This is all I know, so far
Most of my life I felt I didn’t belong.
I skated along a line that carefully positioned me into a few different communities, just trying my best to see where I fit in.
I didn’t fit into any of them. Everyone seemed to know the secrets to being a part of a group or community, but I always felt I was an outcast.
I didn’t fit in completely with anyone. Not black enough, not white enough, not woman enough, not man enough, not smart enough, not dumb enough, caring too much, caring not enough, loving too much, not loving enough, being too loud, and being too quiet.
My entire life was filled with contradictions all because I was trying to find where I belong.
And the answer was right in front of me. I belong, not because of who I am, what I do, for having the right words, for being there for others, for being kind, for being empathetic, for being love, or for where I’m at.
I belong simply because I belong, and I spent so long allowing others to dictate what belonging is and where I belong that I never realized I was already there.
I learned I was neurodivergent and I began to unmask, I began to simply be, me. And, I realized it’s not me who doesn’t belong, it’s the ones who excluded me, who made me feel like I have to perform for their affection. They are the ones who didn’t belong
"We're Already There"
I belonged to the world. I was a gift to the world. I was something and someone the world needed. They saw it way before I did and they didn’t like me for it.
So, now, I’m me, I belong, I am true to myself, and the more I display that, the more I show that, the more I have the courage to be that, the more I feel like I belong, then the more I help others see that they too belong.
We always belonged, it’s just we never realized that where we thought we needed to belong was the place of unbelonging, and who and what we truly are is the place of belonging.
So we’re already there.
My heart is burning with love. All I can see is this flame. My heart is burning with passion, like waves on an ocean. I'm at home, wherever I am."
-Rumi
a
Healthysoilhasthe followingcharacteristics: Balancednutrients, ProperpH,Sufficient water-holdingcapacity, Stronganddiverse microbialactivity,and Freeoftoxins.
Mythreeolderbrothersweredrugaddictsand alcoholics Ispentmyhighschoolyears,assoon asIcoulddrive,crashingatmyfriends'homes.
Myparentswerecompletelywrappedupinthe dramaandcrazinessthatmybrotherscreated I wasaBstudent,andmanagedtogetthrough highschoolwithouttouchingdrugsoralcohol EventhoughIwasrarelysupervised,Imanaged tosteerclearofpremaritalsexaswell.
Ifeltinvisible Icamehomeonceaweektowash clothesandgotochurch(myparentsrequired this) Ineverwenttothemforadviceorhadany hearttohearts.Iwantedtobeaslittletroubleas possiblebecauseIlovedthemandcouldseethe burdentheybore
Inevertoldthemaboutanyperformancesor activitiesthatIwasinvolvedin,andtheydidn't thinktoask.Iworriedaboutmoneyalot.They weremakingtwomortgagepaymentsplus puttingmybrothersthroughmultipleprivate rehabprograms Sometimesweliterallyhadno foodinthehouse
Iboughtmyownclothes,schoollunches,gasfor mycar,schoolsupplies,schoolexpenses,etc whileworkingforminimumwageatalocalfastfoodjoint
Severalkind-heartedparentsofmyfriendslet mestaythenight,evenonschoolnights,andsoI gotonegoodmealaday Iborrowedmyfriends' clothesandranwiththepopularcrowd,always ingratiatingmyselfwithkindnessandacheerful dispositionsothatIwouldbeaccepted,but fearingthatiftheyknewIwaspoor,they wouldn'tacceptme.
Duringthistime,mylittlesisterpassedawayandI developedaneatingdisorder Theeatingdisorder wasjustanotherthingtohideandfeelinadequate andsmallabout.
Myfirstnightawayatcollege,Icriedforjoy, realizingthatIwassafeandthatfromthatdayonI couldchoosesafepeopletosurroundmyselfwith
Imarriedaremarkableman,andhavebeenvery consciousaboutcreatingapeaceful,safehome-life formykids Lotsofhugsgoonaroundhereand thereislotsoflaughter Wespeakrespectfullyto eachotherasaruleandapologizewhenweslip up
Mykidsareveryopenwithmeandbesidesamom, Iamaconfidantandmentor Iworkhardtobe thereforthem
Istillworryincessantlyaboutmoney,eventhough Imakemultiplesixfiguresasaworkathome mom Idon'tthinkthatwilleverleaveme
Iknowthatmyparentsdidthebesttheycould, andtohonorthem,Ihavechosentolearnfrom theirmistakes(asIhopemychildrenlearnfrom mine) Ratherthanmindlesslycreatingahomelife liketheoneIgrewupin,Ihavemindfullymadea change
When I was born in 1968 in Taipei, Taiwan, my birthday was not recognized because I was a girl. I never grew up celebrating my birthday. I grew up striving to prove my worth - my right to be alive. Today I am 55 years strong and every single day is a celebration of my birthright to be alive. I had fraternal twins through IVF and we live life completely the opposite of the way I grew up.
I know I am loved by my parents now. And I love on my kids and my inner child in all the ways I did not receive. We play. We laugh. We stand in our innate belonging. Every.Single.Day. So can you. Remember to dance to your favorite music. Science has shown that dance lights up the entire brain in contrast to when we are stressed
Tuesday.
This day serves as a reminder that challenges are going to come, and those challenges will collide with our home lives. It's the little, daily, normal parts of life that are the hardest to master. It's where all of our desires, beliefs and attitudes are put to the test.
I'm nonbinary, neurodivergent and highly intuitive, and whilst I don't talk about it every minute of the day at almost 6'2 with brightly coloured hair looking the way I look an I am.
But I gr e or comfort in thing onally, exclude nd of not belongi the same as anyone one else was They sto
What ca was turned into an e loose and the farmer c
It all be uld not only handle nt, and they benefitt ow I think. I cultivat he same about me. We g old and sick, health i g he norm.
I'm still not as loudly me with my family culture. But my needs being met elsewhere has taken the sting from this. And my confidence and happiness is winning the reluctant ones over One daring nudge at a time D i f f e r e n t
FUN FACT:
Tuesday was named for the Roman god of war, Mars, however, it was derived from the German god of war, Tiu.
Balance
Growing up as a transracial adoptee meant that I struggled to feel really connected. I am half black and my adoptive parents are white with no POC friends so I felt lost a lot of the time. Growing up I didn't let anyone too close to me emotionally because I figured they'd abandon me just like my birth parents did. It's taken a long time but now that I'm in my forties with three incredible children, I really feel as though I am coming into who I am and living my life unapologetically. I love fiercely and am far too loyal for my own good but that has made room for beautiful friendships and a marriage of almost seventeen years.
When I was ten years old I attended a summer camp at a new school. The very first day I became friends with a few girls; most of them were white and another was black. I was thrilled to make new friends on my first day and I remember going back the next day full of excitement.
I ran up to my group of friends and failed to notice the changed vibe. The leader of the group turned to me and said:
We’ve decided that we can only have one black girl in our group ” I stood there confused because I didn’t understand I was half black and I lived with a white family Surely she wasn’t talking about me? She went on “We chose her ”
She pointed to the other black girl who was looking down at the ground and then they all turned their backs to me and kept talking amongst themselves. I walked away slowly, shrugged my shoulders as though it didn’t bother me, and swallowed it down because at the time the only way to process that kind of pain was simply not to. I didn’t make other friends at that camp and frankly I struggled to make any friends at all from that point on.
The memory of that experience came up recently and I sobbed for that little girl whose heart was shattered My daughter is the same age I was then and that fact broke me even more because I couldn’t imagine her going through something so awful simply because of the colour of her skin
Last year I got into a debate with a beautiful black woman She was upset that a black judge had comforted a white woman who had shot and killed a black man she thought had broken into her apartment. She was also upset that the victim’s brother had forgiven this white woman. I thought it was a beautiful moment of humanity because if we all forgave that way, what a world we would live in.
She disagreed. She then accused me of not being black enough because I was adopted into a white family. I couldn’t identify with other people of colour because I wasn’t actually one of them I was then shamed, deleted, and blocked for not being black enough
Do I have the answer for racism? No. But I can assure you that it is alive and well on ALL sides. I believe it’s a heart and forgiveness issue. Dealing with the hurts we’ve experienced, the trauma we’ve endured, and releasing those who have caused us the most anguish will set us free from this trap of hatred.
Whenever I see someone treating another person in a horrific way, I wonder to myself what could have happened in this person’s life to make them treat another human being this way? What horrors has this person endured to think that this behaviour is acceptable?
Not white enough to be white, not black enough to be black That is often the plight of mixed people
It took almost four months for me to be adopted back in 1983 and when my dad asked why I was still available since I was such a good baby, the foster mother simply replied it was because I was mixed. No one wanted a mixed baby back then. White? Yes. Black? Sure. But mixed? No.
Mixed individuals have such a unique perspective but their voices are often silenced. They couldn’t possibly understand because they’re not fully black and they’re not fully white. But that is exactly why they CAN understand. They have one parent who is white and one parent who is black They have both cultures uniquely ingrained into their DNA but instead of being celebrated for that, they are often ridiculed, put down, and ignored
Maybe it’s a naive way of looking at things but when you work with people in the capacity that I do, one thing becomes crystal clear. Everyone is hurting. Everyone has gone through terrible experiences that are buried deep down within them and when they aren’t dealt with, they grow like a cancer.
I refuse for that to be my legacy so I choose to do the hard work of ripping these experiences up from their roots, dusting them off, and dealing with them so that they no longer have power over me I truly believe that if we all did this, the world would be a much safer place
IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE WAS
Respected
Or maybe Don't imagine it because part of being human is being wounded and unhealed and that includes losing respect for each other under the right conditions This is part of the acceptance of being human When you expect imperfection, it will always be perfect
Quick tip:
Ice is the magic healer
Ifyou'reeverfeelingoverwhelmed,havingan anxietyattack,mentalhealthspiralorjustdon't likehowyou'refeelinginyourbodyanddesireto feelsomethingdifferentGrabanicepackorsomethingoutofthefreezer andputitonyourchestororlaydownonyour stomachandputitonyourspinefor10minutes whiletryingtorelaxalongwithseekingproper aidifnecessary.Iceisoneofthequickestwaysto soothethenervoussystem.
Warning: Do not leave it on for more than 20 minutes to avoid tissue damage.
As a young kid, I played the ‘regular sports.’ I enjoyed being on winning teams in ‘Grid Kids’ football and Little League baseball. But, in the end my chosen sport, in which I particularly excelled, and continued participation in into college, was an individual one, wrestling. The oneon-one, ‘mano a mano,’ fit best for me, because there was no deflecting blame for failure to others As a team, we competed as individuals, in front of a crowd, but not as a part of one In wrestling you have to prove it, alone
That mindset has followed me, good or bad, throughout my life
I’m a questioning-thinker and will deep-dive into subjects that many don’t really want to know about beyond a superficial level, nor want to discuss in a group setting That creates an odd-duckedness factor
I’m easing into the ‘winter season’ of the life-cycle
I’ve had a good life, a family, a career, and a liberating emergence from religion.
I still enjoy and love people, but my alone time has become more and more treasured.
In the big picture, and as a writer, I fit better as a contributing human, from mostly the outside to occasionally in.
My Belonging My Belonging
My mother sent me to live with my babysitters when I was 22 months old, and she never came back for me. Instead, she went on to have several more babies.
It is to be expected that my sense of belonging would be shaken from that.
I grew up very loved, and treated like I was special because I was adopted. My parents encouraged me to share my story, and they even kept me in touch with my extended biological family. I saw my disabled birth father twice a week at church. I knew who I was and where I came from I had the best case adoption scenario
I still had adoption trauma, and still didn't feel like I belonged anywhere
The focus for most adoptions is the new family gained, but the under developed mind can not get there when they are stuck in grief from the loss of the first family. There was no awareness for adoptees back then. My parents did a lot of things right for not having access to education
People assume because I have adoption trauma that must mean I had a terrible adoption experience, and I'm just bitter Quite the opposite I had a great experience, but I was just 2 years old when I lost my mother, father and siblings. Sometimes I think it might have been easier if they died because then I wouldn't have to wonder why I wasn't kept. I had extremely dark and scary thoughts as a child. I would lock myself in a tiny closet in fetal position and cry, if a mother's love is the strongest love and she didn't love me, then I must be unlovable. At that point it didn't matter that I was loved by others, all I cared about was the one person I wanted and needed wasn't there. These emotional spirals led to harmful ideations. Not only did I not want to exist, but I hated myself for existing My fantasy was to be invisible It's not that I didn't feel like I belonged, but I couldn't even fathom I was allowed to even have a desire to belong I grew up with lots of extended family from my adoptive, biological and church family Yet, once a child is removed from their family of origin, a tie has been cut that is almost impossible to mend. Technically, you do belong to both families, but the fit isn't quite right anymore, and you don't feel like you belong to either. You're a vagabond, on your own in the midst of others.
COMFORT
The good thing about feeling alone is that you learn to be alone. I was a recluse, and loved to hang out in my room alone if I wasn't with my friends. I felt like a taga-long in my adoptive family. It was easier to be alone. Unfortunately, I looked to the religion I was born, adopted and raised in for grounding and comfort to ease my pain. Though I had 2 earthly fathers, I identified God as my Father. He was the one that was there, and listened to me, held me when I cried, and understood me. Or so I imagined.
Another area where I didnt fit in was being an undiagnosed autistic with ADHD This gravely made me feel socially awkward and never being able to meet expectations I inwardly struggled a lot, and naturally had a lot of empathy for others I couldn't ever in my wildest dreams think of how someone could be evil because I naturally loved people even if I didn't fit in.
Being autistic, I took everything literally. This approach was not good for me being brought up under a literal interpretation of the Bible and belief in hell plus being very vulnerable. I became a religious extremist quickly, and had a biblical reason to hate myself even more.
I was terribly confused about social interactions and how people lived while claiming to be devout Christians. None of it made sense to me since I was taught to believe the Bible literally
I had more questions than answers and even more questions about myself I was always evaluating and reflecting about my personality and how I fit into the social circle No one else seemed concerned, let alone consumed, about their identity like I was. I thought there was something wrong with me because I had such a desire to learn and grow in my self-awareness.
My inquisitive mind and never ending thirst for exploration is what saved me and would eventually be what I love the most about myself.
It was hard being around others who didn't value that characteristic, but I learned to detach myself from people and outcomes and be secure in my own company This allowed me to reevaluate what I was taught via religion and social conditioning
You would think with my hyperfixation for selfawareness that I would unlearn everything quickly. However, I did not break free from harmful teachings until I was 30 years old and already had a large family of my own. Though, once it clicked, I became a new person overnight. The difference was alarming and caused my then husband and friends and family to not trust me. To them, the change came out of nowhere, but to me, it was just a matter of time because I had put so much effort in beforehand. Once again, I lost more and more family
I became the black sheep and broke ties with my religious adoptive family I lost my entire religious community, which was a harder blow than I was prepared for Losing my husband, and then a period of time losing custody to my children as a result of stepping away from the religion I was raised with. It retraumatized me with my abandonment wound all over again, but the great haunting was in causing childhood trauma for my children.
I was eager to join another community after walking away from one. Community was all I knew. I delved into a spiritual health and wellness community and participated with caution. As much as I genuinely loved it there, it also came with a lot of drama, and more misunderstanding due to my autism- just a whole lot of extra trauma
It didn't take me long before I stepped away from there too I still didn't feel like I belonged anywhere It was COVID, and I just gave up on the community I desperately wanted. I intentionally isolated myself for years post-Covid.
Thankfully, because of my love for learning and selfawareness, I was able to learn how to cope with the vicious emotional PTSD spirals from all of it.
I stayed home and worked on crafting Simply Beeing. Giving up on finding where I belonged was probably the best thing for me. I learned so much about myself, grew and became confident and comfortable in my own skin- as much as I could on my own I knew I would have to eventually need people in my life again, but temporarily, the isolation was what I needed
I ended up dating someone for a bit. We were like magnets. We understood each other. The areas where we didn't, we respected each other's process. I felt safe and comfortable.
One day, out of the blue, he was working from home at my house. I was standing in my kitchen. It hit me.
The feeling I always wanted to feel: I belonged.
I've always had a sense of belonging to myself, my kids, fellow humans and the earth But this went straight to my core It took my breath away, and attached me to solid land It was like I walked into a room and was immediately overcome by this incredible aroma
There was no fanfare No big event or celebration It was just a regular afternoon in my own home where I already knew I belonged. But now I could really feel it deep in my soul, like my mind and heart finally reattached to my body.
Was it him? No. He allowed the space so I could feel safe with another. But it was me. I did it. I did the work to prepare my heart. I followed my intuition for what I needed to get me there. The puzzle pieces came together at the right time with the right circumstances.
I will forever be grateful to him, but my sense of belonging isn't dependent on others The actual belonging is to myself and my connection to the earth and all of lif
Catapult
Wholeness
My story stems from younger years, bullying, and building walls of “protection” to keep me feeling safe around others. It stems from my heart, the same one that suffered as I lost myself completely as I tried to fit into the particular roles, boxes, and expectations that came from those around me, society in general, and as it evolved, my own mind. And now, as I have evolved, I have learned that I am always whole, despite what life may show me, despite how I may feel in a moment, despite how our society sections its structures or the way words are woven to communicate.
I have come to recognize much of my inner and outer turmoil stems from separating myself from the wholeness of all that I am. From feeling that if I am this, I can not be that, or seeing myself in one way, and feeling as though I am not enough. For grasping stories that were meant only for the moment. For we are not our stories. We are so much more than just…
The feeling of belonging is something I have struggled with almost my entire life. In elementary school, around the age where we start to become self aware, I became a target for other children to pick on. Having other kids my age pick apart every little thing about me; my appearance, my mannerisms, etc…
put me in a perpetual state of fear. Quite honestly it broke me. I retreated inwards and became an observer of life. Detaching from moments to observe rather than live…Because it felt safer.
Learning patterns and behaviors while masking and mirroring was my coping mechanism. Walls upon walls built as I became a shell of a person for more years than I'd like to admit.
For so many years I so desperately desired to fit in neatly amongst the crowd. I just wanted to be like everyone else. But that just wasn't me. My name is a month. I'm left handed. Red hair and hazel eyes. Carrot top was a name I was commonly called to pick on my hair. But beyond these obvious traits that had me feel as though I were sticking out like a sore thumb….my brain also felt different. I always had lots of questions…and when my true essence felt safe to shine through I was quite quirky, clutzy, silly, highly passionate and very much went to the beat of my own drum. It wasn't until years later that I realized fitting in, is not actually the same as belonging.
We Belong
When talking about her book ‘Atlas of the Heart’, Brené Brown said,“The thing is that we are wired to be a part of something bigger than us so deeply, that sometimes we will take fitting as a substitute, but actually fitting in is the greatest barrier to belonging because fitting in says, 'Be like them to be accepted. ' Belonging says, 'This is who I am. I hope we can make a connection.”
I've read or listened to many of Brené Brown's books, which cover important topics like vulnerability and belonging and yet despite understanding this concept that one doesn't need to fit in to belong…I still struggle. The idea of belonging still comes with the same uncomfortable feeling that something needs to happen, or I need to be a certain way, or that there are particular signs that show one does indeed belong.
The truth is that the word itself pokes at our own insecurities. It invites us to question whether we do or we don't. Yet the parameters of “belonging” are not pin-downable…and neither are you.
I had started to ruminate on belonging about a month before this current issue. The trigger for such rumination being the announcement of the home my family owned and that I stayed at every other week for work was to be sold rather quickly. And honestly before that, my brain had already started to bring up deep rooted feelings on belonging as I found new friends and community and out of fear, began to question whether I truly belonged.
The first time I attempted to write my section for this issue I stared at a blank page for a very long time. The second time I ended up doodling. And the first words that ended up coming together were these:
Words Were always a distraction
From the main attraction
A sobering sour satisfaction
Meant to rile up reactions
Transpiring into transactions
With impactions
Far beyond what we ever believed
For often lost in translation,
Words deceive...
And initially I was annoyed with myself. I thought, "Clever April, but off topic.”
But the more I sat with the word belonging and let my mind's ideas marinate with my feelings….the more it clicked and I realized this:
The word “belong” does indeed invite deception within our minds. For, to belong makes us feel as though we need to look for signs that we are a part of something that we already naturally are.
We innately belong. Every single one of us.
In every single version of ourselves
We belong as we are
How we are
Wherever we are
By simply being of existence we belong And anyone who tells you, me, or any of us otherwise is simply wrong Or rather, creating their own rabbit hole of delusion (Which is only able to get sucked into if you yourself aren't able to hold your own healthy beliefs, like, “My belonging is allowed, valued, and worth it.”
You belong every day in every way
Not matter which way you naturally sway
You are more than just, how you can be defined.
You are more than just, how your own mind has you confined.
You are more than just, the way you are perceived.
You are more than just, what you are in this moment able to believe
You are more than just, others opinions of you
You are more than just, what others deem as true
You are more than just, the amount of friends you have to call
You are more than just, those moments of loneliness that make you feel small
You are more than just all the ways the world makes you feel estranged.
You are more than just, all the interactions you have or have not exchanged.
Because you are whole
You are here
You are home
No matter which way you or how far you feel or like to roam.
You simply BElong
Allow yourself to BElong
Allow yourself to learn your own soul's song
Ihadafewmorewhimsicallywovenwordsthatcameout surroundingbelongingwhichI'llendwith.WordsthatIhope helpplantseeds,giveyoufoodforthought,ormoreimportantly forthisissue,helpyoutofeelseenorlessalone.
Thisisheavystuff.Thefeelingofbelongingrequiresustofeelsafe andsecureinourselves…Yetlookattheworldaroundus.Sinceas longaswecanrememberit'sbeenteachingustheopposite.So please,begentlewithyourself.Giveyourselfgrace.Goatyour ownpace.It'sajourney,notarace.Remember,youaremorethan justhowtheoutsideworldmakesyoufeel.Andthosefeelingsof aloneareanillusion.Forwithinyou,withineveryoneofus,isa homethatcanneverbetakenaway.
Belonging:
A place?
A space?
The feeling of home?
A setting into a moment with no desire to roam?
A mindset?
A feeling?
Some sort of believing?
Connections?
Projections?
Less Rejections?
Here? There?
Everywhere? With care?
How do we compare?
More whimsically woven woven words pertaining to my struggle:
Vulnerable Share
Bare
Stare
Over care
Compare Despair
All she wanted to do was take it off
The mask
So worn it'd become almost indistinguishable from her own
Skin
Stretched thin enough to be seen
Beyond the dream
Translucent Screams
Deafening sounds of silence
Met with defiance
In whisper form
Of words that did not fit neatly amongst the norm
Nor conform
Further fueling this unsettling storm
Some days she wished she'd never been born...
Healing
As prey
Tired of running
For Fleeing is not freeing when it's an escape route so worn the back of your eyelids bleed vibrant displays of "the way "
And yet which perspective is at play
Who says who is to be the chaser vs the chased
I would rather be erased than subscribe to either...
For Free is not me when I'm drowning in or being dragged by different dialects of delusion while Cameoing as a disguise so carefully curated even I have forgotten where I end and it begins
The Violin within spins sound all around
The tune transmuting tears to cheers, cheers to fears...fears to conditioned careers
We are
We are not
The line is not as distinctly decipherable as (thought)
Caught Sought and sold Taught to be Bought and controlled
The lines that are real...
Do they align with the ones that we feel?
What happens when all have lost appeal...
We Heal
And my last whimsically woven words to end with:
Belonging
A deep longing
For a lost lullaby that strings together
Our soul songs
Into a harmonious melody that reminds our minds and hearts that were and are already home
For to belong is to be.
Simply Be You.
Me.
We
more than just ...
Home
Home more than just
MORE THAN JUST
A Timeless Message
A Heart Led Movement
A Soon to Be Picture Book of Whimsical Words & Art Woven with Soul
All Divinely Orchestrated with Love
To help Remind You of Your Power to Perceive through an Infinite lens all that you are and all the possibilities out there you can be… When You Follow your Heart and Allow your Inner Wisdom to Guide You to your Personal Free
And In case you were wondering about who is behind this message and movement, it’s me, April!
I am a writer by nature My soul loves to weave words (especially whimsical ones) into stories that leave the reader feeling refreshed and hugged from the inside out. I am a mother, a lover, a dreamer, word weaver, nature admirer, reality inquirer and hope infused inspirer who loves helping remind others that they are always home and always whole
I have helped co-author heart-centered publications such as 365 Ways to Connect with your Soul, and Warrior Soul: A Journal to Inspire Your Fiercely Alive Whole Self while also being featured in online publications such as Wild Sister Magazine, Be Kind, and Elephant Journal. I am also the other half of a poetic duo called Pathway Poets on Instagram. When not writing I enjoy spending time with my kiddos, immersing myself in nature and having dance parties! (I love the way music moooves me ) I am over the moon excited and honored to be co-creating with Simply Beeing
This message, “You Are More Than, Just ” is one that I am deeply passionate about for many reasons Besides being a mother and desiring that my children grow up and feel loved unconditionally for who they are, as well as free to be themselves always, I myself have had my own journey that has helped to fuel the inspiration for sharing this message and collaborating with others to help bring it to life.
Which is why I feel the message of “You Are More Than, Just ” is so immensely important We are more than just this or that, more than just matter or fact More than simply, just, because we are Whole
I am looking forward to connecting, collaborating, creating and communicating this message, and sharing not only my own stories, but your stories as well!
My hopes are that in shedding light and bringing us together via this message, we are all able to find the inner peace, unconditional love and feelings of wholeness that will set us free!
Free to Accept ourselves, as we are Free to Be, as we are And Free to Create the desires of our heart
Free to Simply Bee Simply Beeing ourselves is allowed, valuable, and worth it!
Simply Beeing
Human
How do you approach a fellow human beeing? With curiosity or preconceived notions?
The details may be different, but underneath, we all want the same thing.
We are all a mix of truth and error. Good intentions and agendas.
To feel like we belong.
Somatic support
Your body is your best friend!
Lots of feelings may come up for you during this time. The tissues of your body are feeling the impact of all its been through and needs extra care. Here are some ways that you can support your body in return as it supports you.
"Home is where my family is." -Nora, 4yrs
Thank You 3
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Thank You
Thank you for your purchase, time and energy into this magazine. It is because of supporters like you that make it possible. I hope you enjoyed it.
