BETTER TOGETHER: REBUILDING REAL LIFE COMMUNITY
We are stronger together, and together may we find the way back to peace
I feel like I keep trying to get off of a really fucking wild tilt-o-whirl but some bully keeps pulling me back onto it to torture me some more.
I feel scared. I feel angry. I feel betrayed.
I know I am not alone.
Even those of us who saw this coming - we are still shook to our very core.
Here’s what I know to be true for me right now.
I know that I stand tall, strong and proud with all of my fellow LGBTQ+ community members.
I know that I stand tall, strong and proud with every single one of you who already feels tired and afraid on Day 3 of the coming years.
I know that, right now, IN PERSON COMMUNITY IS NECESSARY. Not just for me. For all of us. I encourage everyone to begin stepping away from the social media platforms that we’ve all built and begin to reconnect in real life again. Doing that already? Great. Do it more. Shift that energy to connections that are not being monitored, filtered or censored by billionaires.
I, for one, know that I’ve been talking a big game about wanting to rely less on social media for a while now. I’ve made tiny steps but none of them went far enough to close the door behind me. I’m not saying that I’m shutting down my socials right now. My tiny little business, that has allowed me to support and raise my son as a solo parent, relies heavily on word-of-mouth marketing. Let’s be real - social media is where we’ve been (or at least I have been) making many of those connections for close to 15 years. But this week has felt very different from every other time I’ve really wanted this shift. This week my body is begging me to start that transition away from these platforms. It won’t happen overnight, but this is hopefully the true beginning of my journey away from social media.
I will be putting more energy and many of my thoughts and musings right here, in this blog/journal. If y’all want to stay connected to me more over the coming months/years, please consider joining my mailing list - you can do so very simply below. And, by all means, please do me a favor and reach out to connect in real life, too. As a busy, single mama who’s working her ass off while trying to launch a young adult into this terrifying world - I totally get that time is precious. I might have to say no at times but I promise, there are plenty of yeses in there, too. We’re all just doing our best to get by these days but, when we’re able, let’s please make efforts to put our energy into physical connection and not just online connection.
Find ways to practice some self care during these hard times, my friends. Rest and a peaceful heart are so important.
Here are a few things I’ve been doing recently to help create a shift in
my mind and in my little world:
I make time to journal my gratitudes, read a few pages from a book, pull an oracle card and/or create something before I allow myself to scroll in the evening. It all brings me a little more peace and clarity before stepping into an online world that is designed to keep us confused, comparing ourselves to others and questioning reality.
I’ve been saying yes to more people and in-person interactions. This allows me to do that reconnecting in real life, and creates an environment where I have less time and less desire to scroll. I’m building up my endurance for in-person interactions again. I feel like I spent a lot of time being so reclusive since 2020 and I know that is not who I am. I am inspired by and driven by community. I’m tired of being tired by physical interactions.
I’m working on organizing more game nights and art nights with friends. Love a good, long deck building game? Wanna learn how to crochet alongside of me? Should we get our watercolors out at our favorite coffee shop sometime? Hit me up and let’s get playful together!
HIKES! I’m hiking A LOT. Last winter I spent a lot of time in the gym and, while I do love and value challenging myself that way, I NEED nature. I need movement in nature. I need the peace of nature. I’m often happy to have a friend or two join me on an adventure so reach out if you’ve been wanting to get outdoors!
I am very excited to have just joined the Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce! This has been something I’ve wanted to do since settling back down in Indy again and I finally made it happen yesterday. I am SO looking forward to connecting with other business owners within and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. And making this commitment helps others know that I am a safe space!
What has inspired you to be more intentional with your time? How are you activating connection within your community? What steps are you taking to nurture relationships in real life, as opposed to online?
I truly would love to hear your suggestions! Email me or comment below and share, please! Maybe I’ll compile ideas from everyone in a journal entry down the road so that we can all add them to our toolboxes!
Prioritizing physical, mental and spiritual health feels more important than ever to me.
“In these bodies we will live, in these bodies we will die
And where you invest your love, you invest your life”
