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Let me get real honest about my struggles with mental health lately
Please subscribe to my newsletter: Self-Care For Writers. I read somewhere once that, when you break, you don’t quite get put back together the same again. The Japanese art of kintsugi repairs those broken pieces with gold but, to be honest, I’ve never really felt like my scars were majestic parts of myself to show off. Instead, I’ve mostly kept those physical and emotional scars hidden deep beneath the surface — one at time peeking out when I felt strong enough to share. For years, I’ve prided myself on being fearless in my writing and yet I’ve kept silent the past couple of months about the struggles of my mind. Sure, I’ve…
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The Robin Williams (Anthony Bourdain) Tragedy Affects Us All
Note: This is a story that was written for and published on Latina.com in August 2014. However, the site has since shut down and my story has disappeared… But the internet gods allowed me to find it in its entirety, so I am re-posting it here since a) I feel very strongly about this topic & b) this piece was really important to me because I believe we need to talk MORE about mental health and end the stigma — especially in light of the Anthony Bourdain news this morning that has me crying all over again. So, I wanted to continue to share it. Enjoy! I remember feeling shocked over the news that Heath Ledger…
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April 2018 Writer’s Life: Shoulder surgery means less work [#yearofwriting]
Please subscribe to my newsletter: Self-Care For Writers. Well, where should I start with my April blog post? Let’s see… Oh right! I had a major thing happen this month: I finally got shoulder surgery after my 15th dislocation last fall. That’s right, since I turned 18 years old, I have dislocated my shoulder a whopping 15 times and it is FINALLY fixed. Well, sort of. It’s not really as simple as all of that. I had to get a pretty intensive surgery that means many, many months of physical therapy and recovery. So far, two and a half weeks out, I am doing okay. I am making slow but steady progress…
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Why I’m glad I dislocated my shoulder for the 15th time
Please subscribe to my newsletter: Self-Care For Writers. Last October, I was taking an aerial yoga class when I dislocated my shoulder for the 15th time. Picture this: I was lying on the floor with my butt in the air and my thighs floating in one of those silk things. My back and shoulders were on the floor and, as the yoga teacher tried to help me reposition for the next pose, POP! Out went my shoulder, and the class was over for me. It wasn’t the yoga teacher’s fault, though. My shoulder has been dislocating roughly once a year since I turned 18 years old. In fact, my first shoulder dislocation…
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How this night owl is going to attempt to become a morning lark
Please subscribe to my newsletter: Self-Care For Writers. I spent a good amount of time last night researching ways to become a morning lark instead of the night owl I naturally am. And today, despite going to bed later than I planned to, I am up again at 6 am, trying to form a habit that I hope will stick in the long run. We shall see. When it comes to being a night owl, which is what I have always considered myself to be, I don’t know if that’s actually true. Yes, I feel active and not even remotely tired in the hours before bedtime, but does that actually make me…
