Not Broken…Becoming

A space for slowing down, softening, and rebuilding in small, intentional ways

Tag: life

  • Sundays with Shenise

    Some of my recent favorite affirmations, courtesy of the I Am app.

    “It’s a nice morning to go sit in a cafe and journal/read.”

    A thought I considered, and almost dismissed.

    Until I sat with it…That thought was not a “present me” thought.

    That was Future Me, enjoying a quiet Sunday outside of her house, at a cafe with the vibes she loves. She’s there with her journal, her thoughts, a delicious drink and a treat, and maybe even a book.

    Because that’s how she sometimes chooses to spend her Sunday mornings.

    And if she can…So can I. In this present moment.

    And so I will.

  • The Distraction Right Before the Finish Line

    Distractions are such a funny thing. Sometimes we choose them; they’re a way to avoid something we don’t want to deal with. Other times they show up uninvited. Lately, for me, it’s been this blog post. I’ve been working on it for awhile, and it’s basically done. All that’s left is adding pictures and doing a final read through before I post it.

    And then…right on cue…here come the distractions.

    Low energy. No motivation. The discipline just wasn’t there. I told myself I needed the “right setting”: a cafe, or a library, which of course never happened.

    Then I’m scrolling social media and keep seeing posts about Substack, Patreon, and newsletters…All of these creators use subscription models and get paid for it. And my brain goes oooh, maybe I should try that. Maybe the platform I’m on isn’t where I’m supposed to be.

    *This is where I have a small confession, because I don’t quite know how people are going to feel about this next part.*

    When my thoughts get jumbled up like that, I sometimes talk it out with Claude. I shared the Patreon/Substack idea I saw everywhere, half-hoping I’d get “that’s a great idea!”

    Yeah…that didn’t happen.

    Instead, it was more like, “slow your roll! Let’s get the actual blog up and start posting consistently first. THEN you can go back to the Patreon/Substack idea for early releases or behind-the-scenes stuff.”

    Basically, I was trying to fly before I’d even started crawling. And when I saw it laid out in front of me, I realized just that. I knew that if I tried to do too much too fast, I’d get overwhelmed, and if it didn’t work out, that voice would show up. The one that says I’m not as good as the other creators, that my writing isn’t good enough (I call that voice Patrice. Not to be confused with the fun character from How I Met Your Mother…I just really like saying “NOBODY ASKED YOU, PATRICE!”).

    Which, when I sit and think about it…is complete bullshit. I know that I’m a good writer. I don’t need to compare myself to others.

    That distraction taught me something. It almost completely derailed me from a post that I was two steps away from sharing. But now that I’ve named it, I’ve got more clarity moving forward. BONUS…it gave me an idea for a second post: this one. Something a little more raw and not quite as polished as the other post I’ve been working on.

    Distractions really do cause you to stop and think: what am I using this as a distraction from? If you sit with it instead of giving in, I’ve found it gets curious rather than frustrating. Instead of “ugh, I’m distracted, this will never get done”, the frame of thinking becomes, “what is this actually pulling me away from, and why does it conveniently show up right before I’m finished with a goal I’m working on?”

    Just a little food for thought.

  • Becoming okay with being unpolished

    I have been sitting on this post for…a few days. Not for any real reason…The excitement from my first return post had worn off, the “what ifs” had set in, and the next thing I knew I was procrastinating on sharing any of the ideas I had written in my notebook.

    So.

    Here I am, at 11:45 on a Friday night, sharing these words with you.

    Affirmations, really. From the Third Eye Affirmations app, and the I Am app. There have been quite a few lately that I’ve taken screenshots of, and I wanted to share some of the ones that have really stuck out to me.

    They stuck out not because they seem generic, but because they would pop up in the widget right when I was having thoughts about the exact opposite. When I would doubt myself, if I’d ever reach my goals, if I’d ever stick with this consistently. When I’d wonder if anyone would actually read or care about the words I wrote.

    These affirmations would do just that…affirm. Encourage me to not give up, to keep writing even if it’s not perfect.

    So now I share them with you; because maybe they’ll resonate with you like they have with me. Maybe not in the exact same way, but in *some* way.

    *My validation comes from myself.

    * I notice when I’m being too hard on myself and I soften. I speak to myself in a way that actual helps me grow. Kindness is more effective than criticism.

    * I don’t need to be perfect to be worthy of respect or love. I’m allowed to be a work in progress. That doesn’t make me less, it makes me real.

    * It’s okay to set my own boundaries.

    * My personal growth journey is something to be proud of.

    * I give myself permission to b imperfect and human.

    * I trust that what I’m building will take time. I don’t rush the process just to feel ahead. I’m focused on creating something that actually lasts.

    * I am becoming more comfortable being seen as I really am. I don’t need to perform or filter myself to be accepted. The right people will resonate with the real version of me.

    * My contributions to the world are valuable and meaningful.

    * I let go of the need to control every outcome. Not everything requires my interference to work out. Sometimes the best things I can do is trust and allow.

    * I am worthy of achieving great things in life.

    * I am learning to be patient with my own process. Growth doesn’t always look dramatic, but it’s happening. I give myself credit for the progress I don’t always see.

    * I embrace my creativity as an essential part of who I am (this one really hit home when I was doubting my writing ability).

    There you have it. Are there any that I’ve shared that stuck out to you as well? Do you have any affirmations of your own that you use on a daily basis? Let me know in the comments down below.