Just about every morning I sit alone in the wee dark hours of the day , cuddled next to my dog , drinking a cup of coffee and spilling my heart and ideas into a notebook . This has become an important part of my self-care practice .
Not only does it give me the space to process what's going on in my head , but it also seems to help me release my anxiety so I can get on with my life . And if that wasn't awesome enough , it also seems to spark a lot of content ideas .
A lot of times what ends up on the pages of my notebook turns out to later become a social media blog or podcast post . But sometimes what ends up on the pages is too personal for public spaces , and that is what I share with my Patreon community spaces , and that is what I share with my Patreon community .
But today I want to share something I posted on Patreon with you here , publicly . It's not necessarily too personal , but it is a bit more casual than what I typically like to post , and I want to share it because I think it's an important concept to ponder , and that concept today was about representation . Anyway , this is what I had to say at Patreon .
It's Saturday , so I can make my cup of coffee last for two hours instead of 20 minutes , and I am grateful for this small luxury . Anyway , I'm sitting here in actual daylight instead of the typical darkness , thinking about how important it is to be seen .
I spent a lot of my life trying not to be seen or to be seen as something other than what I was , and if you've ever lived your life hiding in shadows and lies , you know this is an exhausting , soul-crushing way to live . Something I absolutely love about social media these days , especially TikTok , is the representation movement .
Humans of all kinds are showing up and being seen . There's a rise in awareness that all bodies , brains and feelings are allowed to exist . The fat , the neuro-spicy , the gender spectrum , the differently abled , and every race and color of human is demanding access to health , respect and autonomy .
Folks are showing up and saying I deserve to be here and I demand better . It gives me the fucking chills and fills my eyes with tears . I wish that younger me had been given this permission to be seen , but I suppose I'm here now better late than never , and at a really critical time in life .
It's a scary world out there right now and if I'm not careful it will make me go back into hiding . Hiding , after all , was how I used to stay safe . But I need to be present , in every sense of the word , if I'm going to survive .
I need to embrace all that I am and all that I'm not and be fierce with my self-love and self-care so I can lead as an example for others . Because each and every one of us , no matter how public our roles are or whether or not we want to be , we act as mirrors for others to see themselves . Representation matters .
Living our lives with radical self-love and acceptance gives others permission to do the same , and I can't help but think the more there are of us who bravely choose to interrupt old , toxic narratives about our bodies , worth or abilities , the stronger we'll become collectively , and if we collectively gain power in a way that supports and includes diversity , the bigger ,
more positive changes we can make in this world . So what are your thoughts about this ? Has representation impacted your life ? If so , how ? I would love to hear your story . My name is Crystal McLain .
You've been listening to Creative Self-Care , where together we explore creative ways to care for the mind , body and mother , love and soul , so we can live healthy , fulfilling lives , individually and collectively . If you want to learn more about me and my work and how we're making a positive impact with our communities , you can visit crystalmclainncreative . com .
I love you . I appreciate you . Thank you so much for being here and I hope to see you soon .