“‘I never hit publish unless I’m afraid of what people will think of me.”

-James Altucher


In this process of reawakening my blog, I’ve been thinking a lot about why. 

Why have I felt called back to this project recently? 

Why is this personal, informal, open-ended style of writing one I’m drawn to? 

Why do I believe my writing will offer something meaningful to others?

I’ve been rewatching Tiny Beautiful Things, a TV show based on my favorite book by Cheryl Strayed. When I first read the book, it opened my mind to the power of radical empathy. I reread it periodically to refresh my sense of core values, and it offers insights every time. The mini series based on the book complements it well, delving into some of the book’s most poignant parts. 

In exploring my own whys, I’ve wondered about Cheryl’s whys. 

Why did she choose to take on writing an advice column? Why did her work resonate with people so much? Why does it resonate with me?

The introduction to Tiny Beautiful Things, written by the Dear Sugar advice columnist before Cheryl, Steve Almond, explores this:

“It all matters—every sin, every regret, every affliction. As proof, she offered an account of her own struggle… She was a real human being laying herself bare, fearlessly, that we might come to understand the nature of our own predicaments.”

Cheryl’s why connects to my own. I hope my writing can offer others gifts like the ones I’ve gained from writers like her.  

For much of my life from my formative years into early adulthood, I felt misaligned with my environment. Presented with few options, I tried to fit my complex identity into the restrictive binaries that I was taught were reality. As I tried harder and harder to fit myself into an inauthentic shape, all my uneven edges and flowy curves kept getting bruised and cut.

As I grew and my horizons opened up, writers became the voices that illuminated my world. They helped me realize that I didn’t have to bleed and change myself because I’m different. There were people out there who understand and relate. There’s a space for me and my unique characteristics. The shape of my life can and should be built around who I am, not the other way around. 

Writers like Cheryl have had a boundless effect on me just by sharing authentically about themselves. In reading their truths, I found my own. 

Through my own writing, I hope to add to this growing library of authenticity.

I think the most beautiful thing you can be is yourself.

Welcome to Stories Awakened.

“When I felt embarrassed to be talking about myself, I clung to Jung’s idea that, ironically, the more intensely individual a person’s thoughts are, the more uniquely applicable to him or her, the more they will have meaning for other people.

‘That which is most personal is most common,’ he said. Meaning, that if there’s any justification for telling personal stories, it’s that every person, every selfish little clod of ailments and grievances—including you, including me—contains within their self the entire human condition.”

-Adair Lara, Naked, Drunk, and Writing

My approach is constantly evolving, and I’ve updated this page to reflect that. For my original About Me page, see Start Here.

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